Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Top 20 HORROR MOVIES of ALL TIME

TOPSY-TURVY: Horrorfest (inks on bristol / 2010)
With a week of costumes and a month of pumpkin everything comes the annual onslaught of Scary Movies to set the tone for Halloween.  As a special treat here at DREGstudios, I decided to count down my own personal Top 20 Horror Movies of ALL TIME for your consideration.  I hope I turn you on to some new frightful delights!  Shut down the lights and enjoy...

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

TOP 10 SATANIC PERFORMANCES of ALL TIME

"The World's Smallest Violin" inks on paper
The Devil takes many forms here on Earth and also in the realm of imagination.  The high art of cinema has offered us many incarnations of Satan throughout decades of movie magic. Tonight is Devil's Night USA and we're celebrating here at DREGstudios with my own personal Top 10 Satanic Performances which have graced the big screen.  

SPOILER ALERT:  In a few of these flicks, it is a plot twist that the Devil is even a character so fair warning.  

Monday, October 29, 2012

Coloring Pages for G.H.O.S.T.

One of my co-workers at the day job, Amber volunteered some of her time as a student a Austin Peay State University yesterday for their annual G.H.O.S.T. (Great Halloween Options for Safe Trick or Treating) event.  She asked me a few weeks back if I'd donate some time and my skills to create a few coloring pages to pass out to thousands of local kids!  Here's what I came up with...




Feel free to DOWNLOAD and PRINT these for anybody to color... they're FREE!!!

Sunday, October 28, 2012

DEVIL'S NIGHT is Coming...

Red Pen on Card Stock
 DEVIL'S NIGHT (the Eve of Halloween) became infamous from annual waves of vandalism and arson in Detroit rooting back to the 1970's.  What started as pranking in the form of dozens of wasted eggs and rolls of toilet paper began as early as the 1940's  grew into a much more macabre celebration.  The past 20 years have seen lighter times but I'm here to fire it up for you this Tuesday with some devil-themed artwork and a new Top 10 list of the Greatest Satanic Performances of All Time!

The past couple of years, I've counted down to Halloween with previews from my Zombie Walk of Fame series.  I was delighted to be asked by several followers this month what I had in store this year.  The zombie series is FINISHED I'm beyond elated to say!  The 101 zombie portraits are now in the infant stages of becoming a book which will be available for download and paperback purchase next year!

Get spooky with me Tuesday for a special Devil's Night post and on Halloween Day, I'll also countdown my Top Horror Movies of All Time!  For now, here's a couple of recent Doodles to warm you up...









Thursday, October 25, 2012

BAMBOOZLING OBAMA

Since his first day in office, President Barack Obama has been a patsy for the after-effects of a Bush Administration who pillaged the economy of the United States in less than a decade since the Clinton Era surplus.  Just weeks before taking office, a fever pitch of patriotism surrounded this man who gave a new voice to the working class.  Finally a candidate wanted to see Americans have access to Heath Care without a crippling financial burden.  Finally a candidate wasn't afraid to talk about Green Energy.  Finally a candidate asked Wall Street why they aren't taking responsibility and helping out.  Much of the heightened support for these ideas wore down quickly as families sought relief from being left with the tab for two wars. Meanwhile the rich are running a muck on Wall Street by privatizing profits and socializing losses to the tax payer.  The blame game began with buckets of mud and slop being flung from the same far-side of the isle, fertilizing a bed of dissent taking advantage of post-9/11 fears.  The questions and accusations seeded during the election campaign took root and thrived in the muck.  Is Obama a Socialist?  Is Obama a Muslim?  Is Obama a Communist?  Is Obama the Antichrist?  Is Obama a Terrorist?

"Bamboozling Obama"  inks on paper / 2012
The Far Right of this country have polarized and distorted our political system in a fast food age of headlines and sound bytes.  The Left have been drawn to the Middle for the most part in an attempt to move us forward to a new age of logical policy on what should be common-sense issues.  The problem is many of the elected officials of the Republican Party are not there to represent their constituents but rather to disrupt progress.  Wall Street will do everything in their power to keep obscene wealth privatized and many companies won't go out of their way to create jobs for a President wanting them to pay their fair share.  In the new Citizens United age, candidates are sponsored, bought and paid for with special interests.

How can a political group take an affront on Green Energy Policies which create sustainability and put America at the forefront of an alternative energy revolution? Because they make obscene profits from the last century's energy sources which have created Global Warming and Polluted our drinking water.

How can one side of the isle deny the GLBT community basic civil rights?  Because the majority of their voters are polarized by religious-based dogma.

How can Republicans not want Americans to have access to Health Care which ensures their financial stability in a time of medical crisis?  Because they have invested interests in insurance and medical practices which base your level of care on your credit score.

What does the far right have to say about a man who wants to make these things happen and advance our society by creating a better, healthier, more stable life for the Middle Class?  A Socialist, a Muslim, a Communist, an Antichrist, a Marxist and a Nazi.

In our brave new world, many weapons are being used to wage war 24 hours a day / 7 days a week against the President.  The Right endlessly attempts to niggardize Obama through indoctrination.  In the court of law, a reasonable doubt can set a man free.  In the court of public opinion, a reasonable doubt can bury a man.  For one voter, it's the monkey cartoon indulging his bias.  For another voter, it's FOX News keeping them company at night with balanced coverage of political issues (such as questioning the American President's citizenship.)  For another, it's the pulpit on Sunday morning where words like terrorist and brimstone are used in the same sentences.  It takes a village of many hands to paint the President's Blackface.  We live in a society where Fear is power and those powers are at play.

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

LEGALIZE NATURE (Earth's Essence)

Cannabis has been utilized by humans for holistic and spiritual use for thousands of years.  This year, nearly ONE MILLION Americans will be arrested for possessing or consuming this harmless plant.  We live in a society where Big Pharma reports obscene profits year after year while creating the pharmaceuticals which now kill more people than any other unnatural cause.  Marijuana has not claimed one human life by using it.  In fact, a person would have to smoke hundreds of joints in a sitting to even die from the smoke (which would cause carbon monoxide poising.)  It would be like overdosing on turnip greens... not happening in this reality.  Raise your voice to lend your own mind to change.  The Prohibition of the 1920's was a failed policy which was easily overturned.  The Prohibition of our generation has a much harsher consequence ending with more prisoners than any other country in the world.  The War on Drugs FAILED over a TRILLION DOLLARS ago!  Tell the government you want the money pit of failed drug policies to end and give the public free market access to this age-old medicinal plant.


Acrylics and Spray Paint on Wood / 2012 / Brandt Hardin and Charles "Wolfman" Bennett



Saturday, October 20, 2012

GLOW: An Illuminated Art Event

Untitled Nashville put on another stunning exhibit at B.B. King's in Nashville Friday night with their annual fundraiser, GLOW.  Artists created self-lit and black light art which was on display at this one-night-only event.  I made it for the tail end and last couple of sets of music after work.  It was awesome to see all the work lit and full of psychedelia!  Here's some pics Aurora got of the show (which was more difficult than you would think under black lights!)




Sunday, October 14, 2012

PREVIEW of GLOW: An Illuminated Art Event at B.B. KING's

One of my all-time favorite art exhibits is Untitled Nashville's GLOW show! GLOW serves as the group's annual fundraiser featuring fluorescent artwork under black lights as well as self-lit installations!  Of course, there will also be the usual Untitled shenanigans to boot including LIVE Music and a GLOWing Costume Contest! The show takes place THIS Friday evening at B.B. King's up in Downtown Nasty starting at 7PM.  A $5 donation to this non-profit art group gets you in to see it all!  Here's a brand new collaborative painting I created with Charles "Wolfman" Bennett a couple of weeks back for the show... Of course you'll have to come out Friday night to see it completely finished and LIT!

Imperial March of the Fowl King (florescent spray paint and acrylics on wood / 2012)

Of course Wolfie and I are no strangers to GLOW so we got together with a pretty decent game plan in mind last weekend. Florescent paints can be tricky to work with but we've done a handful of these exhibits and tried different techniques.  The original idea we started with was a "monster parade" which turned more militant as we went along!  Here are some process pictures from the afternoon of painting...

Thursday, October 11, 2012

The FOX News Scylla: Guardian of BULLSH*T MOUNTAIN

One of my personal heroes, Jon Stewart has been recently referring to the fictional dream-world in which a good chunk of America lives as Bullshit Mountain.  This mythical realm is referenced often these days on The Daily Show as Jon has been attempted to bring the minions and slaves of Bullshit Mountain back down to Earth with the rest of us to dwell and prosper.  What stands in way of these good people reaching the gates of sanity?  The fierce and venomous six heads of the Fox News Scylla!  The heads of the Scylla spew forth a vile and wicked indoctrination which woos the masses into a riotous hatred of compassion for their fellow man.  They only march to greater heights day after day retreating from the world of the living and basking in the darkness of American solitude.  Where shall we find a hero to slay the wicked six-mouthed beast?!

FOX News Scylla (inks on bristol / 2012)

Rupert Murdoch Detail

Saturday, October 6, 2012

REMASTERING the MONKEY CHRIST (Tribute to Cecelia Gimenez)

We are all born into this world as artists.  The pursuit of the compulsion to create is an odd and arduous one.  Much of this roots back to childhood encouragement and drive.  Some of us harness that passion and run with it from childhood.  Others revisit it later in life.  Recently an 81 year old woman named Cecelia Gimenez took her passion for painting to her local church where she became a world-wide sensation overnight for her "restoration" of an 18th century fresco painting of Christ, Ecce Home by Elias Garcia Martinez which graced the Sanctuary of Mercy Church in Spain.  The painting, which was in disrepair received an incredible transformation at the amateur artist's hands.  Whether compared to a Monkey, E.T. or a Werewolf, this painting has gone viral throughout the world as thousands flock to the now-famous church to see Cecelia Gimenez's work.  Inspired by her courage and passion, I decided to "cover" Ecce Home for your pop surrealist pleasure!

Inks on Bristol / 2012


Tuesday, October 2, 2012

VOTE for Bob Marley's THIRD EYE

The talenthouse creative community is putting on a art contest this week called Interpret ONE LOVE for Bob Marley.  I just did a smoking bright and beautiful portrait of Bob this past year for my Rock Star Martyr project (still in progress.)  My illustration, "Three Little Birds" is OPEN for voting NOW (it takes one easy click of your mouse with either you facebook or twitter profiles to cast a vote for my work in the contest!)

Jam out to this live Bob gem from Germany and



Click HERE for the Rock Star Martyr Website and read all the lore behind the Departed Gods of Rock which I'm illustrating!