The opening of three shows at Stranger Factory this past Friday has come and gone and it looked AMAZING. Today, let’s take a look at some of DrilOne’s gorgeous contributions to the show. We chatted with him a bit about his art and influences, and we’re delighted to give you a quick peek into his rusty world.
DrilOne: My addiction used to be photographing old abandon buildings, amusement parks, psychiatric wards, and decommissioned military bases. I would photograph them to preserve the history of the building. I like creating my work to have that feeling. I want people to feel like they own a piece of weathered historical artifact.
DrilOne: I was always into the military; I loved the machinery, weapons, fighter jets. I also enjoyed military models too! It definitely was/is a huge influence. I grew up in Queens, NY and started writing graffiti in the late 80’s. Now, I am combining graffiti, model making, signage, and weathered rusty textures.
CP: Your customs are as always, beautiful, but we also love that you’ve been working with more original sculpts lately, like the Drones! Are there more to come? Do you think that making originals sculpts is the “next step,” or do you think you’ll still always customize toys?
DrilOne: Yes, I’m hoping to sculpt other characters that I have drawn that are part of the Drones world. I also would like to create some pieces in vinyl. As for customizing – I want to only customize certain pieces. I love customizing other peoples pieces like the ones for this show; I took a box of Jason Limon resin pieces and had a ton of fun. It helps me grow as I learn new ideas and techniques.
CP: What piece or series were you most excited to make or work on for this show?
DrilOne: I love the giant Empty World retro sign. It was probably the hardest piece to do, but rewarding. I enjoyed most of the work I did for this show, though. I tried several new paint techniques and even sculpted and casted micro Drones for the show.
DrilOne’s micro Drones will be made available for people buying originals during today’s preview window (only if buying an original).
To purchase DrilOne’s beautiful, atmospheric work from Empty World, visit our preview page. The online purchase inquiry period begins today at 12 Noon, PST.
