Digital Artist: Chris Parks

 

Chris Parks is another digital artist that I love.  He lives in Florida and runs a studio called Pale Horse.  Parks, C. (2013).  Palehorse.  Retrieved from http://palehorsedesign.com/ His goal is to make “planet earth a more interesting place to exist.”  He claims that he “is constantly traveling to other dimensions, where he explores and hangs out with tattooed aliens, super-natural luchadores, mythological deities, mystical creatures, shape-shifting samurais, shamans and magical wizards for inspiration,” and then returns to his tablet to “bring to life what he has witnessed.”  His plan is to “connect with as many like-minded people as possible through his work.”  In order to do that he produces posters, apparel (including T-shirts and even shoes), advertisements, and works “on an endless variety of materials including: layered acrylic glass, wood, canvas, stained glass, skateboards, products and wall murals.”   Parks, C. (2013).  About.  Retrieved from http://palehorsedesign.com/58524/about

 

What I love about Parks is his vivid style.   He works in very bright colors, but uses a lot of black too, as outlining or as part of the picture.  Many people have described it as resembling tattoo art, but I see it as more primitive.  In fact, when I first saw it I thought maybe he was a Mexican artist, because of the colors and because he also uses a lot of iconic imagery, like skulls, masks and animals.  It kind of looks like a black light poster.  His work incorporates a lot of detail as well, using a lot of black lines.  His art is very other worldly, and maybe suggests some kind of primitive religion.  So I guess he has accomplished his mission of bringing to life mythical deities, shamans and wizards.  “La Calavera Catrina” (which means the elegant skull) is a good example.  It shows a woman’s face, painted in black and white in a skull-like mask, with electric blue around her eyes and nose, and pink flowers in her hair.  It resembles “day of the dead” imagery, but it is more electric than dead, and more primitive than really religious.  Parks, C. (2013).  La Calaver Catrina.    

http://palehorsedesign.com/58523/173276/personal-artwork/la-calavera-catrina

 

I love the harshness and vividness of Park’s work, and that it seems almost mythological.   It also has a graffiti quality to it, too.  It is very “in your face.”  Surprisingly (or maybe not for a public that loves tattoos and graffiti art), he is very commercially successful.  This is street style art, and he makes posters, and T-shirts, as well as gallery pieces.  He has created artwork for companies like Hasbro, Nike, and DC Comics.  He also shows at a lot of gallery exhibitions.  Don’t hate him because he is rich.