“Quitting my day job to freelance as an artist full time,” says artist Brian Ewing of the decision that sparked his career watershed. “[I was] working for Hustler on the magazines handling scheduling, prep houses and printers. I swore that’d be my last day job.” Although Ewing has transformed into one of rock music and pop art’s most prolific, iconic image-makers, remaining down-to-earth and staying inspired are key elements to the growth of his rebellious art empire.
While he’s become a sought-after household name for record labels and agencies, Ewing has stayed true to the independent spirit of his art, and his style has developed over time. “At first I was just happy to get a chance to draw and work with my favorite bands,” he says of his early punk-rock posters. But with his growth from poster artist to full-blown fine artist, he’s followed in the footsteps of his heroes and mentors--Frank Kozik, Coop, Tara McPherson and many others--building an instantly recognizable stylistic empire.
Informed by everything from art nouveau to ukiyo-e woodblock printing, from the full-throttle art of SoCal’s “kustom” car culture to the dynamism and self-assured lines of comics, Ewing’s work fuses his own creative explorations of perspective, color and space with classic, beloved imagery from rebellious American youth culture: hot punk girls, totally rad skulls, and fields of color aflame. In this way, his work embraces a particular playful naïveté, which he then continues to champion even as his style refines itself and as his technique develops. Ewing reminds us we never have to give up the imagery that fired our imaginations as teenagers; his own success is a signifier for how dearly we hold our own trappings of rebellion, and how they can become a vehicle through which one can mature. With a roster of clients ranging from Metallica and the Warped Tour, to The Strokes and Death Cab For Cutie, and even The New Yorker and a number of advertising agencies, Ewing’s resume is a testament to what we love most about music, art, the allure of drama, lust, danger and darkness.
With his first monograph, Don’t Hold Your Breath: The Art of Brian Ewing, which publisher Dark Horse allowed him to design himself, the reader can see the progression and maturation of his imagery, from power-packed and densely composed rock posters to the nuanced, deceptively simple and subversive works of more recent vintage. What’s next? Only Ewing knows, but no matter what, it will be unmistakably his.
BIO Born on January 12th, in La Mesa, CALives and works in Columbus, OH EDUCATION 1988-1992The Milwaukee High School Of The ArtsHigh School diploma with a focus on Fine Art 1992-1993The American Academy of Art Chicago, ILIllustration 1994-1995The Milwaukee Institute of Art and DesignFine Art SOLO EXHIBITS 2013Rivet GalleryColumbus, OHNovember 2013 2010Floyd’s 99Minneapolis, MNDecember 11-18, 2010 Rush Mor RecordsMilwaukee, WIDecember 14-21, 2010 Rotofugi GalleryChicago, ILDecember 15-20, 2010 2008The RoxyLos Angeles, CAApril 7th, 2008 2005"TURN ME ON DEAD MAN"Oblong Box GallerySan Diego, CASeptember 24-31, 2005 GROUP EXHIBITS 2013 "Ohio You Rawk"Rivet GalleryColumbus, OHFebruary 2 - March 10, 2013 2012"Tiny Trifecta"The Cotton Candy MachineBrooklyn, NYJuly 7th - August 5th, 2012 "The Royal Couple"Get Up GalleryLas Vegas, NVJanuary 6th 2012 - March 6th 2012 "Print This"MF Gallery GenovaGenova, ItalyJanuary 14th, 2012 - February 18th, 2012 2011Art of Musical Maintenance VIII
Goodfoot Gallery
Portland, OR
December 1st, 2011 - January 24th, 2012
Tiki Highway
Don The Beach Comber
Huntington Beach, CA
July 24th, 2011
Rock It To Me!
The Cotton Candy Machine
Brooklyn, NY
June 3rd - July 3rd, 2011
Crazy Monster Art Show
Toy Tokyo
New York, NY
May 6th - May 15th, 2011Tiny Trifecta
The Cotton Candy Machine
Brooklyn, NY
April 9th - May 1st, 20112010Printer’s ProofBertrand Delacroix GalleryNew York, NYJanuary 18, 2011 – February 19th, 2011 Art of Musical Maintenance VIGoodfoot GalleryPortland, ORDecember 3rd, 2009 - January 25th, 2010 Hit Like A GirlPink Hobo GalleryMinneapolis, MNMarch 12th – April 1st 2010 Playboy Redux: Contemporary Artists Interpret the Iconic Playboy BunnyWarhol MuseumPittsburgh, PAMarch 27 through June 20, 2010 Glaspur GalleryKansas City, MONovember 5th 2010 Buff Monster - The Monster WithinGiant Robot 2Los Angeles, CAJuly 10th – August 4th 2010 Playboy Redux: Contemporary Artists Interpret the Iconic Playboy BunnyRotofugi GalleryChicago, ILAugust 27-September 12, 2010 Playboy Redux: Contemporary Artists Interpret the Iconic Playboy BunnyCopro NasonBergamot Station Arts ComplexSanta Monica, CADecember 18, 2010 – January 8, 2011 2009Harley-Davidson presents: The Art of Rebellion NYCLa. VenueNew York, NYOctober 17, 2009 2007Printed Matter 2GRNY2 GalleryNew York, NYApril 21-May 16th, 2007 PERMANENT COLLECTIONThe Rock and Roll Hall Of FameCincinati, OH Hard Rock CafeLas Vegas, NV The TroubadourLos Angeles, CA The Electric FactoryPhiladelphia, PA Emo'sAustin, TX First AvenueMinneapolis, MN The RoxyLos Angeles, CA AtticusLos Angeles, CA LECTURES2012Columbus College of Art and DesignIllustration Dept.Columbus, OHMarch 12, 2012 2010The School of Visual ArtsIllustration Dept.New York, NYFebruary 17th 2010 The Kansas City Art Institute Art Space.Illustration Dept.Kansas City, MONovember 3, 2010 The American Academy of ArtIllustration Dept.Chicago, ILDecember 16th, 2010
PAST CLIENTS
AT&T, DC COMICS, HARPER COLLINS, MARVEL COMICS, SPIN, THE NEW YORKER, SAMSUNG SPRINT, FEARNET.COM, EMI, BYO RECORDS, HARLEY DAVIDSON, CHANNEL 4 CREATIVE, PLAYBOY, ATTICUS, KIA, 4 FINI, MYSPACE, KIA MOTORS, ACTIVISION, GUITAR HERO, RED BULL, SKIN & INK, HUSTLER, GUITAR WORLD, ROYAL FLUSH, EVIL INK, DRAVEN SHOES, VAGRANT RECORDS, CLEAR CHANNEL, VANNEN, DRAGON CLOTHING, GOLDENVOICE, THE TROUBADOUR, IMAGE COMICS
BIBLIOGRAPHY2010Don't Hold Your Breath: Nothing New From Brian EwingDark HorseMiwaukie, OR