Junkyard Sam
Artist & Printmaker

Background & Exhibition Info

Welcome! Thanks for learning a bit about my work & the world of Tong Picnic.
Tong Picnic is all about family, animals, good times & great memories!

Artist Statement

"Animals. I love 'em. Ever since my parents used to take me to the junkyard with my black lab - big 'ole Sam snooping for snacks and myself looking out for a new toy 'midst the rubble. Those were good days... Big Texas sun, dogs panting, hard work and fresh water. Nothing beats it."

"We had huge red ants that made giant hills out of big rocks. We had chickens. Didn't eat 'em but the eggs were good. We had dogs to scare off the coyotes & snakes and cats to keep the mice in the field. We even had goats to eat the grass and gerbils for us kids to pet. No neighbors though, no kids to play with... so those animals were my friends. Especially the dogs. Especially 'ole Sam."

"Things aren't so different now. I'm like an old wolf, keeping mostly to myself - working hard, doing my own thing. Putting pen to paper hoping to bring a smile to anyone willing to look at my art."

"I got a great family, and they're the inspiration behind my work. My beautiful wife Jess. A boy I adore and another on the way. A cat climbing on the cabinets. Got two dogs now, The Beagle and a big Shepherd mutt. They look after my family when I'm away like Sam looked after me when I was a boy. I'm grateful for all of this."

"This is my inspiration behind Tong Picnic, with The Beagle taking form as a Quaggle and The Shepherd appearing as a big Gaffle beast looking over the land with that infinite wisdom only a smart dog could have. Sometimes you'll even see my family in the background having a picnic, or me fishing with my boy..."

"My family may be my inspiration, but when you look at my art it it's supposed to be about you and your family. Your animals. Your adventure. I keep the art a little on the simple side. I guess I'm a bit longwinded here but I try not to say too much with my art. So you can read your own story into it."

"I want my work to be a two-way conversation, 'cause that's a good part of what Tong Picnic is about: having a good time, looking out for each other, and telling a good story or two. Being a part of the story."

Thanks for letting my work be a part of your story, too.

Junkyard Sam 2008

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Background

I graduated from The Art Institute of Dallas in 1995, and since then I've been working as an artist in the software & game industry for companies including Sony Online Entertainment, THQ Inc., Take 2 Interactive, and others. In late 2007 I began crossing over from commercial work to gallery exhibitions & fine art printmaking.

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Upcoming Shows

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Previous Shows

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Selected Press (see Flickr media set)

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www.JunkyardSam.com
© 3003