Best Of: Spoke Art's Third Annual "Bad Dads" Art Show

There are a few things I count on every year. Taxes. Mondo selling at least a dozen posters I desperately want to own, don't have the money to pay for, but buy anyway. Gallery 1988's "Crazy 4 Cult" featuring at least two Army of Darkness prints I want, two Stanley Kubrick inspired posters I need, and one Shaun of the Dead piece I can't live without. And more recently, Spoke Art hosting a celebration of all things Wes Anderson via posters and paintings, thereby ensuring I have no money left to spend on friends and family come Christmas time. In only three short years, Spoke Art's "Bad Dads" has become one of the must-see shows for film art fanatics the world over and, as you can see below, this year's offerings only up the quirky dysfunctional ante. 2012 also marks the first year in "Bad Dads'" history that a new Anderson film (Moonrise Kingdom) is available for artists to work from. In other words: very exciting!

A quick note: As of this writing, the first half of this post ("Awesome and Available") is still available for purchase. The second half ("Sold Out But Definitely Worth Mentioning") features my sold out favorites. Enjoy!

Awesome and Available

"The Fantastic Mr. Fox" Art Print
Michael De Pippo
18" x 24" (Screen Print) - Signed and Numbered
$40 - Limited to 100
Inspired By: Fantastic Mr. Fox

I love Michael De Pippo's "The Fantastic Mr. Fox" print! It's simple, it's playful, it's intelligent, and it's still available for purchase! There's no doubt in my mind that Wes Anderson would approve of De Pippo's interpretation, as this artwork evokes the same carefree attitude that the film exudes while also paying its respects to Roald Dahl's brilliant source material. This poster is a winner in every respect. Michael's "The Fantastic Mr. Fox" is available through the Spoke Art store for $40. The print measures 18" x 24" and is limited to an edition of 100. Head over to michaeldepippo.com and follow @mdepippo on Twitter for all De Pippo related news. I'm not going to lie, I love this guy's last name. It's fun to write, fun to say, fun to read. De Pippo. That is all. De Pippo.

"The Old Chickchaw Harvest Migration Trail" Art Print
Jessica Deahl
18" x 24" (Screen Print) - Signed and Numbered
$50 - Limited to 75
Inspired By: Moonrise Kingdom

A Moonrise Kingdom poster! Huzzah! Jessica Deahl's print captures the meticulously staged and stylized greatness that is an Anderson film. There's a lot to love about this artwork, but I think what really sealed the deal for me was Jessica's choice of color. The paper, the inks, the landscape - all of these elements, when taken as a whole, conjure up a place only Wes' characters could thrive in. Deahl's "The Old Chickchaw Harvest Migration Trail" screen print is now available through Spoke Art's website for $50. The poster measures 18" x 24" and is limited to 75. To learn more about the artist, be sure to visit jessicadeahl.com.

"The Life Aquatic" Art Print
Randy Ortiz
18" x 24" (Giclée) - Signed and Numbered
$40 - Limited to 100
Inspired By: The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou

Alongside New Flesh's insanely beautiful "The Jaguar Shark," Randy Ortiz's "The Life Aquatic" may be my favorite print from this year's show (which isn't much of a shock when you realize that Randy's Fantastic Mr. Fox inspired print from last year's "Bad Dads" made it onto my "Top 20 Posters of 2011" list). The guy has the ability to merge the insanely detailed with the beautifully simple, consistently creating jaw-dropping compositions. I'm not really sure how this print hasn't already sold out, but it looks like Ortiz's "The Life Aquatic" is still available for purchase for $40. The giclée measures 18" x 24" and is limited to an edition 100. If you like what you see, check out damnthedesign.com and follow @damnthedesign on Twitter.

"The Life Aquatic" Art Print James Gilleard 18" x 24" (Giclée) - Numbered $40 - Limited to 100 Inspired By: The Life Aquatic

"The Royal Tenenbaums" Art Print James Gilleard 18" x 24" (Giclée) - Numbered $40 - Limited to 100 Inspired By: The Royal Tenebaums

I'm thinking James Gilleard is going to catch fire in a pretty big way soon. He's got a playful style that's easy on the eyes and has already put together several fantastic prints in addition to all of his commercial work. Need more proof? Take a look at his Life Aquatic and Royal Tenebaums inspired posters above. 'Nuff said. Both of the above prints are still for sale for $40 each through Spoke Art. Both giclées measure 18" x 24" and are limited to an edition of 100. For more info on the artist, visit jamesgilleard.com and follow @jgilleard.

"Ain't No Trip to Cleveland" Art Print
Ridge
18" x 24" (Screen Print) - Signed and Numbered
$25 - Limited to 50
Inspired By: Bottle Rocket

Everyone loves The Royal Tenenbaums, The Life Aquatic, and Moonrise Kingdom, but it's Anderson's first feature, Bottle Rocket, that doesn't always get the respect it deserves. Enter Ridge's "Ain't No Trip to Cleveland" poster. There's a simplicity to this print's design, which is fitting considering Bottle's characters are a bit less complicated than the ones Wes' future films would house. And I haven't even started on the color, which is incredibly inspired and clever given the poster's explosive theme. Ridge on her design choice (taken from the artist's blog):

"My piece 'Ain’t No Trip to Cleveland' for the 'Bad Dads' Wes Anderson tribute show at Spoke Art that opens next Friday, the 26th. The color palette and simple illustration style are inspired by vintage fireworks packaging. Click the photo to buy on the gallery’s website.

I feel like the lone nerd who did not do either Moonrise Kingdom or The Life Aquatic for this show, but I can’t help it … Bottle Rocket is one of my favorite films of all time."

Ridge's "Ain't No Trip to Cleveland" print is currently available through Spoke Art for only $25. The poster measure 18" x 24" and is limited to an edition of 50. Check out Ridge's blog at ridgerooms.com and follow @ridgerooms on Twitter.

Sold Out But Definitely Worth Mentioning

"The Jaguar Shark" Art Print
N.E. (New Flesh Prints)
18" x 24" (Screen Print) - Signed and Numbered
Sold Out - Limited to 75
Inspired By: The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou

The guys at New Flesh are on a roll. Is the Life Aquatic inspired "The Jaguar Shark" their best print yet? I'm not sure, but I'm leaning toward very possibly. Head on over to newfleshprints.com and follow @newfleshprints and @nenewflesh for all New Flesh related news.

"The Royal Tenenbaums" Art Print
Joshua Budich
18" x 24" (Screen Print) - Signed and Numbered
Sold Out - Limited to 100
Inspired By: The Royal Tenenbaums

Another winner for Budich. Great use of red and a wonderful looking layout. For more info on the artist, check out joshuabudich.com and follow @jbudich on Twitter. Also, watch The Royal Tenenbaums.

"Fantastic Mr. Fox" Art Print
Jayson Weidel
18" x 24" (Giclée) - Signed and Numbered
Sold Out - Limited to 30
Inspired By: Fantastic Mr. Fox

Jayson Weidel is the the guy who curates the amazing Planet-Pulp. He's also the guy who created this beautiful Fantastic Mr. Fox inspired print. So, that's cool. I love the detail in the animals' faces. Head over to oo-de-lally.com and follow @planet_pulp for more on Mr. Weidel.

"The Sinking of the Belafonte" Art Print
Isaac Bidwell
18" x 24" (Screen Print) - Signed and Numbered
Sold Out - Limited to 45
Inspired By: The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou

Isaac Bidwell's "The Sinking of the Belafonte" is sure to please any Life Aquatic fan. Too bad it sold out. At least those of us who weren't able to grab one still have the above JPG, right? In all seriousness, Bidwell absolutely killed it. Well done, sir! Visit isaacbidwell.com and follow @isaacbidwell for more info on the artist.

"The Life Aquatic" Movie Poster
Tracie Ching
18" x 24" (Screen Print) - Signed and Numbered
Sold Out - Limited to 100
Inspired By: The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou

Posterocalypse favorite Tracie Ching created this awesome looking print, and wouldn't you know it, everyone and their mama wanted one and now it's sold out. Go, Tracie! I can't wait to see what she does next. To see more of the artist's work, point your browser to tracieching.com and follow @tracieching on Twitter.

"The Baumer" Art Print
Jeff Boyes
24" x 18" (Screen Print) - Screen Print
Sold Out - Limited to 60
Inspired By: The Royal Tenenbaums

The Baumer is back! Though this time it's in the form of Jeff Boyes' killer Tenenbaums inspired poster. This may be my favorite Boyes print yet! To learn more about Jeff, check out visualtechnicians.com.

And that's that! If you find yourself in the San Francisco area, be sure to see the show in person. Visit spoke-art.com for gallery info and sign up for their newsletter to get the heads up on all future exhibitions. Good night!

Spoke Art's Second Annual "Bad Dads" Art Show

UPDATE (4/5): Interested in winning an AP of Randy Ortiz's “We Got the Tail, but We Missed the Fox” print? Well, you now officially have your chance! Randy is giving away one of his Fantastic Mr. Fox prints as part of a Damn the Design Facebook contest. For contest rules and directions head over to Randy's Facebook page now!

Spoke Art has finally released their remaining "Bad Dads" inventory to the unwashed masses of the Interwebs (that's me) and I couldn't be more thrilled. Although, to be honest, this has been a mixed blessing of sorts. Sure, there's a ton of amazing artwork inspired by some of my favorite Wes Anderson films. But for every stupefying work of art I buy, I end up dropping somewhere around $30, $40, or $50 - that adds up fairly quickly. And while I didn't purchase every print I'm about to discuss in this post, I was incredibly impressed with everything below and would heartily recommend collecting one or all of these posters while they're still available. Note: everything mentioned here was still available for purchase at the time of this writing.

"He is The Zissou" Art Print Tim Doyle 16" x 20" - Signed and Numbered $40 - Limited to 75 Inspired By: The Life Aquatic

"Stephen Zissou" Art Print Zach Landrum 12.5" x 18" - Signed and Numbered $30 - Limited to 50 Inspired By: The Life Aquatic

As an FYI, you should probably know that The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou is my all time favorite Wes Anderson film. With that confession out of the way, let's get to the good stuff. I had to place these prints together, I just had to. This is a perfect example of why I love art. You can have two portraits that depict the exact same thing, Steve Zissou's head in this case, but presented in such completely different manners. Tim Doyle's playful and inventive "He is the Zissou" conveys just how connected Zissou is with the maritime creatures he studies, which raises the question, where does the aquatic end and Steve Zissou begin? Conversely, Zach Landrum's "Stephen Zissou" conjures up an old, tired, but still kind of badass man far past his prime, with memories literally written on his face (or neck, rather). Zach's print also seems to play with some religious iconography as there appears to be some sort of halo behind our "Bad Dad." I'd join the cult of Zissou!

Tim Doyle's "He is The Zissou" art print is currently available through the Spoke Art store and costs $40. The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou inspired print measures 16" x 20" and is limited to an edition of 75. To learn more about Austin-based artist Tim Doyle, be sure to visit his portfolio at mrdoyle.com, his store at nakatomiinc.com, and follow him on Twitter @NakatomiTim.

Zach Landrum's "Stephen Zissou" print is available through the Spoke Art store for $30. The print measures 12.5" x 18" and is limited to 50. I couldn't really find any sort of web presence for the man besides an abandoned MySpace page, and a barely touched GigPosters profile, so just know that somewhere out there Zach Landrum exists and is creating art. I'm almost positive.

"Wild Animals" Art Print
Rhys Cooper
24" x 36" - Numbered
$80 - Limited to 50
Inspired By: Fantastic Mr. Fox

If you've ever seen a Rhys Cooper poster, you'll immediately recognize his somewhat grungy, but still immaculately detailed and breath-taking artwork. With "Wild Animals," Rhys has chosen to depict some of our favorite characters from Fantastic Mr. Fox along with their genus and species. One of the things I like so much about this print, besides the previously mentioned attention to detail, is how Rhys communicates the disposition and mannerisms of each character through both the clothing and the posturing of the four "Wild Animals." It's a beautiful print and I'm sure it will look awesome in person. Cooper's "Wild Animals" print is currently available through Spoke Art for $80. The print measures 24" x 36" and is limited to 50. And if the $80 price tag is just a bit too much for you, you can also purchase each of the four characters in 12" x 18" form for $30 apiece. To get the full scoop on Rhys Cooper, be sure to visit his Studio Seppuku store at studioseppuku.bigcartel.com.

"Fantastic Mr. Fox!" Art Print
Kelly Perry
18" x 24" - Signed and Numbered
$40 - Limited to 30
Inspired By: Fantastic Mr. Fox

I just adore this print! I think out of all the posters in tonight's entry, this piece most perfectly channels the whimsy and charm of Fantastic Mr. Fox. It's just perfect in my opinion. I'd never heard of Kelly Perry, whose more naturalistic style works wonderfully with the somewhat fantastical Fantastic Mr. Fox, but you can bet I'll be following her work very closely moving forward. Does anyone else think that this would make an amazing cover for the Roald Dahl book? I look at this poster and just want to watch the movie all over again. Kelly Perry's "Fantastic Mr. Fox!" art print is available for purchase through Spoke Art right now. The piece measures 18" x 24", is limited to an edition of 30, and costs $40. To see more of Kelly's artwork I recommend checking out her website at kellyperryart.com and her Society6 storefront.

“We Got the Tail, but We Missed the Fox” Fantastic Mr. Fox Movie Poster
Randy Ortiz
18" x 24" - Includes a certificate of authenticity
$50 - Limited to 75

Finally, we come to Randy Ortiz's gorgeously conceived and brilliantly executed Fantastic Mr. Fox movie poster. The print reads like a lesson in smart design, and by that I mean, Mr. Ortiz has done a spectacular job at concisely getting across much of the film in a relatively minimalistic, yet incredibly detailed, manner. Simply stunning. This was definitely one of the five prints I purchased from the show and I absolutely can't wait to get this beauty framed. Randy Ortiz's "We Got the Tail, but We Missed the Fox" print is currently available through Spoke Art for $50. The print measures 18" x 24", is limited to an edition of 75, and comes with a certificate of authenticity. For more Randy Ortiz related goodness, check out the man's Cargo Collective website, Tumblr, Etsy store, and follow him on Twitter @damnthedesign. I REALLY hope he plays around with more film stuff in the future. Mondo, are you listening?

All of these prints, and much, much more, can be found at Spoke Art's store at store.spoke-art.com, but that's not all. You'll also find info about upcoming events and future releases by subscribing to the Spoke Art mailing list, following Spoke Art's founder Ken Harman on Twitter @Spoke_Art, and checking out Spoke Art's always enjoyable Tumblr page.

Joshua Budich's "Bad Dads" and "Life Aquatic" Prints

The second annual "Bad Dads" show curated by the fine folks at Spoke Art is right around the corner, meaning I'm frothing at the mouth in anticipation of some Wes Anderson inspired brilliance. I'll go ahead and preface this review by saying I'm one of those people who loves Anderson's quirky, colorful, cool films unabashedly and that my favorite movie in his filmography, a film that even many Anderson aficionados dislike, is The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou. I'm not entirely sure why The Life Aquatic holds such a dear place in my heart, but it does, and I'll defend the film till my last breath (though my defense might be lacking if I can't explain why I like it so much). Thankfully Joshua Budich, an artist who has become a mainstay at Spoke Art's shows, has brought to life many of my favorite characters by way of some spectacular artwork.

"Bad Dads" Group Show Art Print
Joshua Budich
18" x 24" - Signed & Numbered
$50 - Limited to 100

I thought I'd start with the poster for the show, because, well, it's the poster for the show. I know I say this every time, but it just blows my mind whenever Budich releases a new print - they just keep getting better and better. I have a feeling that this one in particular will be an easy sell, because not only is the artwork impressive on just about every level, it also features the majority of Anderson's equally impressive filmography (The Darjeeling Limited and Bottle Rocket appear to be the only films missing). If there's one thing that I think Joshua Budich really excels at it's people. Whether it's people staring, people yelling, people pointing, people grimacing, or people smoking, the bottom line is this: the man gets people and can depict them without losing whatever undefinable element makes them them. And while there are plenty of directors that favor spectacle, special effects, and gore over character and relationships, Wes Anderson's movies have always been about people. Sure, his films feature some of the coolest tracking shots ever put to celluloid, and his art direction is immaculately colorful and unique, but it always comes back to the characters, often emotionally confused and / or stunted people that are just trying to figure out how to be happy. And Joshua Budich completely nails that. If there was one thing I would have liked to see included in this already bursting-at-the-seams artwork, it would be some small reference to the two Anderson films I previously mentioned were missing from the print, but that's a very insignificant complaint. It's a beautiful piece and belongs on the wall of anyone who has even the slightest interest in the movies of Wes Anderson. Budich's "Bad Dads" group show art print is currently available through the Spoke Art store. The giclée measures 18" x 24", will be signed and numbered, and will cost $50. I'm not completely sure what the edition size is since the Spoke Art store lists 100 and Budich's website lists 150, but either way I'm sure this one will sell out with a quickness.

The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou Movie Poster
Joshua Budich
24" x 36" - Signed & Numbered
$60 - Limited to 150

Like I said, The Life Aquatic is my absolute favorite Wes Anderson film (followed closely by the new classic Fantastic Mr. Fox). I love everything about it: the action, the dialogue, the badass-when-he-needs-to-be Steve Zissou, the jealous-asshole-pretty-much-the-rest-of-the-time Steve Zissou, the retro luxury research vessel, and the acoustic Portuguese Bowie covers by Seu Jorge (would you look at that, I guess I could defend the film after all). All of those elements come together to make a perfect movie, and thanks to Budich, a perfect poster. From the out-of-date yellows to the tiny candy-striped seahorse, this print includes everything but the kitchen sink. There's not much more to say than that. If you like the film, you'll love the poster; if you don't like the film, you'll probably still love the poster. I purchased mine the minute this went on sale and I'd recommend any fan of the film do the same. Joshua Budich's Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou print is currently available through the Spoke Art store for $60. The screen print measures 24" x 36", is signed and numbered, and is limited to an edition of 150.

If you like either of these posters I would advise you to purchase them before they sell out by visiting store.spoke-art.com. Spoke Art also released a few other "Bad Dads" prints today that I unfortunately didn't have time to write about, so even if you're not a huge fan of the Budich stuff I'd say check it out anyway. In addition to their packed storefront, you can stay informed about all things Spoke Art by signing up for their newsletter and following them @spoke_art. I'd also suggest visiting Joshua Budich's website by heading over to joshuabudich.com and following him @jbudich to learn more about the artist and see the rest of his work. If this didn't quench your "Bad Dads" art thirst, you'll have to wait until this Saturday (10/29) to see the art in person (San Francisco only), or a yet-to-be-disclosed date for your chance to purchase the prints online. I'll probably write another post once the remaining prints have gone online, so stay tuned. This show has quickly become one of my favorites.

Rich Pellegrino's "Royal Tenenbaums" Art Print

I probably should have posted this yesterday, since my Pellegrino contest just finished, but I was kind of drowning in work, so today it is. There's something about Pellegrino's paintings and prints that I just get lost in, and his Royal Tenebaums art print is no different.

Royal Tenenbaums Art Print
Rich Pellegrino
18" x 20" (image size 17.5" x 17.5")
$50 - Limited to 200

First things first, I love the fact that instead of just being a single Pellegrino painting, we get NINE of the buggers - that's kind of amazing. Another awesome element in Pellegrino's pantings? The hazy and ill-defined backgrounds seem to only strengthen the look of the characters and their personalities; the subject and the environment bleed into one another. The layout of this dysfunctional Sudoku grid is also kind of brilliant, as Rich has very wisely chosen to put Royal Tenenbaum (played by Gene Hackman), the man who is connected to all of these people, in the middle. I really hope Pellegrino does more of these group prints. They rock!

Rich Pellegrino's Royal Tenenbaums art print is available through the Spoke Art store. The print measures 18" x 20", is limited to 200 and only costs $50. To learn more about Rich Pellegrino head over to richpellegrino.com and follow @rich_pellegrino. And be sure to visit Spoke Art at spoke-art.com, their tumblr and @Spoke_Art. Speaking of Spoke Art, I know this isn't necessarily film related but they've got a pretty cool group show that started tonight featuring a bunch of great artists like Craww and Handiedan. So in addition to picking up this must-have Tenenbaums piece I highly recommend you check out the Spoke Art store tomorrow (9/2) at around 2 PM PDT for some exciting new releases.