Storytime 2 @ Gallery 1988!!!

Last year I held my first solo exhibit at Gallery 1988. It featured 50 pieces inspired by some of my favorite Movies, Music, TV Shows and Video Games, all done in the Little Golden Book style. Well, it was a huge success, so they've asked me to come back for "Storytime 2"!!!

Opening Friday, November 6th, 2015 and running for 2 weeks, Storytime 2 will again feature 50 BRAND NEW pieces inspired by more of my favorite Movies, Music, TV Shows and Video Games. This is a very exciting time of year for me, with a few more fun announcements coming up. Stay tuned here and i'll be posting previews of the new artwork from the show! You can also follow me on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook where I'll also be posting previews from the upcoming series!

Preview images will be added to the post leading up to the opening, but mark your calendars, and come on by!

"Storytime 2" @ Gallery 1988 (East)
Opening Friday, November 6th, 2015 7-9pm
7021 Melrose Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90038
http://www.gallery1988.com
http://www.jo3bot.com

"Storytime - A Little Gallery Show" at Gallery 1988!

This is something I never in a million years thought would happen; I had my very own solo show at Gallery 1988 in Los Angeles. I'm a little over a week late in posting this, but it's been such a busy, crazy, exhausting, and time consuming experience, that I'm just now finding the time to sit down and write about it.

Prints from the show (that aren't sold out) are available to purchase by clicking HERE

The show is now in it's last week at the EAST location in Hollywood, and it's been so wonderful to have such a great response to the show.

Late last year, I was asked if I was interested in doing a solo show of my Little Golden Books series. My first thought was, "seriously?". Just over 5 years ago, I left full-time employment, stability (to some extent), a consistent paycheck, and above all, a wonderful group of friends who are all beyond excellent in their respective fields of Video Game development. At the time, being a gallery artist wasn't even a glimmer of a dream, but here I find myself... Interesting how sometimes the best things in life are the things you never expected to happen.

On Friday, August 1st, Gallery 1988 and I opened my first solo show "Storytime" where I took 50 of some of my favorite Movies, Music, TV Shows, and Video Games, and turned them into artwork inspired by the Little Golden Books series. For several months, I worked in secrecy, not even my Wife would see what I had done until it was hanging up on the walls at the gallery.

I'm very proud of this collection of work. The responses I have received from people and press have been overwhelming. I can't thank Gallery 1988 enough for their continued support of my work, and of the work of independent artists from all over, and most of all, if you're reading this, thank you. Thank you for following my work, for supporting what I do, and for helping to allow me to do what I do.

As part of my show, I wanted to do something special with a focus on charity. With the help of the awesome folks at Marvel, I created this one-of-a-kind framed album artwork featuring "The Guardians of the Galaxy". For $5 you can buy a raffle ticket, as many as you want, and when the show closes, we'll draw one winner, and you'll get to take this home! We'll even ship it to you if you live far away! The best part of this is 100% of the proceeds from this raffle with go towards Child's Play Charity.

To purchase a raffle ticket to win this piece, click HERE

Without further ado... here is a small sampling of the work from my show "Storytime - A Little Gallery Show":

To order this print, click HERE

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There's plenty more in the show, so if you're in the LA area, head on down to Gallery 1988 (East) to check out the show! It runs until August 16th! More info below.

"Storytime" at Gallery 1988 (East)
August 1-16th
7021 Melrose Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90038
http://www.gallery1988.com 

For The Love of Nintendo - Little Video Game Books Vol. 3

I got a really nice little write-up on one of my favorite game sites Kotaku!
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Nintendo has been going through a rough time lately. This isn't the first time they've found themselves in this position, but this time, something feels different. I have been holding out on picking up an Xbox One or a PS4 until some better games come out, but I recently purchased a Wii U because it has some great games RIGHT NOW.

It's a good little system with some major issues (i'm looking at you gamepad battery life and overall uselessness) But the games... oh the games! They're fantastic! Nintendo has created some of the most memorable characters. I would say that Mario is as important to our culture as Mickey Mouse. I hope Nintendo can get out of this slump they're currently in because their characters and the worlds they have created deserve to succeed. In an industry overrun with space marines and brown post apocalyptic wastelands, Nintendo has injected a much needed sense of adventure, color, and joy into our world. 

In honor of Nintendo, I created three new prints in my ongoing "Little Video Game Books" series. See Vol. 1 HERE and Vol. 2 HERE.  Let's hope Zelda and Metroid get their turn on the Wii U before the sun sets on the embattled little console. 

"The Little Plumber Bros."

To purchase a print, click HERE

"The Happy Little Hunter"

To purchase a print, click HERE

"The Little Hero of Time"

To purchase a print, click HERE

You can also buy all three prints together at a discounted price and save some money that you can use to put towards buying awesome video games! Because who doesn't need more video games in their life?

Order all 3 prints by clicking HERE

"The Little Hero of Time"

Greetings Internet!

I'm back... I've been pretty busy, so i'm sorry we haven't talked. Next year is a busy year for me, so i've been preparing in the background, setting the table and getting things ready for a delicious feast! Speaking of delicious feasts, Thanksgiving is here! In honor of the holiday, i'm releasing a new print!

"The Little Hero of Time"

To purchase a print click HERE

"The Legend of Zelda" came into my life when I was 6 years old. Released in 1986, this was not just a video-game to me, Zelda was a revelation. My world had changed, and it's future was all about video-games. Zelda games are a great way to mark a specific time in my life. "A Link To The Past" took up a lot of my early teenage years and carried me through High-School. "Ocarina of Time" was a pretty awesome way to spend my first Christmas break from College. "The Wind Waker" congratulated me on graduating from Art Center in 2003, and was my only friend when I moved up to San Francisco and away from my family for the first time. And here we are at the end of 2013. I'm replaying through The Wind Waker in HD on my Wii U. A 3DS sequel to my 2nd favorite Zelda game, "A Link Between Worlds" has just been released and I can't wait to play it. Zelda is awesome, and I love it a lot! I still have my original NES cartridge after all these years:

If you're new to my work, this is one more piece in an ongoing series of prints where I combine some of my favorite video-games with Little Golden Books.  You can see more of them HERE and HERE.

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This part of the post originally contained info about my Black Friday - Cyber Monday sales, but since that's over, i've removed it..

Don't be a stranger! You can always follow me on Twitter and Facebook! Stop on by, I'd love to hear from you.

Little Video Game Books Vol. 2

Hello internet!

Earlier this year, I created a series of prints where I combined Little Golden Books with what I felt were a few video games that were instant classics. You can read more about those by clicking HERE.  The response was excellent, and because I had so much fun creating them, I went ahead and made a few more!

This generation of consoles has lasted much longer than any of the previous ones and with that, we've had some incredible gaming experiences. More so than I can remember with any other console generation. As I said before, I wanted this series to look back at games that have had a huge impact on not only me, but on the industry as a whole. I felt Red Dead Redemption, Half-Life 2 and Mass Effect were a worthy follow-up to my previous series. I hope you guys and gals dig 'em!

I love video games, I love Little Golden Books... and I loved combining them into the artwork you see below.

"Don't be too eager to grow up. It ain't as much fun as it looks."

To purchase a print, click HERE

"So, wake up, Mister Freeman. Wake up and... Smell the ashes." 

To purchase a print, click HERE

"I'm sorry, I'm having trouble hearing you- I'm too busy playing with my toys."

To purchase a print, click HERE

             

You can order all 3 prints together! Click HERE

I hope you enjoy these as much as I enjoyed making them!

Little Video Game Books

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Got a very nice little article on one of the biggest sites in video-game news: KOTAKU

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I recently have been really into the artwork of the classic Little Golden Books. There's something very charming about their simplicity, and yet they are some of the books that I remember most from my early childhood.

As the sun sets on this current generation of video games, I've been thinking about some of the classic games that people will still (hopefully) point to years from now and hold them up as games that made a difference, and possibly, for some child out there, Portal or Skyrim will be a memory from their early childhood.

I love video games, and I love children's books. I was inspired to combine the two into the artwork you see below:

"Our hero, our hero, claims a warriors heart, but the body of a child." 

To purchase a print click HERE

Sorry, this print is no longer available

"The Cake may be a lie, but the friendship between a little girl and her robot friend is true love."

To purchase a print click HERE

"Somewhere, beyond the sea, there lived a little girl and her big friend Mr. Bubbles."

To purchase a print click HERE

You can order all 3 prints together! Click HERE

I hope you enjoy seeing these as much as I enjoyed making them! If Ken Levine, Gabe Newell, and Todd Howard are interested in making these a reality... feel free to contact me :)

Old School Video Game Art Show @ Gallery 1988 - "The Mortals"

***UPDATE***
Prints are available to purchase by clicking HERE.
Framed artwork has already sold before the show even opened! Thank you whoever you are :)

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I'm not gonna lie... as much as I loved Street Fighter II, I was absolutely blown away the next year when Mortal Kombat was unleashed on arcades across America. I was 12 years old in 1992 when I met my new friends Scorpion, Sub Zero, and the rest of the fighters engaged in Mortal Kombat in Earthrealm. I can't pinpoint exactly what it was that drew me to the game, was the easy to learn moves? The mysterious Reptile character? The amazingly realistic graphics (for 1992) or was it the announcers voice? " FIGHT!" "FINISH HIM!" "FATALITY".

As soon as I saw the game at my local comic book store , I was hooked. Scorpion became my go-to fighter. I anxiously awaited Mortal Monday so that I could save my quarters and play the game at home on my Sega Genesis. When Gallery 1988 asked me to create some artwork for "The Old School Video Game Art Show: Level 2" I went with an instant classic. 

"Out of the arcades and into our hearts, it's the new hit album "Fatality" from The Mortals! Join Sub Zero, Scorpion, Liu Kang, and the rest of the gang as they punch out hit songs such as "Get Over Here!", "Toasty!" and "Finish Him". You're spine will tingle with glee, your heart will pound out of your chest, your soul will be theirs. So get ready to Test Your Might with The Mortals!"

Tracklisting

In addition to prints of the artwork, I always create a one of a kind framed album. For this show I was able to get my hands on a pretty rare, and pretty special record:

Vinyl test pressing of The Mortal Kombat theme "Techno-Syndrome 12" Mix"

Yes... This record contains the amazing Mortal Kombat song from the opening of the 1995 film. Anytime I play this song, once is never enough... it usually goes on a loop for at least 6 playthroughs.

The framed album and artwork will be available to purchase exclusively at Gallery 1988 either in person or through their online store HERE.  **Artwork has sold**

"The Mortals" signed and numbered prints will be available only through Gallery 1988.

"The Mortals" framed album will be available exclusively at Gallery 1988

"The mortals" front and back prints will be available exclusively at my etsy store HERE

***This post will be updated when artwork becomes available***

If you're a fan of video games, or were a fan of old school video games, this is a show for you. A lot of very talented and passionate artists have created some amazing artwork that you would be proud to hang on your wall. Come on down to The Old School Video Game Art Show: Level 2 at Gallery 1988 in Santa Monica! You don't even have to bring your quarters because it's free!

The Old School Video Game Art Show: Level 2

Gallery 1988 Venice

Friday October 26th. 7-10PM

214 Pier Ave.

Santa Monica, CA 90405

http://www.gallery1988.com 

http://www.jo3bot.com 

A Tribute to Hitchcock @ Gallery 1988

*****UPDATE #2*****

Prints are now for sale:

Buy - Psycho

Buy - The Birds

Buy - North By Northwest

The framed prints are sold out. 

***** UPDATE *****

I will have 30 prints for each film available signed and numbered. Prints are 5x7 and fit perfectly in matted frames as seen in the pictures below. Prints will be $25 each and framed artwork (Signed and numbered as AP's 1/1 each) for $50 each. 

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Gallery 1988 is THE place in Los Angeles for Pop-Culture art shows. I have been fortunate enough to have been involved in quite a few shows with them over the past few years. This year marks a record for me with 10 shows at Gallery 1988 in 2012!!!

Earlier this year I was in the "Adult Swim" show and last month "Is This Thing On? 2". The next show i'm so proud to be a part of is "Suspense & Gallows Humor: A Tribute to the All-Time Greatest" at Gallery 1988 in Venice, CA.

Alfred Hitchcock was a true master. His work was so chilling and visually captivating, there are many options for an artist to interpret his work, which is why i'm so excited for this show! Below is my contribution.

In the 80's Nintendo was a dominant force to be reckoned with. Had Hitchcock been just a few years behind I'm almost certain that Nintendo would have jumped on the chance to make video-game adaptations of some of his most iconic films. I'm almost certain that their game boxes would have looked a little something like this:

A very limited number of these prints will be available exclusively at Gallery 1988's Venice location as well as online through their website.

There are over 100 artists participating in this show and it's sure to be an excellent event. If you're in the Los Angeles area you should definitely make it a point to come on out to Venice. Details below.

"Suspense & Gallows Humor: A Tribute To The All-Time Greatest"
Friday, April 13th (How appropriate...) 7-10pm
Gallery 1988 - Venice
214 Pier Avenue
Santa Monica, CA 90405

Leftovers from Springfield

Back in 2006 I worked as a Concept Artist on "The Simpsons Game" for Electronic Arts. I've recently been backing up some files when I came across a few images that I had created for the game. I'm not sure if these even made it into the game. I know for sure that "The Shims" was cut because, as I learned when I moved to The Sims team at EA, they weren't very pleased with the image and didn't give it the go-ahead.

One of my producers on the project had tasked me with creating some images that would appear either at the Game Stop store in Springfield or somewhere in the game later. So I decided to take some of my favorite games as well as some beloved EA Franchises, and "simpsonize" them. Here are a few!

I believe this one was a dual effort of mine and another artist. I basically took his rough sketch and cleaned it up.


I'm a huge Half-Life fan, so I would take any chance to squeeze in a reference to that series. Flavin!


This was my attempt to remind the fine folks at EA that they used to have an awesome football series that didn't include the word "Madden" followed by a number. I'm not a sports guy at all... I avoid sports like the plague, but I LOVED "Mutant League Football" on the Genesis. I would happily take an XBLA reboot of Mutant League Football.


This was an interesting one. I had moved onto Dead Space after wrapping up work on the Simpsons, but the game was still in development for about another year. I had some downtime on Dead Space, and I was lent out to The Simpsons team for about a week. I drew this up for the studio as an homage to what I knew was going to be a great classic game. The problem was that the Simpsons Game was going to be released before Dead Space was even announced. I'm not sure if it made it into the game or not, but they did turn this into a poster that was hung up around the studio for a while.