
New Books in Popular Culture "Plenty for All: The Art of Rick Fröberg" (Akashic Books, Ltd., 2016)
Jan 11, 2026
Sohrab Habibion, musician and artist known for his work with the band Obits and as a co-editor of Rick Fröberg's art book, shares insights into Fröberg's multifaceted artistic journey. They discuss the delicate process of assembling 'Plenty for All', highlighting the evolution of Fröberg's artwork from traditional mediums to digital. Sohrab reveals hidden gems from Fröberg's collection and reflects on his self-taught approach, humorous artist statements, and the profound impact of his prolific creativity, which many in the music community continuously celebrate.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
How The Book Began
- Sohrab Habibion met Rick Fröberg first through his art and later became bandmates in Obits, which deepened Habibion's knowledge of Rick's visual work.
- After Rick's death, Habibion and curator Rich Jacobs gathered thousands of images to show Rick's breadth beyond music-related design.
Organizing By Medium Reveals Progression
- The book groups Rick's work by medium rather than strict chronology to make the material more digestible and reveal his progression within techniques.
- That structure helps readers focus on chunks (pencil, ink, gouache, digital) and observe his evolving voice across mediums.
Digital Files Worked Like Sketchbooks
- Rick moved into digital illustration later in his career after learning tools while animating for a dot-com project, and he treated digital files like sketchbooks.
- His digital pasteboards contained rough ideas that later reappeared as finished works, showing continuity between analog and digital practice.

