Peggy and ED-E

Peggy and ED-E

This was a commission for the editorial director at Dark Horse, Davey Estrada, who has a rather awesome on-going custom of asking artists to do portraits of his favorite musicians. He tells me he's been gathering on and off since the seventies... That is a collection I'd like to see!

Aside from picking a musician we were both interested in, I had permission to art freely on this one. Davey leans towards Jazz, while I have a habit for New Wave... but it was easy for two music lovers to find common ground. When he brought up Peggy Lee I got excited right away. I have a lot of Peggy in my library, partially thanks to video games. That's right. Video games!

Sounds strange, but the first Peggy Lee tracks I ever purchased were those I heard while playing the post apocalyptic RPG Fallout: New Vegas. Nothing like being attacked by monsters in a post-nuclear Nevada while listening to Peggy croon about lost love. I should note that she isn't an actual character in the game... but the sound track is SO good it's practically it's own character. I can totally picture her in this world. Singing in run-down bars. Boozin' with the radiated ghouls. Getting jazz-sassy over a drink of gin. Layin' down hard truths: "If you were prepared twenty years ago, you wouldn't be a-wandering from door to door."



As for the floating robot in corner? Well, that's ED-E. Also known as "Eyebot Duraframe Subject E." The only model of it's kind to survive the "Great War" that brought the Fallout world to ruin. Originally designed as a sort of mobile radio, but latter repurposed into a weapon. You find him broken down in a small town in the wasteland, and bring him back to working order. ED-E was my favorite companion in the New Vegas game. Why, in a time when the human population has been downsized dramatically, would I choose to wander the wastes with a floating piece of scrap metal that can only communicate via beep-boops? I try not to dwell on the whys. Simply put, trust no one. 

I like to think that in the wake of a nuclear exchange Peggy Lee too would go the way of the lone wanderer. She'd ditch the band dynamic (humans being squishy, unpredictable companions at best) in favor of the easily portable, armor plated, one-man bandstand: DJ ED-E MON-E, dropping the beats while PEG-E rocks the mic like a vandal. Besides providing the sick tunes, ED-E would also double as a body guard because he's a mean laser-slinger with a thrilling battle cry:



Anyone else play the Fallout games and have a favorite companion, or tune to adventure too? I'd love to hear about it. I'll leave you with one more song from Miss Lee that wasn't in the game, but would have been suited to the post-apocalyptic landscape. It demonstrates why I think Pegs would be a survivor. She'd be the lady leaning on the bar, sipping a martini and taunting the burgeoning mushroom cloud with a raised eyebrow and a clearly unimpressed, "Is that all there is to an apocalypse?"



Special thanks to DAV-E for the fun commission!

pencil

Motherboy XXX

Make love in your own hand, MOTHER!

On May 26th Netflix is giving the world new episodes of Arrested Development. On May 8th come out and celebrate this fact with the rest of Portland at the Arrested Development Returns party at Holocene. There will be live music, chicken dance-offs, and Arrested Development themed artwork for sale from local artists... such as me! 

To commemorate the occasion I've made this portrait of everyone's favorite Motherboy, Buster Bluth, featuring Lucile, loose seals, and varying degrees of "juice" addiction.

A few weeks back, I was asked by Aaron Colter from Banana Stand Media if I'd like to sell a print in this show after we had swapped terrible Prince puns over Twitter. (I mean really, they were barely funny.) Which reminds me, I would like to take this moment to thank Prince. He's done so much for me over the years... from supplying the go-to karaoke classics, to landing me cool projects via twitter. What a guy. Aaron's alright too. Thanks man!

Read more about the show at PortlandPulp, and invite yourself to the party on Facebook. 

Through the Veil

Through the Veil

This was created specifically for a gallery show in Grand Rapids, Michigan called "Into the Woods and Through the Veil." It was a group show held at the CODA gallery, and I got to share the wall with many lovely artists and friends, and curated by the one and only Jesse Gregg!

Possibly the hardest part about being in this show was writing the artist's statement. I suspect I get worse at it as time goes by. I don't fully understand what makes me dread them... My brain has a toddler-esque tantrum. I rage quit three to four times. Then, after much inner turmoil, I give in and write. It's a ridiculous routine. Especially when considering that I can cough up a blog post about my dislike of artist's statements in under 15 minutes. So one measly statement? Why the mental hullabaloo? Couldn't say, but this is what I came up with:

It is difficult to cut loose from what would bind us to the veneration of stifling traditions. It takes bold deeds, a questioning mind, and a desire for knowledge that is held out of bounds. The one who willingly traverses murky territories in search of forbidden enlightenment is typically called a “hero”. The ones who are made to suffer for these bold acts are perhaps held in the highest esteem, and we call them our “fallen heroes”. 

I am a fool for myth and sacred storied, but believe in none. 

This work was created using traditional media which is then colored and collaged onto digitally.

Some of you already know, but I've been hired onto the Digital Art and Production team at Dark Horse Comics. I feel this illustration has been greatly inspired by all the gorgeous art work that runs through the office on a daily bases. What's great about working there is that it makes me want to be better. Better at everything! I busted out my inks and tried to regain some old skill. Turns out I'm super rusty, and I ran back to my dirty pencils with my tail between my legs... but I so enjoyed the process that I plan to keep playing.

ink on board

framed up and lookin' important at the C.O.D.A Gallery.