Podcast Summary: "Plenty for All: The Art of Rick Froberg"

Podcast: New Books Network
Host: Rebecca Buchanan
Guest: Sohrab Habibion
Episode Date: January 11, 2026
Book Discussed: Plenty for All: The Art of Rick Froberg (Akashic Books, Ltd., 2016)

Episode Overview

This episode spotlights Plenty for All: The Art of Rick Froberg, a coffee table art book celebrating the breadth and depth of Rick Froberg’s artwork. Host Rebecca Buchanan interviews co-editor Sohrab Habibion, who shares personal anecdotes and insights into Froberg's life, his artistic process, and how this posthumous volume came together. The conversation delves into the significance of unveiling the full extent of Froberg's work, often overshadowed by his reputation as a musician, and highlights the collaborative and community-driven nature of compiling the book.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Genesis of the Book

• Personal Connection
  • Sohrab and Rick were bandmates in Obits for 10 years, and Sohrab originally met Rick through his artwork ([02:25]–[03:00]).
• Motivation
  • The book was conceived as a tribute after Rick's death, with co-editor Rich Jacobs (who sadly also passed away during the project) eager to present Rick as a substantial artist, not just a record illustrator ([03:10]–[04:55]).
  • “We should really put an art book together just to show the world not just how prolific Rick was, but just what an incredible deep, deep artist that he was.” — Sohrab ([03:34])

Assembling and Structuring the Book

• Collection Process

  • The editors collected thousands of images, utilizing scans from Rick’s partner Britt and crowd-sourced works from the community ([05:00]–[11:36]).
  • The vastness of Rick’s output was a revelation even to those closest to him ([29:44]).

• Organizational Strategy

  • Art was organized by medium (sketches, ink, digital, paintings, etc.) rather than chronologically, to avoid a "haphazard" feel and allow “digestible chunks” for readers ([06:33]).
  • The book is 256 pages with over 400 images ([04:30]).

• Textual Minimalism

  • Minimal text: only short introductions, a pseudo "artist statement," and chapter markers—no captions, titles, or sizes for individual pieces ([16:00]–[18:43]).

  • The rationale was both practical (missing consistent info) and philosophical (aligning with Rick's rejection of art world pretensions).

    "We just thought, well, let's just present the work for the work and, you know, go with it as that." — Sohrab ([16:54])
    "He was so against the pretensions of the art world... it just won't be in the book." — Sohrab ([17:37])

The Art and Its Evolution

• Content & Style

  • Rick's work spans whimsical to foreboding; humor, criticism, curiosity, and beauty intermingle ([08:39]–[09:57]).
  • Notable for animals in strange poses and subtle dark elements:

    “He manages to capture the beauty in the darkness, which I really love.” — Sohrab ([09:29])

• Notable Pieces and Themes

  • Rick’s early pencil portraits were "mind-blowing," without humor or thorns, just pure draftsmanship ([23:04]).
  • The recurring motif of animals is explained by Rick’s fascination with “animals doing ridiculous things” ([24:19]).
  • His use of color and layering between digital and analog techniques are emphasized.

• The Artist’s Personality

  • Self-taught, self-deprecating, and resistant to formalities or pretension:

    “I don't think he left the pretensions that surround the art world. So I think that he preferred to be a guy in a rock band.” — Sohrab ([14:40])

  • The artist statement itself reflects Rick's humor:

    “It's the self-bias that is perfect... it also is very tonally, it's so perfectly Rick.” ([15:12]) “He signs it off, you know, yours at a price, you go.” — Sohrab ([15:14])

Book Design and Artistic Choices

• Unpublished Book Discovery

  • An unpublished book project of Rick’s was found among his files and informed the final format and dimensions of Plenty for All ([21:36]).

• Cover Art

  • Cover features two tigers boxing; chosen for its vivid colors, familiar composition, and dreamlike quality ([26:30]):

    "We thought the colors were really stunning. And the composition is both familiar... but there’s that seated person in the foreground... almost dreamlike.” — Sohrab ([26:32])

• Chapter Separation

  • Color spreads between chapters were chosen to match Rick's preferred palettes ([27:16]).

Legacy, Collecting, and Impact

• What Happened to the Art

  • Individual works returned to their owners; Rick’s family are primary custodians ([28:04]).
  • Hope for institutional collecting in future:

    “Hopefully this book could be a calling card... get this book, if we can, into the hands of museum curators.” — Sohrab ([28:36])

• Community Reaction

  • Friends and family were both aware of his talent and surprised by the extent of his output ([29:44]).

Events and Remembering Rick

• Book Events

  • Launch events are both talks and collaborative musical tributes, honoring both visual and musical sides of Rick ([30:52]–[32:13]):

    “After about... 30 to 40 minutes of talking about the book we clear the stage and then we set up to do a short set of music. And so... local musicians in every city... that had a connection with Rick are joining us. And so we're basically doing one song from each of Rick's four main bands and then two cover songs that meant a lot to Rick.” — Sohrab ([31:54])

• Spirit of the Events

  • The intention was to avoid staid, traditional book events and embrace the fun, energetic spirit Rick embodied ([32:13]).

Memorable Quotes

• "He had a way of seeing the world that was very singularly his. It was a combination of curiosity, criticism, and humor." — Sohrab ([08:39])
• "He kind of believed in the hard work of just putting pen to paper.” — Sohrab ([15:38])
• "When we were first gathering the images, we were having a really hard time getting information for all the images so that it would be consistent. So not everything had a title… So we just thought, well, let's just present the work for the work." — Sohrab ([16:32])
• "I think everybody, all of his friends and family, once they saw just how much there was, it was shocking, actually... as someone who spent a lot of time with him, I was trying to figure out when he was making the art... somewhere, somehow he was doing it." — Sohrab ([29:44])
• “We want to make [the book events] fun and very much in the spirit of Rick... And then after about... talking about the book, we clear the stage and then we set up to do a short set of music. And so... local musicians in every city... that had a connection with Rick are joining us.” — Sohrab ([30:52])

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Genesis of the Book & Collecting Art: [02:25] – [04:55]
• Structuring the Book: [06:33] – [09:29]
• Rick’s Artistic Personality: [14:22] – [16:00]
• Minimalism in Presentation: [16:30] – [18:43]
• Discovery of the Unpublished Book: [21:36]
• Cover Art Choices: [26:30]
• What Happens to the Art / Hopes for Legacy: [28:04] – [29:44]
• Book Events & Musical Tributes: [30:52] – [32:13]

Additional Noteworthy Moments

• The sense of loss and commemoration permeates the conversation, with both Rick and co-editor Rich Jacobs having passed before the book’s completion.
• The episode emphasizes the enduring impact of Rick Froberg’s visual art alongside his musical legacy, offering a multi-dimensional portrait for fans and newcomers alike.
• The book’s freeform approach, the surprise for even close associates in uncovering the depth of Rick’s portfolio, and the call for a posthumous museum exhibition, all underscore the lasting importance of his work.

This episode is a heartfelt, detailed exploration of Rick Froberg’s overlooked visual artistry—a celebration by friends, collaborators, and a tightly woven creative community. Plenty for All stands as a testament to the vivid, idiosyncratic, and influential mark Rick left on art and music.