Art Show/Event

DesignerCon 2023 was a special event this year. One because it was the last DesignerCon in Anaheim, CA because next year the even moves to Las Vegas, Nevada. Two because I got invited to ride along with Secret Walls for the weekend. The V.I.P attendance on Friday night was a blast, I live painted at the Secret Walls booth and met some amazing artists and fans.

Saturday kicked off with me finishing out my painting, then it was on to stroll the booths. I met up with friends; Matt Gondek, GoopMassa, Sean Keeton, Dreyfus, Allison Bamcat, 7amcreations, Joey Stupor, and RJQuiralta. I also met some new friends; The London Police, Thumbs1, UrbanAztec, TheObanoth, Tara McPherson, Upperhand Art, Space Rabbit Studio, Paul Jackson, Dave Quiggle, Killernapkins and Woes. Next I was part of a panel of artists discussion the importance of collaboration.

The day ended with a classic Secret Walls art battle! It was me, Allison Bamcat and 7amcreations Vs Dreyfus, Goopmassa and The Obaaoth! After the crowd vote and special artists judges my team took the win! Finished the day out with dinner with the Secret Walls crew who are always a pleasure to work with. Sunday I chilled with my kids and dragged myself around the floor one more time! Amazing weekend, one for the books. Thanks to Secret Walls for taking me, thanks to Monster Energy Drinks and Posca for sponsoring the event and special thanks to all the artists who made me feel very welcome!

I was very please to be asked to paint a DIY toy for the launch of the Chamuco Toy by Mr Mitote. Martian Toys and Mothership Art Gallery co-ordinated a group art show featuring many awesome artists. The show opened in Philadelphia in November and my piece sold immediately. I wanted to coat the toy in my signature doodles and kept is simple with just black and white ink. I also doodled all over the box. You can see full details of the piece here.

Over the past day and a half I have been painting a wall at Secret Walls HQ. It’s a 10’x12’ wall full of my signature doodles. I’ve been a huge fan of the Secret Walls brand for a long time. Being asked to do a wall alongside some incredible artists is a dream project for me.

I decided to make sure some of my signature characters were in there but mostly made it up as I went. Which to be honest wasn’t the best approach but it’s true to how I do most of my work. Spontaneity is important to me. The Secret Walls team were amazing to work with and very accommodating. Thank you

It was an absolute privilege to work on this wall and I am very grateful for the opportunity. If you’re in the LA area swing by the secret walls HQ and check out the murals. They won’t disappoint.

Martian Toys reached out to me to be part of a collaborative poster and sticker set to celebrate their long standing toy RawMan. I designed my on version of the character from the toy. This illustration was used as part of a limited edition group poster, an exclusive sticker and limited T-shirt. These items were all showcased at this years New York Comic Con. I was super excited to work on this icon character and be a part of a group poster with so many awesome artists.

I was invited my Martain Toys to take part in their group show, Circles + Squares. Hosted by Mothership Art Gallery in Philadelphia, this group show was packed with awesome artists. The show asked that each artist paint a circle and square shaped piece of art. This made for an interesting artistic challenge.

I decided to make the two pieces work together as one or work independently if they became separated by different purchasers. I took the classic skull and crossbones and filled them with my signature doodles. The pieces can be seen and purchased here.

Secret Walls is a brand I have been a fan of for a long time. Based in Los Angeles, they create art battle events that test the creativity and skills of artists, live! They have become known around the globe for their collaborative approach to art and live events. Their roster of artists is truly impressive. So when they asked me to get involved in an art workshop and live art battle I was just a little bit excited.

Myself and 4 other artists designed daily workshops to deliver at Secret Walls HQ. My art workshop was focused on collaboration. Students on the day got to work together on large pieces and design and paint their own skateboard deck. The event was supported by Posca paint markers, which was incredible because I am a big fan of their products. My workshop went well and I had a brilliant time. So many great artists attended and the crew at Secret Walls were very welcoming and professional.

The day also involved an interview and photo shoot, which was a little daunting. I have done several in the past but this one felt special. I met with the other artists and made new friends. I hope I inspired the attendees and showed that working together can create magic. At the end of the week all of the artists descended on Secret Walls HQ to battle on two large walls infront of a live audience of around 300. I was grouped with GoopMassa, Angelonce, Artizinfinite and Jacob, who I selected to attend the battle from the workshop day. We battled against the talented Dreyfus, Upendo, MrBBaby and Jesseart. It was a long sweaty battle but my team prevailed with the win!

It was a great experience, with amazing people and I met some awesome new artists too. If you don’t know Secret Walls, check them out – they do great things. Highlights of the event can be found here – https://uniballco.com/collections/posca-x-secret-walls