The Island ~ Original Art by Bill Evans

This is a cartoon, that Bill created for me in July of 1980, while we were in London for Bill’s last engagement at Ronnie Scotts Club.

The image of the man in the boat, so completely focused on his direction in life, that he literally misses the humor of life represented by the island.

The inscription “For Miss Ecks” comes from an experience I had arriving at Heathrow Airport, waiting in the humid July weather for the driver from Ronnie Scotts Club. I kept looking for my name on one of the signs, but nothing resembled my name.

One by one the drivers disappeared until there was only one sign left ~ with the name “Miss Eckamen”. My anxiety mounting, I took a risk and asked the driver if he was from Ronnie Scotts Club.

He said “ Yes, are you Miss Eckamen?”

Bill laughed when I told him later ~ and decided to take things even further by nicknaming me Miss Ecks, a play on the misspelled name and my mysterious qualities. We then became Miss X and Mr. E.

Laurie Verchomin
author of THE BIG LOVE ~ Life & Death with Bill Evans

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The Island (limited edition print)