For years, Awesome Art We’ve Found Around The Net has been about two things only – awesome art and the artists that create it. With that in mind, we thought why not take the first week of the month to showcase these awesome artists even more? Welcome to “Awesome Artist We’ve Found Around The Net.” In this column, we are focusing on one artist and the awesome art that they create, whether they be amateur, up and coming, or well established. The goal is to uncover these artists so even more people become familiar with them. We ask these artists a few questions to see their origins, influences, and more. If you are an awesome artist or know someone that should be featured, feel free to contact me at any time at theodorebond@joblo.com.This month we are very pleased to bring you the awesome art of…
Bryan Carey
Bryan Carey is an artist and pop culture enthusiast with a particular passion for 80’s & 90’s film and television. Specializing primarily in digital illustration with a focus on bold colors and textures, his work can regularly be found at Southern California’s largest pop culture curator Hero Complex Gallery as well as the pages of art and entertainment related books from popular publishers such as Printed In Blood.
JOBLO: What got you started as an artist?
BRYAN: My father and grandfather were both artists. My aunt is an artist. My daughter is an artist. Almost everyone in my family is an artist, musician or creative of some kind so I guess it’s in the blood. When I was young, and before music came along, all I was really good at was drawing. Mostly pencil. I did what most young artists do and tried to redraw all my favorite comic covers, characters and panels and would sometimes even create my own. I was a huge comic collector and I still have all of my childhood comics to this day! All through school I was known as “that kid that draws really good” and any time there was a project or book report that I could use as an excuse to draw something, I would. So often that my teachers would tell me I’d be “drawing for Disney someday” haha.
Who were some of your favorite artists growing up?
Drew Struzan, John Alvin, Tom Chantrell, Bob Peak, Tom Jung, Richard Amsel, Frank Miller, Jim Lee, Alex Ross, Rob Liefeld, Todd McFarlane and Erik Larsen. As it’s been said before I’m sure, I only knew a few of their names at the time, but their work was as imprinted on me as the movies and comics themselves.
Who do you really dig these days, follow on Instagram?
First, there’s the artists who’s posters I initially found and collected that inspired me to get back into art: Gary Pullin, Jason Edmiston, Phantom City Creative, WBYK(Sonny & Biddy), Matt Ryan Tobin, Laurent Durieux, Vance Kelly, Olly Moss, Matt Taylor, Ken Taylor, Tyler Stout, Dan Mumford, Tom Whalen, Patrick Connan and pretty much all the artists that kicked down the alternative movie poster doors for the rest of us circa 2010-2015. Most, if not all of these artists used or still use vivid colors and bold line work and textures or any combination thereof. All things I tend to love in pop culture art.
Then there’s the artists who I discovered after getting back into art myself. Many of whom are further down the road than I am, so to speak, and doing inspiring work:
Courtney Autumn Martin, Chris Koehler, Luke Preece, Ryan Smallman, Tom Walker, David Henry Lantz, Barret Chapman, Dan Schlitzkus, Dakota Randall, Steven Luros Holliday, Justin Froning, Benedict Woodhead..
Finally, there’s the artists I tend to chat with most often about this whole art endeavor who are in a similar place to me: Bryan Johnson, John Dunn, Shannon Burton, Julián Rodríguez, Laura Emilie Bernard, Kevin Bravo.
What advice would you have for budding artists today?
Boy, there’s probably a million answers to that question and I certainly don’t think I’m the most qualified person to be handing out advise as I’m still learning the ropes myself, but if I had to say something I’d say try not to compare. Everyone is on their own path and everyone’s path looks a little different. Comparing style or success almost always leads to feelings of defeat and a loss of passion in my experience, which only slows you down. Just stay focused on your goals, put in the work and be patient. It’ll come.
One other piece of advice I’ve always loved is from the legendary Steve Martin; “Be undeniably good”. Now, most of us are still a long ways off from that, but I do believe that you’ll get a hell of a lot farther aiming for that benchmark than you will asking yourself “why them, not me?”. If you just keep putting in the work, at some point, it will be impossible to ignore you.
What should we be looking out for from you in the future?
Well, given my work/family/art balance, I try not to over commit myself. My wife and daughter are incredibly patient and supportive and, quite frankly, I couldn’t do this without them so in the interest of everyones sanity, I try to keep things as loose and tentative as possible. That said, I’m almost always working on something for Hero Complex Gallery or fun new art book contributions and projects. I’m also hoping to start tabling at conventions in the not too distant future so I’ll be gearing up for that and making some fun things to bring along real soon! If nothing else, I’m pretty good about keeping my website and social media updated on what’s coming up so keep a lookout!
Being a fansite, we have to ask you… What are some of your favorite movies/TV shows of all time?
Man, another loaded one! Well, I would say my favorite movie of all time probably alternates between Carpenter’s The Thing, Big Trouble In Little China and Alien depending on my mood. Classics like Ghostbusters, Back to the Future, The Karate Kid, Rocky, Indiana Jones, Star Wars, Gremlins, The Goonies and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles also all have a special place in my heart, but with that said, I’m a sucker for just about any 80’s & 90’s action/horror/scifi cult classics you can think of. The Burbs, Adventures in Babysitting, Nothing but Trouble, The Running Man, Little Monsters, The Gate, The Blob… this list could go on forever!
As far as TV, and this will come as no surprise I’m sure, I love Stranger Things, Cobra Kai, Glow and any documentaries about the stuff I grew up on. And for non nostalgic stuff, I really enjoyed True Detective, Ozark and Breaking Bad.
Scroll down to check out some of our favorite art pieces from Bryan as we continue to follow his journey across his Website and social media hubs: Instagram / Facebook / X / Threads / Cara / Store
The Batman
The Big Lebowski
Boba Fett
The Burbs
Cobra Kai
Eleven
Ghostbusters x Back To The Future
I Spit On Your Grave
Indiana Jones
John Wick
The Karate Kid
Michael Myers
Reservoir Dogs
The Running Man
Spider-Man: Miles Morales
The Thing