December 14, 2015

America and Designer Con

December 14, 2015

I just got back from my honeymoon in the USA, which also coincided with DesignerCon, an amazing convention specialising in designer toys and low brow art.

Myself and Seymour shared a booth at the convention, and we did alright for two kiwi boys from the other side of the world.

Some of the highlights were meeting a bunch of cool artists including Tim Stephson, Chris DOGT, Zach Taylor, Actually and the amazing Double Parlour.

We visited among others La Luz De Jesus Gallery, D.O.G.T. Gallery (Chris and Kiki are legends go visit them in Oakland!) The Museum of Death, Yosemite National Park and the Super7 store in Haight Ashbury. Myself and my wife also made it to all three Amoeba Records.

Another massive highlight for me was the Designer Con/Secret Walls after party, where we got to see the legends Lamour Supreme and Skinner have a live painting battle.

California really is a beautiful part of the world and such a state of contrasts, we managed to take in San Francisco, Oakland, Western California, Yosemite, Lone Pine, Death Valley, Livermore, Las Vegas and Henderson, Berkeley, Los Angeles, and Pasdena. I personally can't wait to go back, Californians are such positive and friendly people (must be the weather).

Here are some photos -

October 21, 2015

Hayden Burgess

MASSIVE

October 21, 2015

Hayden Burgess

Its been a massive month for me here, been learning heaps and drawing heaps and doing a bit of building demolition on the side.

All roads are leading to Designer Con next month, but I'm heading off for a road trip around the West Coast early so its head down bum up.

I managed to blat out a couple of things though, some really fun projects that were a blast to create.

Jiu Jitsu Vs the World - Universal Monsters comic book cover
I got the opportunity to create a limited edition print for Eat Film's new documentary Jiu Jitsu Vs the World. This was real close to my heart as I've been training BJJ for a bit now and it was a massive opportunity to combine two things I love. Dan is making an amazing film, travelling across America to get the roots of what has made the art what it is today. I was massively honored to be involved as some of the legends of the sport are taking part including Chris Haueter, Jean Jacques and Rigan Machado and many more.

Dan wanted a b-grade horror movie theme, I kinda changed the brief a bit and based it on an old Marvel Comics horror cover, I think it came out alright.

Acid Dad - Grim Single
I worked with New York band Acid Dad again on the cover art for their new single Grim. They are a psych/punk/stoner/art rock band who are pretty young dudes but making really rad music.

Poison City Records - Burnout 3 Tee
This was super fun, I've done a few tees for Poison City Records, and they are real awesome to work with, a great bunch of people releasing some of the best alternative music around. This was the third in the burnout series. The idea was to have a wasted dude driving in the desert on a road to nowhere.

Designer Con is next month, in the mean time i'll be road tripping around the Bay Area, Yosemite, Las Vegas and LA, hopefully I won't be as stoned as the guy above or I might be arrested lol.

GRIMOIRE.

September 11, 2015

Hayden Burgess

Eb and Sparrow/Actually Huizenga

September 11, 2015

Hayden Burgess

In the lead up to Designer Con in November I've been glad to have some time to get some work done for myself but I have also had the pleasure of working with two amazing women who are making music at opposite ends of the spectrum.

Earlier this year I designed a tour flyer for Eb and Sparrow, I hadn't met Ebony (the EB) and her band before but she was a friend of friend and after listening to her band's previous record I was so stoked and jumped at the chance to draw something up for them. As it turned out they loved it so much they used it for the cover of their next record.

My wife loves them too which doesn't hurt she has bandied around names like Magnolia Electric Company, Throwing Muses and some country and folk to boot when describing them. The album is completely beautiful and has been getting rave reviews across the country, I'll be looking forward to catching up with them this week when they play in Hawkes Bay.

Eb and Sparrow - Sun/Son.

Also its the first time and hopefully not the last that I've seen my drawings this big! (its not the size that counts I know :/)

Marine Parade - Napier - New Zealand.

I also had the pleasure of drawing up an illustration for musician/actress/performance artist Actually Huizenga, I can't really describe her music although I hear its 'dark wave' or maybe electro? Anyway it's really good, the music invokes thoughts of vampires, vikings, sex, blood, dragons, chains and panthers.

So she is releasing a coloring book with her new album - Predator Romantic, and I did a drawing of her as vampire at the cemetery to accompany the song 'Fun at the Funeral'. There are some amazing artists in the book as well including one of my favorites Matt Minter aka Worsethanjail. The album is out in October, you can check out her videos and website below.