by ncwinters on August 29, 2011
I’ve finished a new painting for another upcoming pop culture show at G1988: LA, this time paying tribute to Garbage Pail Kids.
For those that didn’t grow up in the 80s, the Garbage Pail Kids were an awesome collection of illustrated trading cards/stickers made by Topps, created as a blatant mockery of the super popular insipid Cabbage Patch Kids. The cards were all illustrations of twisted, gross and cutely disturbing pudgy characters meant to show a dark side of the Cabbage Patch Kids. I was a ridiculously HUGE fan of these, and remember spending many dollars at both the corner 7/11 and the local ice cream truck on each magical pack of five GPK cards. I can still taste the inedible “gum” each pack came with, which on more than one occasion actually shattered a tooth upon chewing. The old joke was to collect the gum and chew up the cards, as it was probably much healthier for you.
As I finished up my painting, I was struck by the surreal nature of the experience. I grew up the aforementioned HUGE fan and remember drooling over the amazing art, crazy characters and awesome sense of humour in this collectible art set. To be making a painting of one of the cards for a show actually sponsored by the company that made the original cards is just mind blowing at times. I never imagined as a kid, running after the ice cream truck to buy a pack of stickers featuring gross characters, that one day I’d be painting one of my own.
Here are the original reference cards (all GPK cards came in two versions: same image, different name):
And here’s my version:
Zack Unzipped
Acrylic on paper, mounted to wood panel, resined.
14.25″ x 21″ (2011)
The opening reception is 7PM on Friday, September 2 at G1988 Gallery, the Los Angeles location. I’ll see you at the show! And, because I just couldn’t resist, how awesome would it be for this to come to pass? I’m not sure Topps would approve, but it just might blow my mind if it actually happened. For your nostalgic enjoyment:
*NCW*
by ncwinters on July 18, 2011
Hey gang, it’s that time of year again.
That time when downtown San Diego loses its collective mind with masses of people coming down for the comix and the movees and the artz for the San Diego Comic International Convention 2011. Well, this year I’m a little more ahead of the game than usual, and will be signing in a few booths with some merch for sale to boot! One of these years I’ll actually be there with a booth, but baby steps. For now, swing by, say hello and maybe even pick up some art at these places:
Dragatomi: I’ll be at the Dragatomi booth #4935, Thursday, July 21 from 2PM to about 3PM. I’ll have several prints, some of the 100 Drawings series and a few other goodies, just for the Con.
ZeroFriends: I’ll be at the ZeroFriends booth #5502, Saturday from 10:30AM–11:30AM for at least an hour or so. I’ll be signing along with awesome artists Luke Chueh and Scribe. I’ll be on hand to sign your Crazy 4 Cult: Cult Movie Art book, which I’ve been featured in no less than three times! The book is full of amazing paintings by some fantastic artists, all with their take on various pop culture references, done up in their respective style. I won’t have any merch for sale, but it should be a fun time. Ask nicely, and I may even do a little sketch for you in your book if you so desire.
Cardboard Spaceship: I’ll be hanging out with the awesome guys of Cardboard Spaceship at booth #5032 Thursday, from about 10AM to 11AM. I’ll have prints and originals for sale, and be happy to sign whatever you’d like. No limbs, please. Come by and say hello!
See you there!
*NCW*
by ncwinters on July 12, 2011
Cue Liam Neeson voice, or Laurence Olivier if you’re more of a purist!
This is a recently finished new painting for a pretty cool new show at Subtext Gallery, opening Friday, August 12. The show is based around the classic “Release the Kraken!” line uttered by Liam Neeson in the 2010 remake of Clash of the Titans. Purists will remember Sir Laurance Olivier delivering the line first, if with much less gusto in the original 1981 version. This is a different kind of art show, in that the artists were asked to paint on someone else’s painting. Several paintings of seascapes were culled from consignment stores and given to a handful of artists to reinterpret the famous line in whatever way they saw fit. It created a new challenge in having to paint over and around someone else’s original work, as much or as little as you wanted. This was challenging and ultimately a pleasure, as I changed the direction I was gonna go several times, before I just finally let go and had fun with it. Enjoy “In and Out at the End of the World.”
Here’s the original:
And after my contribution:
In and Out at the End of the World
Acrylic on found acrylic painting on canvasboard. Framed.
15.5″ x 11.75″ (2011)
And yes, it’s what you think it is. Here’s a detail shot:
Here’s a little before and after animation for perspective.
*NCW*
