William J. Schaff Jr. (born, 1973) is a Providence, Rhode Island-based artist [1][2][3] and musician, who has created the detailed art for all of the Jagjaguwar releases of Okkervil River[1] and artwork for other music albums, including for the bands Songs: Ohia and Godspeed You! Black Emperor.[2][3]
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Much of Schaff's art addresses the Holocaust. His work also explores the tensions of urban life, as well as consequences of, and responses to, terrorism. Schaff's pieces include paintings, drawings, collages, scratchboards, mail art, motion pictures, and comics. Schaff is known for his cover art on releases from recording artists Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Kid Dakota, Okkervil River,[1] and Songs: Ohia.[2]
A graduate of the Maryland Institute College of Art, Schaff has exhibited and lectured at the United States Air Force Academy, the Rhode Island School of Design, Amherst College, and East Carolina University.
In 2009, Schaff was the 9th subject of Pitchfork.com's Take Cover, an interview column dedicated to spotlighting striking new album art and the artists who create them. While all previous installments of Take Cover had pertained to the art of a single new release, the December '09 interview with Schaff concerned the entire body of work produced as a result of his long collaboration with Okkervil River.
Schaff is prolific and makes most of his finished art and/or large works in progress available for online viewing at his Flickr account.
During college in Baltimore, he led the now-defunct Reformation as vocalist and songwriter. Subsequently, he performed under the adopted name Noel the Coward, singing and playing guitar. He also was part of the four piece musical act I Love You And I Miss You. Since moving to Providence in 1998, Schaff has played guitar and percussion with The Eyesores and Black Forest/Black Sea. He currently performs as the drumming ape “Chop Chop” in the Providence marching band, What Cheer? Brigade.[4]