Valerie Leavy: I was doing a bit of research about you and according to the interwebs, you’ve lived in Northampton, Oakland, Manhattan, and San Francisco. You’re in the Bay Area now. So where did you grow up?

Mark Bode: I was born in upstate New York, in a small town called Utica. Utica was kind of a boom town in the 20’s and 30’s, kind of a mob town that blew up the city, and then when the mob moved out in the 60’s, 70’s, it kind of deflated. But I remember it being huge, you know, people bustling in the streets and stuff. It’s not quite like that anymore, it’s more of a suburban town.

VL: So, you and your father have had a real influence on visual culture. Is there anything in Utica that is kind of a monument to that? Any graffiti?

MB: Um, the only famous people that came out of Utica were um, Dick Clark and Annette Funicello.  And my father.

VL: (laughing) What a legacy.

MB: Um, yeah, so there’s not a whole lot in Utica as far as art and culture and stuff. But I did a mural at the Children’s Museum in Utica about 10 years ago, not sure if it’s still there. But I did a mural inside, you know, for the children. That was the only museum I could get down with at the time. But, maybe things’ll change.

VL: So I read that your Miami Mice comic was wildly successful; in its first year it sold 180,000 copies. What do you think were the factors that led to the widespread popularity of this underground comic?

MB: It was published by an underground comics publisher, Rip Off Press, and they just lived down the street when I came up with that [Miami Mice]. But there was a black & white comics boom that was spurred by the creation of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and that boom was like, Radioactive Black Belt Hamsters and uh-

VL: (laughing) Is that real? Radioactive Black Belt Hamsters?

MB: Yeah, they were real comics, yeah. And everybody was jumpin’ on that bandwagon, tryin’ to get part of that light. And it was, you know, Fish Police, and Hamster Vice, and all these different things. And I came in right at that time and I knew that I wanted to ride that wave. My wife and I were walking through a mall, and we saw a Miami Mice t-shirt and she goes, “Wouldn’t that make a good comic book?” and I was like, “Yeah, it would.” And Miami Vice was huge, it was the biggest thing on TV pretty much. Knowing that you can’t copyright a parody, I knew the Miami Mice t-shirt people were just makin’ money off the shirts and I had a better idea. Well, my wife did actually. And I banged out a comic book in about a month, it was 30 pages. And I didn’t spend much time on the art, I’d just, like, bang it out as quick as I could, get on that wave.

VL: So were you surprised when it was that successful?

MB: Yeah. But we had some warnings, you know, I was hangin’ out at Rip Off Press waiting for the first issue to come in, and we had Chinese speculators calling us.

VL: Wow.

MB: Yeah. And so we knew that something’ was up. And it’s like, Chinese speculators, wow, that’s something. And so the first print run was 40,000. The second issue went to 60,000 and then it went down again to like, 50 or 40. And then it went to 20 on number four. And I called it quits at that point. I didn’t know any better, but 20,000 is still a really nice print run. But I had illusions of grandeur, that I could just dump it, and go do something that was really cool, more Bode-ish, and get those numbers, and since I did that my print run went down to less than 10. So I kinda lost that gamble, but I didn’t wanna be known for creating a parody of a TV show, so I dumped it. But in a year’s time, we sold 180,000 copies. It was a good run, and I got a first taste of a nice day of it as an artist.

VL: Is there a comic or a group of characters that you enjoy illustrating more than the rest, or that you did enjoy even if you don’t do it anymore?

MB: Absolutely. My father’s work is always… I mean, I was brainwashed as a child, you know, my father taught me that these characters were real, before I knew what reality was.  When you’re four or five years old, reality is whatever it is.

VL: Oh yeah, you close your eyes and think no one else can see you.

MB: Yeah. The whole world stops. When you close your eyes. And in fact I’ve contemplated that many times. My father said, “Yes, son. Everything DOES stop.” And you know, I thought that his stuff was real, ‘cause he’d show me the comic, and a day later he’d say, “Let’s go to where I saw Cheech last and wait for him,” So as we’re eating lunch, up on the hill waiting for Cheech, I found myself wondering where he was, and he’s like, “Oh, he’s busy, just hasn’t shown up yet. But at least I can show you the drawings from when we hung out.” So I started envisioning the characters coming up the hill. And that’s what he was doing, he was systematically, in a good way, brainwashing me.

VL: And you DO get the idea that Cheech is probably a really busy guy.

MB: (laughing) Yeah.

VL: So, when I look at the characters- the Cheech Wizard, and the Lizards, and the Broads- I see a kind of a philosophical metaphor, almost. Where we are Cheech, and the Lizards are Others, you know? And of course, the Broads are tantalizing females, beautiful. The Desired. But I get the feeling that Cheech Wizard is kind of like, our selves, and he has desires, and he has indulgences, and is at play. Was that intended?

MB: Yes, very much. My dad, even though he hid Cheech Wizard’s identity, my dad was Cheech. You could never look The Creator in the eyes without going blind. So whenever he’d get under pressure and take the hat off- whether it was his girlfriend, or his Lizard pal, or at gunpoint by the Frog Police- you know, Take The Hat Off, you know- and Cheech would go, “Okay, but I warned ya,” and he’d take the hat off and everybody goes snow-blind. And it’s because you can’t look The Creator in the eyes. I was always the Lizard, the little Apprentice Lizard. He was always trying to teach me things, and would get impatient with the stupidity of the Lizard, and inevitably teach him some kind of harsh lesson, which was like a kick in the balls or whatever it was. But actually, the way the kick-in-the-balls joke happened- and my dad would repeat over and over again- happened because when I was nine or ten years old, maybe, it was like ‘72 or so, we had boxing gloves and we would box on the big king-size bed. He would get on his knees and we’d fight. And every time it got too rough, I’d nail him as hard as I could in the nuts. And my dad would drop. And I’d just be, “YESS! I won again!”

VL: (laughing) I’m surprised he still wanted to play that game.

MB: (laughing) Yeah, he did, he kept comin’ back. But he’s like, “I’ll get you. I’m gonna get you one day.” So, my character, which was the Lizard Apprentice, started getting kicked in the balls all the time, and so forever I am- my character was- being paid back for what I did to my father. And so that’s where that came from.

VL: Um, that’s awesome. So you’re also a tattoo artist. How many Bode characters have you tattooed?

MB: I would say hundreds? I’ve done, probably, aw man, in 16 years of tattooing it’s hard to say how many thousands of tattoos I’ve done. But the ratio [of Bode characters to other tattoos] isn’t that much. I’m very versatile, so a lot of people come to me with really hard line work. Like right now I’m doing Doré etchings on people, and I’m really into the cross-hatching and keeping it exactly the way the original is. So I have the abilities to go really super-detailed, so I tend to get more of that really hard-to-do, Fine Art stuff. But whenever I go on the road, that’s almost all I do is Bode Broads, and Cheech, and the Lizards. Almost exclusively, when I’m on the road, that’s what I get. And that’s okay. If I was doin’ the characters all the time in tattooing I’d probably get sick of doin’ it. And that’s probably a good thing, it keeps it fresh, and I’m still excited when I do one.

VL: I guess I was really hoping there was a story about somebody coming to you with one of these characters, asking you to tattoo it, not knowing that you… are behind them.

MB: Not with those characters. With Ninja Turtles… yes.

VL: That’s so great, so-

[melodic ringtone interlude]

MB: Hello? … I’m good, I’m uh… Can you call me back in about an hour? Okay, thanks, bye.

VL: So. I studied Art History and I love the old Dutch guys. There is more familiarity with, or more of a tradition, of Father and Son working in the same style, it seems, back then. So you have the Bruegels, and the Cranachs, and sometimes it’s hard to tell them apart. But it’s rare to see that now. And you’re very skilled, and it IS impossible to tell your work apart [from your father’s], especially because you sort of inherited this body of work at such a young age and, working in his style, probably tried to identify with, or just missed, your father after his passing. So just like those artists, you carry on his legacy and expand it. So what has been the reaction of you having such similar work? These painters that I really admire from hundreds of years ago, that was respected. But have you had any comments about it that are counter to that? What are your experiences?

MB: My father, actually, the day before he died, he really knew that I was planning on following in his footsteps. And he said, “Follow me, but don’t get too close. But we’re gonna be Bode and Son. And we’re gonna do great things together.” and he said that the day before he died and I was 12 years old. And he was working on the Lizard of Oz poster- he had just worked on it a week before at a comic convention. So I started drawing what I would do with it. That’s what I was doing right before he died, and that’s when he told me, “That’s gettin’ pretty close, Mark. Maybe you should try to go away from what I’m doing and you’ll have a better time of it.” But he didn’t know he was gonna die, and I didn’t either, so.. I took what he said with a grain of salt and continued to imitate him (laughing). It didn’t stop me that day, even when he died, I was workin’ on it. And I still was like, “Eh, I’m not gonna listen to him.” I liked the characters too much. By the time I was 15, I had pretty much given up my childhood. After my dad died I had decided I wasn’t gonna be hanging with children anymore, I was gonna hang out with adult artists, my mother’s and father’s friends, and I started to get tutored by Larry Todd in particular, my dad’s collaborator. By the time I was 15, I was coloring my father’s work for Heavy Metal magazine, getting paid, and I thought I was pretty hot shit in high school. And I went to comic conventions and they’d be like, “How could you even hold a pencil to your dad? How could you do that, hope to be as good as he was?” And my dad’s voice would come to me: “You can do anything you want, Mark. You can be whatever you want in this place.” I always remembered those words, so it never fazed me that much. Kinda bugged me a little bit that people would keep saying that, but if I thought like that, if I thought that I could never add to the art, then I wouldn’t have done it. I can add to it and finish where he left off. I love keeping him alive like that. It’s a way to defy death. He was -he’s still my best friend, and I still work with him. He’s immortal and I’m mortal, and the two of us work perfectly together. And no one can take that away from me.

VL: Very well put. And I think that, through this unique situation, you have this opportunity to carry on a decades-long relationship with him. In a way.

MB: Yeah. I still have dreams about him all the time where he comes and looks at my art. One dream in particular about six, seven years ago, I was doin’ a strip for While You Were Sleeping and it was my father’s characters, my father’s format, new stories… it was so close. And in the dream my father was in Grand Central Station with me (which was his favorite train station) and he went to a magazine stand and picked up While You Were Sleeping and flipped through it and stopped at my page, and looked at me really seriously, and goes, “Thanks for rippin’ me off.” And I just went totally serious, I mean, he was totally serious, and it took me back, and I said as clear as day- you know how sometimes in your dream you’re like, garbling? You’re talking in your sleep and you can’t talk? I talked perfectly clear to him and I said, “Vaughn, Dad, you are done. Your art is over, your life is stopped. Your art is stopped. You’re one artist. I’m one artist. I’m gonna do what I do, and that’ll be it. And I’m one artist. If I do you, it’s times two for you, and times two for me. And it makes us stronger.” And he just beamed a smile, and gave me a hug, and that was it.

VL: That’s awesome.

MB: I start gettin’ a little choked up over it.

VL: Yeah, me too. (laughing)

MB: But that’s our relationship, so…

VL: So… do you still do spraycan art?

MB: Yeah, absolutely. That’s my new favorite field. I mean, I think I like doing that more than anything. I wasn’t good at it till recently. I always dabbled in it. My first piece was the doors in Spraycan Art. That was my very first spraycan piece and I actually have the doors. My friend saved them because they ended up in that book. He saved them and then sold them back to me so I have my very first graffiti piece on those doors in my studio.

But I kinda sucked for a long time. Like I’d see other people doing Bode characters way better than I could. It was kind of annoying, you know. But I was a late starter, I got started in my 30’s. I moved to SF in 2005 and met Cuba and he hooked me up with walls. And I was still green but
had a huge palette, you know, and I just poured creative energy into it. Low pressure spraycans changed my life, now I can do anything with it. I love going big. It’s better than staying in my studio. Right now I’m doing a recycling plant project. 28th and Peralta, painting the whole compound.

VL: Nice, I’ll have to go check that out. Thanks for doing this interview with us here at 1:AM and we’ll be watching for Cobalt 60 in the movie theaters.

Mark Bode’s “Wizards, Lizards, and Broads” on exhibit now at 1:AM gallery through July 31st!

Valerie Leavy is an art and history fanatic from St. Louis, Missouri, now based in San Francisco and the newest member of the 1:AM team.

Check it out and be inspired to VERB SOMETHING!

We had never met Chris until a week before the show.  Fighting a nasty cold, he dropped off his contribution and upon appraising his work, it was instantly recognized as one of the showstoppers for the exhibit.  The following Saturday, he offered James (the curator) his services to transform 1:AM gallery to a Filipino shanty town.  He was at the gallery almost day and night for the entire week leading up to the opening and  painted dope murals on the interior and exterior walls of the gallery.  He really helped to make “Tabi Tabi Po” come alive!

With that being said, we wanted to get to know the guy who was giving us his all to make this a successful event.  Learn more about him here:

What is your inspiration for your art?  Do you have a story behind your paintings?  Use “The Rite” as an example.

Most of my art usually stems from rooted emotions and feelings that I can’t quite express through writing or speech. I paint or draw how I’m feeling at the moment. ”The Rite” basiclly shows the conflict between my culture upbringing and my ethnic roots. It’s my interpretation of the clash of incorporating two worlds.

How did it all begin? Painting?

When i opened my first box of crayon’s when I was like 3. THANKS MOM!  I was totally hooked on leaving my mark on anything.

Chris can also be found on the cover of and in the premiere issue of Oh Dang! magazine.

Christopher’s artwork can be found @ 1:AM gallery through December 12th!

Get to know the mastermind behind “Tabi Tabi Po” by reading the interview we did with him below.

James being blessed by Kulart's Alleluia Panis during the opening night

How did you come up with the theme “Tabi Tabi Po”?

I have been doing research on Filipino Folklore for the past couple years and have been implementing it here and there in my personal works. I found it a great way to learn more about my culture. I felt that by having an exhibit where other artists of Filipino descent express themselves through exploring Filipino Folklore- it would create a space for dialogue for the Fil-Am Community to connect and re-connect through this tradition, and ultimately share this with the greater bay area community. Tabi Tabi Po, means pardon me, or excuse me, often said to Filipino Forest Creatures so they won’t but a spell on you…to me these creatures protect the forest and help keep people aware of the environment. Myth, or reality, folklore allows us to open up to the idea that spirits exists, and fooling with Mother Nature ain’t no joke.

Do you have any experience with these creatures?

Well, once i couldn’t move while I was in bed late one night, as if i was being held down. There is a creature called a Bangungot in Filipino Folklore that sits on your chest and sometimes chokes you to death. Its crossed my mind that could’ve been the reason.

"Untitled" by James "gaNyan" Garcia, part of Tabi Tabi Po. Email info@1AMSF.com for more info.

What is your background?

Fil-am, born and raised in the Coachella Valley of So-Cal.

When did you start painting?

Been creating all my life, but began painting in ’98 and started to take it seriously about 5 years ago.

What training have you had to bring you to this point in your career?

I studied graphic design and illustration for a bit at Cal State Fullerton in Orange County and then, transferred to San Francisco State and received a BA in Art in 2002. Since then, I have been showing work in galleries and producing exhibits all over, and have made a lot of great artist friends along the way. I have learned a great deal of technique from painting with friends.

What is your favorite medium?

Acrylic, cuz it dries fast and I like to paint quickly.

What is your inspiration?

Completing the next painting.

To fly, and I’d be good of course

Tell us something that people don’t know about you…

I’m an extraterrestrial.

Any new themed-shows in the horizon?

Not sure what themes they would be, but I definitely would like to keep producing Filipino Art Exhibits, and possibly tour this one.

Quick Answers

Your Favorite…

… Toy growing up The original Hound Transformer

… Artist (dead and alive) Don’t have a favorite

… Magazine Hi-Fructose

… Books Paulo Coehlo’s books

… Place to go to get your creative juice flowin’ Going to gallery exhibits and watching Anime

LAST THOUGHTS? Thanks to the folks at 1AM for being kick-ass!!!

Here is a video by JR “Dyno” Ignacio (another participating artist) took at the opening reception.

“Tabi Tabi Po” @ 1:AM gallery through December 12th!

To see Katch’s pieces, visit 1:AM gallery on Friday, September 11th, from 7-10pm for “Don’t Sweat the Technique: Ode to the Spraycan” opening reception.

Katch One from Hawai’i

Posted on: http://estria.blogspot.com

Attaboy will be hosting his first solo show in San Francisco since 2001.  The opening reception is on August 14th from 7-10pm at 1AM SF gallery.  Here is an inside look into the intricate workings of the mastermind behind the hyper unreal art.

1. What is your inspiration for your art?

It’s the way that I cope with things, defragment the mental lentils, and put them ducks in a row, make sense of things. Annie Owens , my fiancée, puts me on the right track. Without her, I’d be in a ball, overwhelmed by the sheer impossibility of my existence. Making art is usually a completely selfish thing or self-righteous, even though I can’t spell that word without spell check.

2. How did it all begin? Painting? Custom Toy Design? Hi-Fructose?

Like most things, in the womb. I hear I drew with placenta colored markers on the inner walls of my goo-nest…

That wasn’t me kicking, but me creating a series of performance art pieces. On a more conscious level, I went to Toy School in NYC at FIT, then worked in the actual toy industry before leaving to do my own thing, which ironically led to more toy design, except of a more personal nature. They’re really just three dimensional ideas for me…journal entries of sorts that smile back, micro produced pleas for help and attention. Every time you interchange an Axtrx mouth, I get a tingle in my brain. That’s why I wake up happy and tired. Too much tingle. Not enough Jingle. Annie and I started Hi-fructose, never thinking that it would eventually appear all over the world and fill up our inboxes with wonderful readers.

It’s ridiculous and amazing to have the opportunity to keep making them, albeit now with a great staff of writers, contributors and artists who support the magazine.

It’s the first project that we worked on together, and being control freaks I’m sure we’re both surprised it worked out so well.  It’s changed our lives completely.

3. What training have you had to get you to this point?

I have an art degree, I created an animation for network TV (which was like animation school), but most training comes from relentlessly working, changing, staying interested. It was a lot easier to do when I was miserable and cute. Now I’m happy and bloated, which creates it’s own set of challenges…

I hope to never to be miserable and cute again. “There was never any good old days, they are today, they are tomorrow. It’s a stupid thing we say,  Cursing tomorrow with sorrow” -Gogol Bordello

4. What materials do you use? What is your favorite medium?

Lately, I’m happiest while drawing with a knife. Spray painting plastic. it’s a ridiculous medium, and I think I’m the only one doing it, at least in this way. People think my lines are printed vinyl or paint, but no! It’s stenciled meticulously, each and every line was two cuts and each piece is a thousand cuts. You kinda have to see them in person. It’s like urban stain glass.

While paintings crack and curl and yellow, my plastic pieces will cast shadows onto the crumbling walls of our spine exposed inheritors of Pappa Erf!  I’ve also been doing strange “exploded view” color pencil drawings that someone described as “hyper unreal.”

I kinda like that. They’re blue-ish, ethereal. With them I’m approaching animals and ideas the way I did in the mainstream toy industry, taking things apart, as if a blind alien was trying to re-create our world only by what was being described to him.

5. What is the toughest thing you had to overcome as an artist?

Like most, all things, myself. And Hindu Buddhist-mantra spouting Yodian idiots who say such things.

6. What do you hope people take away from your art? Do you have a message?

I create it for me, but I love when it speaks to them. I start pieces without a set idea really, and then they evolve.  There’s certainly themes of lust, greed, jealousy, and guilt, and I’m a person who avoids all confrontation, so perhaps thats why the many spineless denizen and brine, but the whole reason for me creating this work is to not figure things out but to work things out on the paper/plastic.

7. You are quite accomplished in many aspects of your career. What do you still want to do as an artist?

I’m proud of this new series of work, I think it’s my best yet. I have ideas everyday and when they become reality I’m most happy.

8. Who, dead or alive, do you idolize in the art world? If you could do a collaboration with another artist, who would it be?

I try not to idolize anyone. Life’s too short for that sacred cow stuff. But folks that get me revved up are Orson Welles, Spike Jones (the musician), Jean-Pierre Jeunet, Marvin Glass, Dave Cooper, Mars-1, Annie Owens, Larry David, and alot of folks in our magazine.

I’d love to work with Jean-Pierre Jeunet someday.

9. Walk us through your typical day.

There’s no walking, slacker. But hunched over drawing, cutting, moping, typing, yelling and bedroom type stuff.  I hope to never have a typical day strapped into a chair-cage like a passenger, responding to the demands of an in box.  At least that’s my hope!

10. If you could incite a revolution, what would it be against?

Extended Warranties & Service Plans and maintenance fees.

11. If you weren’t an artist, co-founder of a magazine, show creator and director, and a toy designer, what else would you be doing?

I think I’d be dead or extremely happy! But I’m too scared to stop and see which one will be the result!

12. If you could add a song or tune to your every step, what would it be?

Minka by Spike Jones, Followed by Eric B And Rakim’s “I aint No Joke” followed by The Andrew Sisters, followed by the Bouncing Souls.

13. Do you live by any mantra? If yes, what?

Verb, fother muckers, Verb!

14. If you had three wishes, what would they be?

That dogs lived as long as humans, that I got to say goodbye to my dad and grandma, that some folks weren’t so stupid.

15. Can you tell us what our fans can expect from Attaboy in the next 5 years?

Donno, but in the coming months…more behind the scenes-ness at Hi-Fructose with Annie, strange new projects, a series of illustrated books (meant for smart kids) and much much less.

16. What can you tell your fans about the upcoming show at 1AM SF?

Bring your sketch books and I’ll draw for you if you ask nicely. I’ll have my new sculpture there, the Winged Shmee, with custom painted castings and the last 5 Qwezshun figures are finally complete and available. Also, I’ve saved the last 4 green Axtrx vinyls for purchase at the show. The last four of 5000 pieces, just for you. Come see the work in person in the heart of the Franny. Not sure when the next time I’ll have a solo show in SF will be.

Quick Answers

Your Favorite…

… Art piece you have created  It’s usually the last one.

… Toy growing up  Didn’t like toys too much growing up but I’ve wanted an Odd Ogg for the past 13 years and tomorrow I’ll finally have one!!

… Toy now  The Cragstan Wacky watermelon and little Miss No Name.

… Artist (dead and alive) Can’t do that!

… Magazine Hi-Fructose

… Books Lord of the Flies

… Place to go to get your creative juice flowin’  Cerrito Theatre back when it served real popcorn.

As a resident artist and teacher of 1AM SF gallery, we wanted to peer into the mind of the person who is taking the custom toy vinyl world by a storm.  Look out because Lily Black has arrived.

Lily Black Teaching

Mesmerized.

Q&A

How did you start in custom toy design?  Who/how were you introduced to it?

It’s weird, I was a toy designer for Chronicle Books in a very free lance sort of way.  ‘Spike and Jeff’s Sailcar Kit’,  I’m Spike.  I’ve been working on ‘Darth Barbie’ in secret of course, for years, I just didn’t think anyone would be that interested.  1Am is on the way to the store where I buy lunch everyday.  It’s that good (Split Pea Seduction on 6th).  Finally, I couldn’t contain myself.  The store has toys and paint.  It was just a matter of time. When I asked Dan what they did in there he told me about do it yourself toys.  I stopped short of saying all toys are do it yourself toys and bought a Munny.  It’s in the show it’s the Munnykampfwagen I Ausf. A (check it out at the 1AM gallery or visit www.toyjunkiesf.com).

What is your inspiration?
Besides Dan Pan?  Um jeez, what isn’t?  Bobby McFerrin is probably the only thing on earth I’m not a little curious about or inspired by.  That ‘Don’t Worry be Happy’ song is like kryptonite to me.  It changes.  I try to remember that.  What I like is going to change and that’s fine.  I used to love baloney and american cheese sandwiches, when I was five.  This week, I like these erotic toys from Japan.  Last week, I liked reading reference material about the vk3001 or Maus tank.  It changes you see.

What training have you had to bring you to this point in your career?
Um, corset training?  Yeah, I can go down to twenty four inches.  Does this come with a picture?  I went to community college for everything.  All the art classes, except photography.  Their clean clothes inspired in me a deep mistrust that has lasted until this day.  Ano,  Nihongo no kurasu o benkyoo o shimashita.  I took red cross training for all kinds of stuff like how to give CPR to a rubber dummy.  One time I took a nonviolent crisis deescalation seminar.  That was rad.  Study is cool for its own sake.  I’d study anything.  Though if there was a seminar on Bobby Mcferrin I’d run away like my tail was on fire.

How long does it take you to make one piece?
Well,  how long does it take to make a duck?  You could say the egg is laid and the duck comes out and it takes that long to make a duck.  Also you could look back to where ducks diverge as a species from other similar birds and say It takes that long to make a duck.  So yeah, three weeks.  I’m kidding.  I have no idea.
It’s a life of looking and practicing.  the execution of one piece isn’t something I gauge, so I don’t have any real stats.  Like the sign says “open ’til closed”.

What materials do you use?
No stained glass.  I really dislike working with glass.  Anything else is fine.  For a while I used to cut things out of the covers of match books.  What’s a good answer?  Hmm.  I use what’s handy.

Your customs usually include accessories from action figures.  Where do you get these accessories?
I look for bargains.  I’m going to stop there because that is such useful advice.  Look for bargains.

Your pieces for “Into the Darkness” are incredible.  You approached the theme differently then the other artists.  How did you interpret “Into the Darkness”?
Shucks, the show was incredible.  A lot of people worked really hard on it.  Honestly, I didn’t interpret.   I guess my stuff is so morose and sad-making all on it’s own that it was a good fit.  Isn’t that depressing?

As a resident artist and teacher at 1AM SF gallery, can you tell us how you became a part of the gallery?
I should have read ahead and seen this question coming.  I would have saved my juicy origin story for this part.  1AM is on the way to the place where I buy my sandwich, everyday.  Today it was a Monte Cristo.  It was magnificent.  I became a part of things I suppose by showing up.  There might have been more parts, but that was the kicker.

How are your “Toy Modification” classes going?
I think well.  The people who attend appear to like it a lot and no one has gotten hurt.  Right now the classes are small, so each project gets lots of attention.  I like it at any rate.

What can students expect from your “Toy Modification” classes?
Successful careers as artists.  That was so funny, I’m crying as I type this.  Really it’s a micro shop skills class built around what ever the project toy of the class is.  Razor saws, X-acto knives, files, etc. and painting techniques all get explained with an emphasis on safe and cheap ways to do things.

How did you get into teaching?
I lost a bet.  Got mixed up with the wrong crowd and now I’m a teacher.
I get this enormous satisfaction knowing how things work and shedding my own ignorance on topics both great and small, so I’m going to guess that other people feel the same way.  The things that frightened me the most were things I didn’t understand, so I think the ritual of teaching anything is important, because the ritual of learning does so much to assuage fear.

Can you walk us through your typical day?
I make something or draw something, however small, I don’t care.   I just like to work everyday.  Also I write, even a few sentences everyday, and I go to band practice twice a week.  Then there is the aforementioned sandwich and sometimes one of my stupid and taudry get-rich-never schemes will take up part of an afternoon.  The cat and I go outside into the garden too.  Everyday.  Her name is Laika and she’s my trophy cat.  Yeah, a typical day is playing handmaid and door person for an irredeemably spoiled cat.  Oh and I eat a handful of prescription meds. I’ve got HIV, cabin fever, the delta blues, the sniffles, and just a list of stuff.

Tell us something that people don’t know about you but you want them to know.

Papercastlepress is going to publish one of my books, maybe more.  There is a sample at papercastlepress.com in the future titles section.  If you like it, go on Sophie’s blog and tell her.  It is a little randy so heads up.  Fawnmowerpettingzoo on myspace is pretty groovy too.

If you had three wishes what would it be?
They came true.  Now, I’m not stupid enough to wish for things.  Once an angel visited a Russian farmer and said, “I’ll grant you any wish, but what ever I give you I’ll give to your neighbor two times.”  The farmer thought and said, “Gouge out my eye.”

Do you live by mantra?  If yes, what?

Oh God, yes tons of them.  “Who dares wins”,  “You only live once at a time”,  “If I can not find a way I shall make one”, “Nemo me impudae lacessit”  that sort of stuff.

Can you tell us what our fans can expect from Lily Black in the next 5 years?
Crow’s feet, best case scenario.  I can’t guess.  Can you?  I’m sure it will involve an avalanche of work, but no, I haven’t a clue.  What a lame answer.  I don’t think I’ll become the darling of interviewers in the next five years if thats any help.

Quick Answers

Your Favorite…

… Custom piece you have created: The next one, it’ll be amazing.

… Art piece you have created: Me.

… Montana Spray Paint Color: Marron chocolate, hands down.  Alien is a tougher call, probably spectra black, it’s a life saver.  Verde Luz is the best 94.  Carton and hueso are hard to live with out too.

… Toy growing up: An action figure of Xera, cornelius’ wife from the planet of the apes.  I’m not kidding.

… Toy now: These goofy little Masceinen Kreiger 1/35 scale toys.

… Artist (dead or alive): Ace Freely

… Magazine: Fangoria, old ones, what ever Dan’s got.

… Book: Dan Webb’s books in Oakland.  About a pound a week on average.

… Place to go to get your creative juice flowin’: After Dan Webb’s books, I’m cool.  Dan said that is how the cloth chairs got ruined, now he has got a plastic one.  Those creative juices can wreak havoc on a nice upholstery job.

… Kind of caffeine to keep you movin’:  I take caffeine indiscriminately.  Perhaps if Bobby mcferrin was handing out coffee I’d have second thoughts, but I’d pretty definitely take some.

“Into the Darkness” exhibit will be at 1AM SF gallery through July 3rd.  Come on by or visit www.toyjunkiesf.com.

Piano Lessons by Lily Black

Flamm Panzer Krieger by Lily Black

Bephel Panzer Krieger by Lily Black

Large Munny Recovery Vehicle by Lily Black

Q&A

How did you come up with the name 64 Colors?
Well, we both started out with a box of Crayola crayons. There were 64 in the pack so… 64 Colors.

How did you guys get your start in custom toy design?  Who/how were you introduced to it?
It’s a by product of having so many toys in the studio and having a toy that just released.  “Marshall” which we designed and was produced by Rotofugi and Squibbles Ink in Chicago.  Check out www.marshalltoys.com. Through that, we met Ryan Crippen from Reactor 88 who introduced us to Alex Dril. Alex was kind enough to let us create a  custom for the IWG show
he curated. Super nice people!

What are your inspirations?
Nature, art, Japan, cartoons, toys, seeing great work by other people.  Everyday we see inspiring work!

What training have you had to bring you to this point in your  career?
Both went to art school. Lot’s of live model + painting classes. Classic training we suppose. Also work as a design, illustration studio and do a wide range of character design, packaging, illustrations and graphic design projects.

How do you guys know each other?

Met in art school, got married.

Do you guys ever get on each other’s nerves?

Yes! One of us is generally calm while the other is a bit high strung. There are occationally shouting matches but we have short attention spans and forget quickly.

If you had to designate roles to each other, what would they be? (e.g. who is the slave driver, the visionary, etc)
Depends on the project. It’s really a 50/50 collaboration. No one is in charge and maybe that makes things work best for us.

Tell us something that people don’t know about you guys but you want them to know.
Ummmm, Hmmmm, Uhhhh… :\ *draws blank*

When you were given the task of creating a piece for “Into the Darkness”, how did you interpret it?
Moonlight, creatures of the night, loneliness, wandering, dreams, nightmares, tree branches, wind, wonder and dark colors. Then wrap that into one character with a back story. We hope that our customs project personality and emotion as that is what we try to do with each piece.

How long did it take to make a piece like “Night Mary”?
About 3 weeks total. The project gets placed into our regular work flow and we toss it back and forth so the piece evolves over time.

For your Munny customs, who is your muse/model for the eyes (e.g. Natural Beauty and Night Mary)?
That’s just how Laura paints them. No particular muse or model. Just a style developed over time and trial and error. The eyes are the window to the soul you know.

Can you tell us what our fans can expect from 64 Colors in the next 5 years?
5 years is a long time. More customs, paintings, toys, animation, some books.  We hope our work will improve and opportunities will happen that will allow us to work on a wide variety of projects all over the globe. That sounds good to us!

Quick Answers to Your Favorite…

… Toy growing up

Laura: Barbie / Eric: Legos and maple blocks.

… Toy now
Laura: Friends with You Super Malfi / Eric: ThreeA Squares (I love Malfi too!)

… Artist (dead or alive)
Laura: Tamara de Lempicka / Eric: Mark Ryden

... Magazine
Laura: High Fructose / Eric: Giant Robot

… Books
Laura: Science Fiction/Fantasy / Eric: Biographies/History

… Place to go to get your creative juice flowin’
A museum, a car ride, a bike ride… could be anywhere and we always carry a sketchbook.

… Kind of Coffee
Laura: No coffee, Rootbeer / Eric: coffee black from anywhere as long as it’s good.

by 64 Colors...visit www.marshalltoys.com

"Night Mary" by 64 Colors @ 1AM SF Gallery

“Into the Darkness” exhibit will be at 1AM SF gallery through July 3rd.  Come on by or visit www.toyjunkiesf.com.

How would you describe the evolution of the designer toy world?

The Designer toy world has evolved greatly, when I started there was not a lot of companies. Now there is many companies, and the mainstream companies like Mattel & Hasbro are trying to get a piece of the action. It also is becoming very mainstream as Martha Stewart and Rosie Odonnell did Munnies, not sure how i feel about it. Definetly not underground anymore.

When did you first get into this constantly evolving toy scene?

I got into the Designer Toy scene in 2005 when I saw other graffiti artist with designs on Kidrobot Dnny series 1. Then I saw the KidRobot messageboard which got me into customizing  toys.

How would you describe the inspiration for your work?

Inspiration comes mostly my environment, thoughts, childhood, experimentation, and various other things.

Can you give us some hints to what you’ve prepared for this ITD show?

I did a Military rusted Ewok Horselington and 5 skull paintings.

What advice can you give anyone wanting to jump into toy modification?

Practice, practice, and more practice. I would say read and study the Kidrobot message board Munny section. there is a lot of tutorials on there.

How will “Into the Darkness” be different from other exhibitions you’ve been involved with?

This is my 2nd show I am curating,  so i am more experienced. The artist are some of the top customizers out there and this might be one of the larger custom open toy platform shows in the bay Area.

What was your favorite toy when you were younger?

Voltron, G.I.Joe, Lego, and Transformers.

Tell us what makes your creative juices flow?

My brain always has ideas, sometimes too many. Time is my worst enemy but i manage to participate in 12+ shows this year, and also curating 3 shows on top of it add a family and a 9 to 5. Yeah I am busy.

Can you tell us what our fans can expect from Alex Dril in the next 5 years?

I would like to push shows to the next level, not sure how but i will figure it out. And I would like to evolve as a artist too. Stay tuned!

Check out www.toyjunkiesf.com, “Into the Darkness” for art pieces from the show.

Military Horselington – Visit www.toyjunkiesf.com “Into the Darkness”

To get to know Peter better, I got warm and cozy with him and asked thought-provoking questions about his fabulous art.

What is your inspiration for your art?

I don’t really know.   I guess I usually just paint what pops into my head.  Sometimes its funny, sometimes it’s weird.  My work usually involves naked girls, cartoon monsters, gold, dead animals and guns.  I guess, I’m basically inspired by all things awesome and American.

How did it all begin?

I’ve been painting since I can remember, my mom had me on watercolors before I could talk.  So, thanks mom!

What training have you had to bring you to this point in your  career?

I went to SVA for a couple of years and then graduated with a painting degree from SFAI.  I’m totally tainted.

Who is your favorite artist?

That’s hard.  It changes so much, I’ve always liked Rembrandt (awesome cliché)… lately, I’ve been digging a lot of Murakami. I’ve also always really dug Gottfried Helnwein.  I’m liking Jeff Soto and Greg Simkins right now too.  I guess I can’t really say one artist.

Are there any rising talents that you are excited about?

There are so many…  I think the Bay and LA are really producing so much talent right now, I wouldn’t even know where to start.                    

How has married life impacted your artwork?

I don’t think that it has that much, because we were basically married before we were married.  I will say that my wife seriously keeps me on top of my game…there’s no half-assing it around her, and since my studio is in our dining room, she sees any mistakes that I make, which I actually appreciate.  She makes me want to make things better.

What should we expect from Peter Gronquist in the next 5 years?

Probably tons more paintings and sculptures.  I’m also seeing how many cease and desist letters I can get from major corporations, so we’ll see how that goes.  I’m really trying to get my $35 membership to the California Lawyers for the Arts to earn it’s keep.

What is going to set this solo show at 1AM apart from your past shows?

I’m putting a lot of work into making a ton of new shit for this show, trying to push my boundaries a little.  I’m also going to be offering affordable things.

Any teasers to give out to your followers about your new work?

Gun antlers, Mickey Mouse Jesus, Jackalopes with uzis, and of course, boobies…