Dennis Larkins: More Than Just Dead Designs

Starting his painting career in Santa Fe in the 1960s, Dennis Larkins relocated to San Francisco in 1974. There, he secured a position as a scenic artist at the San Francisco Opera. Concurrently, Larkins began a collaboration with legendary rock promoter Bill Graham, designing and painting backdrops for "Day on the Green" concert series.

In 1980, Larkins was commissioned to create a series of concert posters for The Grateful Dead, a period he described as the band's transition into a more organized entity. Forty-five years prior, he had created the cover art for their live album, "Dead Set." In 2025, for the group's 60th anniversary, Larkins was involved in multiple projects, including transforming his famous Dead posters into 3D art.

While known for his Grateful Dead work, Larkins' artistic contributions extend to Walt Disney Imagineering, Warner Brothers, and MCA/Universal. He was also a significant figure in the 1990s Los Angeles lowbrow/pop surrealism movement. Larkins acknowledges the anonymity that can come with such work but remains grateful for the opportunity to have been a part of it, adapting to check his ego at the door while cherishing his creations.