The Black Plague

Years ago I was working at a board shop out on Long Island and I was grabbing some tee shirts off the rack for myself and I came across this one with an owl on it, dressed in his finest, country attire and playing a banjo. It was adorned with fancy scrollwork bordering him in nice and snug and the lettering work was amazing. I wore that shirt a lot and at point considered it the favorite in the bunch and I actually still hung on to it after all these years. Some time later, after the power of that shirt wore off, while unpacking the newly arrived skateboard decks my eyes came upon something amazing, just as amazing as that Ruca shirt with the owl on it, only now newly, refreshed amazement. What I was seeing was visual ecstasy. It was all the things I loved growing up. Skateboard madness, rock n’ roll art, sex, drugs and heavy metal. It just got to me and so I had to have it despite the fact I didn’t skate. It would become another trinket of the many I had already hanging in my apartment. I still have it and like the owl tee it’s luster faded yet they both still hold some power over me. Perhaps it was envy. This was years ago. A few months ago I was listening to one of my favorite bands, “Boris”. They had a new album out and I was searching the web finding out news on tour dates and the like when BOOM!!!! visual explosion, overloaded with excitement, a sense of belonging, a glimpse into an imagined world I often walked through myself. All things wonderful. I had to have it. And so I set out to find out who drew this masterpiece of heaviness.
Aaron Horkey. I admire a lot of artist, even envy a few. I’ve never considered myself much of a seasoned, disciplined artist but I can draw. I even sold a few paintings in a gallery once and occasionally break out the watercolors. There are artists and then there is Aaron Horkey.
I’m not going to go into a deep explanation of his work or a philosophical rant about why his work is so important. Just look for yourself.
So…turns out, after searching for his work online and finding a ton of things he’s done recently (which is all mind blowing), he’s the guy who years ago blew my mind with a certain owl tee and a certain skateboard deck. Call it coincidence. Call it good taste on my part. Either way it can’t be dismissed with mere practical explanations. Sort of like that thing that happens when you meet a girl after not having one for sooo long…all of a sudden five come along…sniffed you out and want you now. Why all at once? Who knows? Keep wondering.

He doesn't have a site of his own but here is a link to a really cool site that will take up hours of your time with a bunch of his work on it...

http://www.gigposters.com/designer/22158_Burlesque_of_North_America.html