so. i was having a poke through sealed boxes and under desks and in the back of cupboards. i imagined that i might have one or two pieces of old stock/bits&bobs which i could put in the webshop.

but to my surprise, i found an absolute shitload of stuff! dozens of testtube babies, simpsons testtubes, a stack of paintings, and even a handful of t-shirts i made back in 2012!  (and there is a stack of canvas that i havent even dared to go near yet)

the sheer volume of stuff is a bit daunting – i kinda feel like packing it all away again to be rediscovered another day?

hashtag toomuchstuff

‘the pills that make the magic fade’ [acrylic on A3 canvas]

like the pieces i showed you in the last post, im using these to figure out my own head – and understand how i feel about certain issues. some elements are decipherable, others wouldn’t even be know by those few people who know me well.

not that i imagine anyone would care for a copy of this, or indeed any of the self portrait pieces – but for my own record i upload most all of my work to society6. [link]

the one on the left was an attempt to practice painting faces more, but turned into a relatively pleasing piece in its own right. all the faces were referenced from photos taken by by friend Louise Lowe Creative

on the right is a piece based on a photoshoot i attended, also by my photographer friend. she produced an amazing piece called ‘The Tempest’, and I was inspired to create my own version of it based on my experience of the day.

and here are the two versions hung alonside each other at my exhibition in mellomello

having talented and inspirational friends is amazing!

you can check out more of her amazing photography on instagram [link] and facebook [link]

ALSO!

Lu has an indiegogo campaign running at the minute to assist fund an upcoming exhibition of here in liverpool – a photobooth project which spans a fascinating cross-section of people across the city.  i was fortunate enough to be included in this project [here's my portrait [link]]

please check it out, and contribute if you like what you see. [click here]

yup, me and my two studio buddies have plastered our work all over the walls of mellomello (liverpool,UK)

this is the bio that is being used for myself:

With tongue firmly in cheek, Chris describes himself as a horrific artist! Chris is a freelancer whose repertoire includes illustration for t-shirt & posters and horror make-up FX, although in the last year he has mostly focused his time on painting. 
“Most of my subject matter is very dark in nature, often crossing into the horror genre with skulls, gore, and many dead things. But I endeavour to avoid cliché through utilising vibrant colours, or by attempting to make any content work on a deeper level than purely shock value.” 
Online, he has found a niche audience for his artwork and has buyers worldwide – but this is his first exhibit in a public space. 
“It is a terribly daunting prospect to have a new audience but it is fantastically exciting too - especially given the location. This building has been home to my studio for 2 years now, and the supportive network here has been essential for me to both develop as an artist and operate as a freelancer. Mello truly has changed my life!”

there is a pretty even balance of work from all members of the studio, and while we all work completely differently it is so lovely to see how all the pieces work so well together – a definite reflection on how we’ve each influenced on another across the last year.

please check out the other guys too:

VIRGINIA CHANDLER [link]

AMBIDEXTER [link]

not everything made the cut however – and there were a couple of pieces that we took the decision not to show; as during the day mellomello operates as a vegetarian restaurant/café with a vast range of clientèle (including families with children) so we felt a couple of my paintings with extreme themes were  just a bit too much. but if you happen to be local, give me a shout and you can have a private viewing of this and this which are still in the studio

and, that’s not to say that we censored everything – indeed, management decided to post a disclaimer on the entrance due to a few pieces which did get hung!  i’m happy to say this feels like a milestone has been reached

so, if you happen to be local to liverpool then please drop in to check out the artwork. also, my studio is in the same building, so give me a heads up that you’re coming down and we can share a cuppa and  a chat!

the exhibition continues until 30 june, and mello is open most days from 10am-late

‘The Great Red Wave’ 

Bringing together classic Japanese art (‘Hokusai’s The Great Wave’) with one of the most iconic scenes in film history – the elevator scene from The Shining!

I’ve had this idea in my head for sooo long, but only recently managed to create it. I went digital for the process too, as i wanted a limited colour palette which would lend itself to screen printing or t-shirts too. My favourite part has to be the Grady girls floating in the river of blood!

It’s available as a print, and on a selection of merch (including a shower curtain!!) over at my society6 page [link]

And you can grab it on a tee, over at my TeePublic page [here]

 

‘hashtag gorgon selfharm selfie’
[acrylic on 80x30cm canvas]

‘All who set eyes upon this girl will die.’

One can imagine that this fact would not be conducive to high self-esteem.  I use this idea at first in a playful manner to suggest how she may exploit modern technology – to connect with those she cannot physically be around.

The selfie of the painting is also a mirror to existing culture, in which implied meaning is far more serious. In our modern world, there are so many troubled youths who feel so ostracised from society that they use their online connection to express their pain, through acts of self-harm.

i dont usually like to explain what my paintings are about – but this one is very different – this stuff needs to be talked about.

self-harm, and so many other mental health related issues are ignored or stigmatised. and that is never going to help. if you know people who are hurting – help them. please.

anyway.

this painting needs to be adopted. get in touch via the contact page of you’re interested [link]. and prints are available over here [link]

‘The Girl with X-Ray Vision’ 
[acrylic on 80x30cm deep edge canvas]

“if you were born with x-ray vision, you would never feel the need to wear clothes either!”

This canvas needs a home, priced at £225, plus shipping  [UK +£25 / Rest of World +£65] – so please drop me a message via the contact page if interested [link]

Prints of this piece are available via Society6 [link]

‘Jude’ [acrylic/metallic paint/gold leaf on 80x30 deep edge canvas]

This piece is about giving oneself fully to another – blindly giving trust – and being utterly vulnerable to betrayal.

There is also a nod towards Klimt’s piece ‘Judith & the Head of Holofernes’, which I used as inspiration towards the quite late in the creation of this painting as I felt there were to existing similarities in themes and composition.

Prints available on Society6 [link]

only a few days to go before our resident exhibition in mellomello  (liverpoolUK) is live!

this is a joint exhibition featuring myself, and my two other studio buddies who are resident in the art studio above mello.

paul burns aka AMBIDEXTER [link]
surreal/slapstick canvas based relief sculptures

VIRGINIA CHANDLER [link]
vibrant & textured glitterscapes.

and of course, myself ZOMBIEKING [link]

we’re having an opening night party on the 18th, with entertainment for your ears provided by from several of our musical friends -

WEDDING HOUSE [link]
KALIKA [link]
CAT MIAMI [who our friends know by a different name]
DOG’S POCKET [link]

it’s going to be brilliant – please come down and say Hi if you’re local!

Exhibition runs until 30 june everyday 10 ‘til late

@MelloMello [link]
40 Slater Street (entrance on Parr St), Liverpool
www.mellomello.co.uk

FACEBOOK event listing [here]

this painting is dedicated to all the girls out there who would do absolutely ANYTHING to be a unicorn. you know the type, right?

if you’re interested in getting you grubby paws on this horrific piece of art, then checkout the shop page [here]

i shall be making prints of this monstrosity available very soon over on society6 [hello]

or if you just want to chat shit, come say hi over at my facebook page [link], where you’ll find i’m not actually that talkative despite inviting you there. but i do post lots of cool work, so i hope you forgive my social awkwardness!

love, chris z