Spoke Art's "Scorsese" Show Preview

Spoke Art has conquered the whimsical world of Wes Anderson, the bloody universe of Tarantino, and the Coen Brothers' darkly comedic landscape, but it's the outfit's newest endeavor which may prove to be its most potent. "Scorsese: An Art Show Tribute," which will heretofore simply be referred to as "Scorsese," is set to feature a bevy of amazing artworks, all of which are inspired by the man who brought us Mean Streets, Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, Goodfellas, Cape Fear, Casino, Shutter Island and Hugo.

"Scorsese: An Art Show Tribute" Gig Poster
Joshua Budich

That's all well and good, but I'm sure the question we're all grappling with is how many prints, paintings, and sculptures will be dedicated to the transcendent Boxcar Bertha? Am I right? In all seriousness, this is going to be a killer show and it brings me great pleasure to give you a taste of what's to come. But before I do that, let's hear a little more about "Scorsese" from the folks at Spoke Art:

"Acclaimed film director Martin Scorsese is to be honored this weekend (April 19th - 21st, 2013) in a dynamic art exhibition featuring over one hundred original works of art from an international roster of painters, sculptors and printmakers.

Known for his New York-centric filmography, which includes cinematic classics such as Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, Gangs of New York and Goodfellas, Martin Scorsese is widely regarded as one of the most important working directors in film today. With his recent five Oscars wins at the 2012 Academy Awards for his most recent film, Hugo, the 71 year old director continues to prove his relevance in modern cinema history.

On Friday, April 19th, Spoke Art Gallery of San Francisco, CA will debut a special weekend-long pop up exhibition in Chelsea, New York City, dedicated to the storied filmography of the legendary director. Over 70 artists from around the world have created new and original works of art in honor of Mr. Scorsese in an eclectic showing of over one hundred paintings, sculptures and screen prints."

Now on with the preview!

Artist: Tracie Ching
Inspired By: Boardwalk Empire (2010)

Artist: Serge Gay Jr.
Inspired By: Taxi Driver (1976)

Artist: Scott Campbell
Inspired By: Gangs of New York (2002)

Artist: Sandi Calistro
Inspired By: Shutter Island (2010)

Artist: Samuel "Sho" Ho
Inspired By: Taxi Driver (1976)

Artist: Rich Pellegrino
Inspired By: Raging Bull (1980)

Artist: Ibraheem Youssef
Inspired By: Raging Bull (1980)

Artist: Steven Hughes
Inspired By: Gangs of New York (2002)

Artist: Joshua Budich
Inspired By: Raging Bull (1980)

Artist: Joshua Budich

Artist: Joel Phillips

Ibraheem Youssef
Inspired By: Casino (1995)

Artist: Meghan Stratman
Inspired By: Hugo (2011)

Artist: Epyon5
Inspired By: Gangs of New York (2002)

Grzegorz Domaradzki (aka Gabz)
Inspired By: Taxi Driver (1976)

Artist: Chuck Sperry
Inspired By: Casino (1995)

Artist: Alexander Iaccarino
Inspired By: The Departed (2006)

Artist: Aaron Jasinski
Inspired By: Gangs of New York (2002)

As a quick heads up, Spoke Art's "Scorsese" show opens this Friday (4/ 19) at the Bold Hype Gallery on 547 W27th St. in New York's Chelsea arts district. Be sure to visit spoke-art.com, their Facebook page, and follow @spoke_art on Twitter for more info.

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!

Poster Per Diem: Tracie Ching's "Lando" Art Print

If you visit this site with any regularity, you already know I tend to write reviews for film and television inspired prints that are either currently on sale or are about to go on sale. And while I'll still be pouring the majority of my efforts into those sorts of posts, my daily "Poster Per Diem" feature will focus on awesome prints that have since sold out, never existed in the first place (AKA concept posters) or just bear mentioning. In other words: this is my chance to say, "I never got a chance, for whatever reason, to write about you on this here website, but I think you're really purty and I want to let the world know." Or something like that. Oh, and Per diem is latin for "per day" or "each day."

"Lando" Art Print
Tracie Ching
16" x 20" (Screen Print) - Signed and Numbered
$30 - Limited to 50
Inspired By: Star Wars

Returning to the wonderful world of Star Wars, Tracie Ching has crafted yet another kickass poster, this time honoring everyone's favorite galactic brother, Lando Calrissian. Tracie's "Lando" art print is currently available through her store for $30. The screen print measures 16" x 20" and is limited to an edition of 50. To learn more about the artist, visit tracieching.com, her Facebook page, or follow her on Twitter @tracieching.

Heads Up: Tracie Ching's "I Am Darkness" Art Print

Tim Curry has lent his sizable talents to some incredibly memorable roles throughout a prolific and storied career. Whenever I think about the actor (which admittedly is only like three times a year, but man, those are some dark and intense Curry-related periods) I'm reminded of his terrifying turn as Pennywise the Clown from the made-for-TV version of It. But it was his portrayal of Darkness in the 1985 film Legend that was a truly transformative role. Posterocalypse favorite Tracie Ching was evidently grabbed by what was (and still is) one of the coolest examples of monster make-up / prosthetics ever put to screen and has seen fit to create an appropriately stunning poster. I haven't had enough time to really think about this, but I'm leaning towards declaring Ching's "I Am Darkness" print her best yet!

"I Am Darkness" Art Print
Tracie Ching
24" x 18" (Screen Print) - Numbered
£35 - Limited to 80 (and 20 APs)
Inspired By: Legend

If you're looking for a classy piece of Legend inspired art, or you just want an impressive Mephistophelian portrait, you can pick up this beautiful poster at Under the Floorboards for £35 (approximately $55). The print measures 24" x 18" and is limited to an edition of 80. For more Ching-related shenanigans, head over to tracieching.com and follow her @tracieching. You can also follow Under the Floorboards on Twitter @thefloorboards and see the rest of their goodies at underthefloorboards.com. Godspeed!

Tracie Ching's "The Princess" Art Print

I meant to write about this on Monday, but up until recently I've been sans any quality blogging time. Finally, now that I've got a few moments to myself, I can share with everyone the wonderful artwork of Tracie Ching. I didn't know much about Tracie (read: nothing at all, actually), but her incredibly classy Leia inspired "The Princess" blew me away.

"The Princess" Art Print
Tracie Ching
16" x 20" - Signed and Numbered
$30 - Limited to 50
Inspired By: Star Wars

I'm not entirely sure why this print so immediately clicked with me, but I think it mostly has to do with how simple and elegant the design is. I especially like the fact that Tracie's depiction of Leia isn't perfectly symmetrical. I think with these straight-on portraits, it's so easy to be tempted into creating an unrealistic proportionality, and while there's no denying that sometimes the art can call for that, I like the authenticity that a little intentional imperfection brings to the table. I'll admit, I'm not as familiar with the Star Wars emblems as I should be, but I'm assuming the standard behind her head has something to do with her political affiliation in the film's universe. My ignorance of galactic legislative machinations aside, I love how the emblem frames Leia's head and creates a sort of politically-charged halo. This poster just totally works for me, and I'm finding myself really digging Tracie's minimal style.

"The Princess" Close-up

"The Princess" Close-up

Tracie Ching's "The Princess" poster is currently available through her storefront for $30. The screen print measures 16" x 20" and is limited to an edition of 50. If you can't spare the money right now, Tracie is also running a "Princess" print contest, where she'll be giving away two copies of her Leia inspired poster. Be sure to visit her website, Facebook page and DeviantArt blog for contest info. And if you'd like to know more about the lady behind this very neat and nerdy artwork, check out all of the previously mentioned blogs / sites and follow her on Twitter @tracieching.

"The Admiral" Art Print
Tracie Ching
16" x 20" - Signed and Numbered
$40 (Currently $35 on Kickstarter) - Edition Size TBD
Inspired By: Star Wars

If "The Princess" still isn't enough Star Wars for you, I thought I'd also mention Tracie's next print, "The Admiral," which can currently be purchased by donating at least $35 to her "Admiral" Kickstarter project. I'm a big fan of her Ackbar inspired poster and have already chipped in my money toward this worthy cause. But most importantly, be confident in the knowledge that...it's NOT a trap!