Then came COVID19 and with it came people very close to me getting ill, heartbreaking COVID deaths, furloughs, layoffs, riots in the streets, seclusion, and we all collectively realized that things could get worse, much worse! And it wasn’t just the “big things” that were hard to deal with. Being stuck indoors for such long periods of time, looking for ways to fill the quarantine hole that didn’t involve binge-watching the Office again were really getting to me. Luckily, I managed to find some design projects to help patch up the cracks in this new reality and to get me through the depression.

The best of these projects started as a Stone Brewing “call-for-artists” social post that they posted just before the outbreak. It called for artists to submit their artwork of the Stone Brewing Gargoyle that we all know and love. I thought to myself, “I’m an artist! I love Stone beer! I love the Gargoyle! I’ll send them something!” So I did. After some initial sketching, I hit upon the idea of the Stone Gargoyle as a “suave”, “modern” and “debonair” character that I think sums up the Stone brand as a whole; the types of sophisticated beer they brew, the type of person who likes to drink Stone beer, and the people behind the brand that have always seemed much cooler than most other breweries.

So I did and lo-and-behold, about a month later I was sending emails back-and-forth with Greg Koch, the Beer Jesus himself. In fact the first email I got from him, I was in bed, it was really late, and I was struggling to sleep. I opened the email and sat bolt-upright in bed before shaking my misses awake to tell her that I was now talking to Greg Koch about a design of mine being put on a beer can (she was about as happy as someone could be who’d just been shaken awake in the middle-of-the-night and almost given a heart-attack.) Since this conversation, I’ve pretty much told everyone that me and Greg are now best buddies (I’m sure this is news to him but it’s certainly true in my overactive imagination.)

News that my design would be part of the Stone IPA Guest Art Series and put on a can that would sit in fridges across the nation honestly got me through a bad time and “saved the day”. The day that they FedEx’d me a box with my can designs on was the happiest I’d been in months. My wife and I celebrated by drinking the cans in the hot tub and raising them to Greg (first name terms now, obviously) and Stone Brewing.

It was also absolutely brilliant to see my design get such great reception from Stone fans on Instagram and Facebook. Maybe it’ll be on a t-shirt next? Whatever happens next with this project and design, I was thrilled to be a part of it and to have this great experience. Even when things are not great in the world, it’s moments like these, when I cracked open a Stone IPA can with my own design on it, that make the tough times bearable. It’s possible that I might not look back on 2020 with such sadness!

• Go to Stone Brewing to see all their fantastic beers and if you like the artwork on this post, contact me for art, design and illustration projects.

Concert Poster for Slipknot

I came runner up in a Slipknot poster contest for this adaptation of a previous design I did. It really should’ve won and earned me some dough but then again, it’s kind a my own fault for doing design contests! No designer should have to resort to that! Shame though, I thought it was a sure thing!!!…ah! well!

My work is currently featured at the Rainwater Gallery in Huntington Beach

Huntington Beach has slowly started to become a bit of a hot-spot for cool, new art. I have massively enjoyed recent shows in the HB Art Center, including the new Ed Templeton exhibit and especially the highly publicized On the Wall graffiti art show that featured the work of me old mate, Jamie Johnson (Mice of Millions.)

Most significantly has been the introduction of the new Rainwater Gallery to Main Street that is showing some outstanding new art. To be fair, I’m insanely biased because they’re currently showing some of my stuff , but this gallery in particular seems like they’re supporting fresh talent with art pieces that cater to a younger and edgier market.

Brand new piece, St. George and the Dragon, created for the Rainwater Gallery showcase

It’s being curated by Antonia Edwards who has been tremendously supportive to me personally and has a real eye for exciting new art. The artists I’m currently sharing wall space with include Tinsley Hammond, Kyle Cloudfather, Elizabeth Bridy and James Bloom – a selection that represents everything from illuminated abstract art to beautiful photorealistic painting. The art is really diverse but also harmonious in the level of concept and artistic quality.

Tinsley Hammond’s gorgeous abstract lightboxes

Love Kyle Cloudfather’s supercool and colorful work 

As an artist that has showed my work in Santa Ana and Laguna, cities that have strong gallery reputations, I think that Santa Ana may be suffering from being too “hipster cliquey” and Laguna is a victim of its own art success and afraid to take risks on undiscovered artists. Without all the presumptions and preconception-baggage, it feels that HB could be the next city to grow an art reputation in Orange County and is starting to foster a bit of a “vibe”.

My masks, just before they’re hung at the Rainwater Gallery

This may come as a surprise to many but check out the Rainwater Gallery and take a look at what’s really happening in art in Orange County (again, I’m super biased but you should check it out if you are a fan of my work and of cool new art that you won’t see in Laguna or Santa Ana at the moment.)

• My work will be at the Rainwater Gallery, 526 Main St, Suite 101, Huntington Beach, California, until October 20th.