Artist, musician and longtime Eureka Springs resident Max Elbo passed Jan. 15, 2017 from Circle of Life Hospice, Bentonville, Ark. We are grateful to all for their extraordinary care of this extraordinary man.
Born in Miami Beach, Fla., Max trained for the Junior Olympics swimming and diving teams before moving to Michigan. He began his art career as a psychedelic poster artist for the legendary Grande Ballroom in Detroit in the late ‘60s. He relocated to Eureka Springs, Ark., in 1975 and is well-known for his intricate pen and ink fine art, award-winning logos, and series of posters for many Eureka events such as the Jazz, Blues, Bluegrass, Classical Music and Folk Festivals. He was inducted into the Eureka Springs Art Hall of Fame in May 2016, and is recipient of the 2017 Governor’s Arts Judges Recognition Award sponsored by the Arkansas Arts Council.
Max called himself a “reef fish” and considered Eureka to be his “reef,” i.e., “an individual living among or in close relation to complex ecosystems with tremendous biodiversity;” a uniquely Max-like perspective of Eureka Springs.
Forever cherishing Max’s memory are his beloved wife, Selena Parrish, of Eureka Springs, his devoted aunt Elizabeth Sudz of Roseville, Mich., and a lifetime of loving friends and family near and far.
A jazz funeral will be held in his honor April 11, 2017, 6 – 8 p.m. All are welcome. For info and updates, visit benefitmaxelbo.org.
He asked that donations be made in his name to People Helping People, P.O. Box 243, Eureka Springs, AR 72632. People Helping People is a prescription assistance program for individuals living in Carroll County, Ark., who need prescriptions but do not have the resources to obtain them.