The Hobby loses a great one...

Over New Years the Hobby lost a great friend, innovator, talent and all around renaissance man...John Pickle, who I am proud and lucky enough to have called a friend for the past 18 years was taken from us way too early.
John, who has friends ****tered far and wide touched us with his talent as a renowned artist, superior car builder, horseman, and easygoing guy.
I was always amazed at the ease at which he did his art...it was like his pen or brush (whichever he was utilizing at the time) was like a faucet and he could simply turn it on and the work flowed out effortlessly...over the past 18 years I had the privilige of putting quite a few of those designs on tee shirts for everything from rod runs to weddings, businesses, horse and trailriding events to everything in between...what was amazing about John is that he could do a myriad of styles...truly a talent.
Equally amazing was his talent as a car builder, engineer, and innovator...having built cars that have been in the Grand National Roadster show, featured in many magazines and publications and more importantly cruising the streets of SoCal and points beyond.
Please remember John and his family in your prayers as this was truly unexpected and having lead the artists' life they/he weren't necessarily prepared for this...in the event of a memorial run/event I will post any info that I get.
Rest easy Buddy...you are missed.
To anyone out there wishing to send sympathy wishes or to help out in any way that they may feel necessary please send to:

Elaine Pickle and family
2202 Pamo Road
Ramona, CA 92065

Please note that John's art and business: The Toy Store in Ramona, CA were their source of income and sadly with John being gone it may be hard to continue with those endeavors

 

Rip

 

He will be missed one of the collest mofo I know R.I.P. man.....................
Endsville From the Beatniks......................

 

R.I.P. John

 

prayers to you and his family for your lost. God Speed

 

John, You will be missed . RIP

41 Dave

 

Jon Pickel was an INCREDIBLE man. i remember goin out to his shop for the first time many years ago and seeing him cut the **** out of a 48 chevy panel. He was gull winging the doors, chopping it and making the front clip tilt. I have shared many laughs with Jon, and he will be greatly missed throughout the automotive scene.

 

Yeah it is amazing now that it has had a chance to sink in when I think of the cars that I have seen John build over the past twenty years and then of all of the incredible illustrations and paintings he did...well I am blown away...alot of us kind of took John's talent for granted because he was such an easy going guy and never took the "HEY LOOK WHAT I CAN DO" at***ude...just a cool dude

 

Pickle Graphics...??? NO way...he wasn't that old...what happened...??? I met him a couple of times...was envious of his talent...

RIP ...

R-

 

yes my dad will be very missed............he was a great man............... a knowing to all in every thing he did..........

 

Just so you know. there are a lot of us here that loved your old man. He was and is a huge part of the hotrodding comunity, world wide.

 

I believe this is his:



Somebody correct me if I'm wrong.

 

I was going to put some of his posters on the art show that I've had forever. I loved his artwork and his early Chevy sedan delivery that was in Street Rodder many years ago, and he was one of my early inspirations. I hate that he's gone! RIP.

 

Yeah that roadster is one of his rides...his sedan delivery was one of my early inspirations too when I was a kid in Indiana...it was really cool when I put 2 & 2 together and realized that after all those years I ran into him here in SoCal...his artwork was cool...alot of people didn't realize what a great painter he was in addition to an illustrator and he was also an accomplished sculptor and made some cool jewelry...dabbled in architecture and landscape design

 

Made a great impression on me.....

R.I.P.

 

Rip!

 

Yes , You are correct. That is his car, and my red roadster next to his. As I usually was. Kip Dunne

 

sorry to here this..i just asked about him this past summer on here and he was doing fine

his fame and peoples admiration for him was evidently widespread

here is that thread:

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=197070&highlight=john+pickle

 

Meet him at an event in CO back in the 70es, verry down to earth guy. RIP John.

 

His roadster has a real cool story behind it. Any of his buddies care to tell it?

 

Met John back in 1973, him and a few others started the Over the Hill Gang car club. I've been a member since July of 73 in the San Bernardino chapter. John was always fun to be around and never a bad word to say about anyone. I was with John in Lodi in 1975 when he won best paint for his truck. The truck was in primer (we stuffed the ballot box). John will be missed by us all.

Jack Cox

 

I was really saddened to read this post.

John was a great artist and great car builder ... but first & foremost a great person!

We first met John in the 1970's (probably at an Over the Hill Gang run). In the summer of 1990, when my father was diagnosed with terminal cancer, John took the time to draw a "Get Well" poster for my Dad:

​

... it really cheered my dad up ... and speaks volumes to the kind of person John Pickle was.

John will be missed!

 

Rip.

 

John always took time to do 'get well' art for people...wish I was doing the same for him right now

 

a true loss to the hobby...........he and his family arein our prayers and thoughts

 

John Pickle was the most unpretentious, talented person I have met in a long time. In the past couple of years I had the privledge of converting his "art" to screenprint on T's, most recently "The Hole in the Wall Gang" ride, which he cared for so much.

No doubt he was gifted artist with greater gifts as a good soul, a good man.

Thank you for the family address, we will be sending our sincere condolence to them immediately. RIP John.

 

For those interested a get together in John's memory will be forthcoming here in Ramona and the Ramona Fair Grounds...as soon as I get the time and the date I will post the info....thanks

 

Late to the thread.

I met John in Pacific Beach when he had just bought his 1st rod (a '31 Chevy PU) in about '72-'73, and used to hang out in his office. I enjoyed John in the SD Over the Hill Gang (we first met at his next office at 805/El Cajon Blvd), and kept up with him from time to time...

...his favorite saying in the early '70s was that some detail on a car was "...just beeatchin'..."

RIP John, you are missed.

 

Can't believe it's been almost a year...get bummed out every time I p*** his shop or print an order of tee shirts with his artwork on it...he was one of the coolest dudes I ever knew and miss him alot...he could do anything he set his mind to...r.i.p. buddy

 

John was a great friend and drinking buddy. RIP pick