Post #750253 by aquarj on Thu, Sep 3, 2015 10:40 AM

This sad news really hit me like an uppercut to the jaw. The Pizz was one of the first "lowbrow" artists I met sometime around 98 or 99, and meeting him was kind of a touchstone for some of my longtime interests. I forget how I first saw his work, but I'd sent him a note about a poster (back then it was regular mail), and he sent back some stuff and a great illustrated envelope that I totally remember. That led to a visit at his place, and I was blown away by his work and also some of his collections. He was the first person I met with a CocoJoes collection. He was generous with his time and just friendly and cool to someone he barely knew.

I also vividly remember he had a big beautiful revolver right square on his desk above the painting he was working on. Maybe it sounds weird to say beautiful, but that's just how it struck me, in the atmosphere of his studio. I don't think it was a reference piece for anything, I kinda just assumed he liked having it there. Sometime later I thought maybe it was to sort of spook visitors, as part of the vibe in his studio - when you're there you get a sense of this darkness mixed in with his humor and sense of style. Really, the same vibe is in his paintings. Maybe The Pizz himself had some darkness that spooked him and it's all connected somehow. But I'm sorry for him and those who were close to him.

I've seen The Pizz at tiki events over the years since then from time to time, and even exchanged some anonymous words sometimes, but never kinda reintroduced myself as that kid who visited back then. With that inscrutable exterior, I kinda figured he wouldn't remember me. But I remember him, and always will.

-Randy