Dive into the vibrant world of underground art as we sit down with the incredibly talented Lowbrow artist, Kelly Campanile. She painted a BIG FRIG Growler for the 2024 Flying Piston Benefit auction scheduled for Monday, March 4, 2024.
Forget the conventional and embrace the unconventional in Kelly’s unique blend of pop surrealism. In a world where underground art has found its voice through the internet, Kelly stands out with her fearless exploration of unconventional subjects and a playful incorporation of pop culture elements like comics, advertising, and kitsch.
Kelly’s art is a riot of humor and irreverence, brought to life with a palette of bright, bold colors and exaggerated, cartoonish forms.
She’s not just an artist; she’s a trailblazer, pushing the boundaries of what’s expected. And as if that wasn’t impressive enough, Kelly has earned her spot as an Official 2024 Flying Piston Benefit “Art On Deck” artist, showcasing her ingenuity to a broader audience.
Join us as we unravel the mind behind the art, where every stroke tells a story and every color sparks imagination.
Kelly Campanile’s Dragon On BIG FRIG GROWLER
- Q: Describe the design that you created for the Drink the Art competition at the Flying Piston Benefit.
A: It’s my idea of my character with the dragons. It’s like the Ed Hardy dragon mixed with some Disney shit going on there. So, you know, I always feel like the flames and the dragon are like tattoos, like imagery. So it’s a few different things mixed together in a graffiti style.
Q: What medium did you use?
A: So, I used one shot sign painter enamel paint and a couple coats of clear coat. It should it should be durable with respect to being washed and all that stuff. Because you got the best quality you can get on there.
Q: What do you think of painting on a growler? How was that experience?
A: I sort of sketch it out and create the thumbnail on a piece of paper. And map it out like you would with a tattoo because you have to think about the shape of it. It’s almost like it’s a 3D shape. So it helps to think about that way. Now, I think it was fun. But then, it was hard. It’s hard not to smear the One Shot paint. That’s certainly the difficult part. And it’s not an easy medium, but I am like stoked to practice with it.
Q: How would you describe your artistic style and how it’s evolved over the course of your career?
A: I would describe it as depraved Lowbrow cartoon. It’s improved over the years because of learning how to tattoo has taught me a few things about blending techniques and placement.
Q: What do you do in the motorcycles industry?
A: I like gas tanks. I really like custom gas tanks.
Q: What is your creative process when developing a piece art?
A: Sure. So it’s either a lot of coffee or a lot of beer, and then pacing, and lastly, a lot of sketching. Once you get that down, I just go for it. And then the painting part for me is the reward you know, so it’s the prep, that’s the hard part.
Q: So, I noticed no cannabis in your in your process. Is that for a lack of trying?
A: No, no weed. You know, I have been non-stop partying since October. And, well, I have plenty of shit from Colorado that a buddy gave me and I was thinking about doing dry January. So I might switch over to this Colorado shit and see what I come up with.
Q: Talk about the themes and subjects that consistently appear in your work.
A: Um, so I guess it’s the punk rock scene and you know, just, they’re kind of the characters are just like, strung out and partying, you know, almost like they’ve been doing that for days straight. Kinda like, you know, just live-life-fast type of shit.
Q: So, are you saying this is autobiography art?
A: Yes.
Lowbrow Artist Kelly Campanile’s Custom Tanks
To see more of Lowbrow artist and Illustrator, Kelly Campanile, click for her Instagram Page, @kellycampanile
Check out all of the “Drink the Art” presented by BIG FRIG here.
