Hand-Painted Portraits of Iconic Musicians on Their Own Vinyl Records

By Alison Nastasi

March 13, 2016

“Instead of Elvis on velvet, think Elvis on an Elvis record,” writes California-born artist Daniel Edlen of his work. The concept for his hand-painted portraits of iconic musicians on their own albums started when he was younger. Edlen’s mom volunteered at the local library where patrons would donate old records in droves. They eventually became his canvas. (Don’t worry, he tries to use damaged vinyl for his creations.) Edlen’s portraits include a painting of David Lynch, autographed by the Blue Velvet filmmaker for auction at the David Lynch Foundation. He also gifted Lou Reed a painting of the musician on his 1974 Rock ‘n’ Roll Animal album. See more music heavyweights on upcycled vinyl in our gallery. Keep up with Edlen’s work on his Tumblr.