The Lurid low-brow Tiki-Art of Brad (tiki-shark) Parker

Aloha!
LLT ~ Thanks! It's been a slow build up of the background, now I think I'm finally getting to the foreground and the really interesting stuff.

More to come...
Mahalo!
B~

Deft touch, my man. Love the aerial haze.

Do you have any piece of music that is drivin' this one?

It started as a illustration for the Clouseaux song "Jungle Witch" (off the album Beyond Good and Evil). there is talk of a release of a live version of Jungle witch, and perhaps this painting can be a part of that.
Of course, if the fine folks in Clouseaux don't think this image relates the song enough, I guess it could be called "Sand Witch".

Aloha Tiki Tribe~

Back ground almost finished...

Here's the kava kava man with the surf board...

finished up on the palm trees...

more to come.

Mahalo!
B~

Just looking at the PROgress and do you think that you would see a little hair above the headband. Just wondering what the shape would actually look like if you could see the entire shape. I know, you're not done too.

On second look, void that idea.

[ Edited by: teaKEY 2009-08-29 19:48 ]

Aloha Tiki Tribe~
teaKEY~ Yeah, getting to the hula girl soon, and I'll have to think about just what goes where.

Here's a bit more finishing touches on the water...

Big Mahalo from the volcano!
B~

Looking great as always Brad! I'd love to see you do a painting of Marina....

Aloha Tiki Tribe~
Sam ~ Thanks Sam. However, my skills at creating a likeness of anyone are not the best. That's why I choose subjects long since passed away, like Bela Lugosi, before I try to paint their portraits. There's no one to offend when they come out looking all weird and cartoony.

Here's the whole thing - I'm roughing in the plants in the fore ground.

A detail showing the kava kava man made out of wood now.
More to come!
B~

Surfin Moai Kava Kava Man!
you're so awesomely deranged,Brad!
looking great!

Beautiful work Brad. I love all the progress shots. I cant wait to see her sparkle.
Monday after Oasis we went down to Freaky Boutiki to get your blue Tiki towel and check out the
show. HodadHank was super cool and even ended up putting up a few of my pieces in the gallery.
Are tiki shark towel is now our SuperLuckyFreakyTiki towel. Great work. MP

Aloha tiki Tribe!
LLt ~ Thanks. Here's a closer look at the Kava Kava man.

mp ~ That's really great to hear! I'm glad you like the tiki towels! I think Hodadhank has the very last box we made of them, so he's the only place to get them now.

Here's an over view ...

Here's a look at the hut...

Here's a closer look at the palms...

and here's what I'm working on now... the lei. Finally got to the good part: the girl!
Lots more to come...
mahalo!

Dream-like fantastic and surreal. Love the progress details you serve up to us, man!
Hope I can see this up close someday. Thanks for posting.

Those background colors are really poppin. Such a high contrast there to the main subject matter, ie the Goth Girl. I'm wondering if this is your highest contrast yet. The girl is still in dark grays but man. Looking hot.

In a side story, I was thinking of doing a quick wall mural behind one of my bars (in the ole basement) and was going to look online for a subject matter. Something like red/pink clouds and some dark silhouette palm trees, but wouldn't be cool to have a Brad Parker mural and be able to walk into one of any of your paintings. I'd almost do it to. I have the ability to copy things almost to the T.

One more thing. I could post everyday and try try to resist.

Ryden's Christina

TikiG - you just made my day.
teaKEY - Ryden "Christina" is one of my favorite paintings! (obviously) That book of his art... er the red one with the title in Japanese, I think it translates to Fushigii Circus, but it's in Japanese so I'm not really shure what it's called...that one... I love that book. I could never afford a real Ryden painting, so heck, why not paint one my own darned self! OK, it's not gonna be a good as a Ryden, however, I do get to throw in all the icons that are important to me, (hey the meat the the bees are all cool an all, but I'm still not sure what the heck they mean) .as I was saying, stuff I dig ...like a tiki, Maoi, the Kava Kava man, a tiki Mug, and maybe hint at H P Lovecraft, and then add in some Hawaii!
Also...
Check it out!

My first-est ever art transmorgified into 3-D still life as a Tiki Mug!!

From the nice people at Tiki Farm.
http://www.tikifarm.com

Tiki Shark

http://www.tikishark.com
http://www.myspace.com/Lotus_Land
Proud Sponcer of The Cocktail Nation
http://www.cocktailnation.net/

[ Edited by: Tiki Shark Art 2009-09-03 19:42 ]

Aloha tiki Tribe!

Here's how the leis are comig out. More to come...
Mahalo!
B~

Aloha Tiki Tribe!

So, started the under painting on the girl... warm shadows. Idea is to make cool highlights so she'll stand out against that warm sunset bg.
More to come...
Mahalo!
B~

Aloha Tiki Tribe

Here's da latest...

The octo-goth-hula-wahine has still many many layers of semi-transparent watery acrylic to be applied before she becomes her final flesh. But, she's getting there...ever so slowly. I hope I can finish this painting in time to be revealed at my very first art show here in Hawaii.

I got an art show! I am being shown in a "fine art" gallery in Lahaina, on Maui on Sept 17 to 19. Sargents Fine Art and Jewelery. I'll be there, doing original tiki drawings for those art patrons who purchase a painting or a giclee.

I gotta admit I'm nervous! I've never shown in a "fine" art gallery. It's always been in "Tiki friendly environments". Tiki themed group shows, or tiki themed one man shows. All in So Cal where there is a very large population of the tiki sub-culture. I could hang with the tiki peeps, and my art buddies Ken Ruzic or Big Toe, Tubunga, or Squid, (and guzzle a rum drink). Lahaina is all wine and cheese. I have no idea how my work will go over on Maui, in Lahaina: land of many high end fine (NOT low-brow) art galleries.

I may be the first low-brow artist to be shown there. I'm concerned people will not "get it", nothing will sell, and I'll end up living on the beach and selling coconuts. Oh well, you have to try, to find out.

Find out more about the show at http://www.sargentsfineart.com

Mahalo!
More to come...
b~

Huge Congrats Brad!! That's just wonderful Sir. Nicely written Bio. Please take a few pictures of the opening if you can. :)

No worries brother, your work is going to go over HUGE!

The octo-wahine is looking sooooo killer!
No worries on your show,brah!
good art is good art
and people can feel it.
They might not be able to verbalize it
but they can feel it!
:)

You are on fire, Mr. Parker!

That mug is the ginchiest!
The flower and type on the
back are a great addition.
I gotsta get me one. :)

Congrats on the big show! You'll knock 'em dead, I'm sure.

The new piece is shaping up nicely. The colors are really popping.
The design of the wahine's skirt and lower body is terrific.
Keep an eye on her eyes, though. They look a little mismatched.
The water is really snazzy. That purple rim is sublime.

Aloha Tiki Tribe~
Babalu - thanks, Oh yeah, good idea,. I gota get a few photos of the show for here.
ttle lost tiki - Big thanks. It's nice to hear that!
artosaurus - Glad ou dig the mug. I can't wait to see it in person - in fron of a print! like a diarama! Thanks, I'll mess around with her weird eyes today.

More to come...

B~

Aloha!

More to come
Mahalo!
B~

Magical!!!

Aloha Tiki Tribe!
Happy 999! (09/09/2009)

Here's more work on the hula tentacles...
More work coming...
Mahalo!
B~

ALOHA TIKI TRIBE!
I got 7 days to finish this painting so it can be "unveiled" at the show on Maui. I'm nervous as all heck. I've determined this has to be my greatest and best work ever. I've put in all kinds of crazy hours on this, smoothing out tentacles and skin...(but from this pic you can hardly tell any difference from yesterday. Strange!)
You can, with the real canvas though. (or I'm going completely nuts. Which is a real possibility on this one.)
Here's today's pic:

Mahalo!
Brad~

ALOHA TIKI TRIBE!
I got six days to finish this painting for the show!
http://www.sargentsfineart.com

Started the grass skirt, and the floating mug. Still considering if I want to go totally pop-culture-reference and put "Alice Cooper" eye make-up on the goth girl. I have Jim Bacchi (Tikiyaki Orchestra) who's worked with Alice on his last album, sending out feelers to his people if they would care (or take legal action) if I did so. Alice lives on Maui, owns Maui Taco and Mala - both restaurants which dot Hawaii. So, Alice is part of pop/Hawaii culture - and I think a possible reference for what this painting is saying. (what ever THAT is)

Here's a close up on the tentacles!
Lots more to finish!
Mahalo!
Brad~

So much Incredable art goin on here, I don't know where to start!! love your style,Aloha, Mooney

MAD PROPS, brudda brad! LOVE the theme, content and style!!!!! surfing moai kava man...brilliant! goth octo-pussy...brilliant, sundry hale and stone edifi...BRILLIANT!!!

i genuflect to ur deific talent!!!

toesy

Mooneytiki - Thanks for the kind words!
Big Toe - BIG Mahalo, i genuflect right back towards ye!

Here's the whole thing...

Here's the detail on da' mug so far. Time for a slice of lime!
More to come! got 5 days left!
Mahalo
Brad~

BRAD!
you are totally ALMOST there!
Great hearing your voice yesterday!
This masterpiece is Soooooo coming to life!
that mug has a total 3-d quality to it!
Can i get close-up of that ominous Moai Mouth tunnel?
when you get time..after you get it scanned and all!
Here's wishing you the best this week
and remember,you only have to be "ON" a few hours
and then you canslink back to your hut and paint even more coolie pictures!
if that's possible!
:)

Aloha tiki Tribe!
LLT~Ah thanks! It was good hearing your calming voice offering up your pearls of arty wisdom. 4 days left ya know! 4 days till the show in Maui. http://www.calendarmaui.com/php/event-detail.php?event_id=6336

finished up a bit more last night...

Finished a bit more on the top of her grass skirt. Is that her grass skirt, or part of her Lovercraftian physiology?

...thirsty?

Mahalo!
Brad~

Simply a beautiful piece here Brad! You really go all out on these, and they always end up breathtaking...

Aloha Brad!

Looking good. I was just over on Maui on Wednesday - took advantage of the $25 airfares! Stopped in the gallery to check out your stuff. First time I've seen them in person. They looked great! Good luck with the show!

Hey Brad, this is shaping up into an amazing piece. The Cthulhu's lovechild has a great beauty but haunted look. Prints planned on this one??

Aloha Tiki Tibe!
Sam~ Thanks Sam. Today you can check out the nod-to-the-work-of-Sam-Gambino I painted in late last night - Pin Stripping! Magic pin striping, see now it all makes sense. Shes' conjuring the old rotted wooden tiki (stuck in the sand) up into it's resurrection to be transmogrified into the Tiki Icon of today that we worship - the tiki mug!

Mo-EYE~ $24 inter island, I know! Cheap! I'm going Mukulele over to Maui for the show on Thursday. Thanks, I'm glad you are digging the work. I'm excited to be in that gallery in Lahaina.
Tikiracer~ Hey buddy! Big Mahalo across TWO ponds! Yes, there will be prints made. As a matter of fact I have to drive this painting all the way up to the north side of the island and have my printer scan it in before I take it over to Maui, so he can produce the really super swanky high end giclee on canvas prints the gallery requires.

Magic pinstripping.

Goth Girl Close up

Here's a closer look at the Moai cave LLT requested.

Three more days to the big show! Wish me luck!
(breath...rememeber to breath and paint...)
Brad~

Looking sweeeeeeeeeet mate :D

oooo purdy!
Thanks for posting that cave shot....
You've painted it so well
we all wanna go speelunkin in there!
Only a couple more days
and then you will brighten the whole island!
the mood and colors andcharacters in this one are spot-on!

Really a great piece you have here. All the elements are perfect, and if it was a food would be a glorious gumbo! I really like the Octo-goth-hine sorceress.

Aloha Tiki Tribe!
Hewey~ Big Mahalo Hewey!
LLT~ Thanks, we could go speelunkin' in there, only wonder what passages, rooms and tiki-treasures lurk inside?
TikiMango~ Thank you! Glad you like what I'm cooking up for yer eyes!

Here's last night's work: roughed in the sandy beach and worked on...

The old rotted tiki stuck in the sand. He's loosely based on an actual tiki
in the book "Hawaiian Sculpture, - The University Press of Hawaii",
The introduction of this book reads:
"Of the wood sculpture that comes from the rich and vital ancient Hawaiian culture, approximately one hundred and fifty examples remain. These are now found in museums throughout the world, and some pieces are now as remote from the islands of their origin as New York and Munich"

pg 125. fg T9
T 9 Temple Image
National Museum, Copenhagen (I.a.6)
From Steen Bille, who was in Hawaii
aboard the Galathea in 1846
Total Height: 30 in: height in figure
approx 20 in. Probably a heiau fence
post image.
Providence: Undetermined; possibly the
island of Hawaii.
Photograph: National Museum.
Published: Brigham 1913, fig 45."

I love this old book. Great reference.

Two more days to finish!
Mahalo!
Brad

[ Edited by: Tiki Shark Art 2009-09-15 11:14 ]

Just Amazing!

Aloha Tiki Tribe!
Atomic Tiki Punk - Big Big Mahalo! During the last minute late night finishing up sessions before this painting's un veiling at the art show tomorrow, it's sure nice to read comments as kind as yours.

Here's last night's work. After much consideration, and even the purchase of some flowers from the local farmer's market for reference, I decided that I did not need to paint in flowers in the foreground. The Ku-thulhuian hula girl (ouch, did I just mash Hawaiian and Lovecraftian subculture so early in the morning?) ...anyways, her tentacles are so complex, the addition of exotic flowers made the painting too busy at the bottom. I had added them in as framing devices in my last two pieces (Tiki Cat and The Exotic Traveler), but this one doesn't need them.

Instead I choose to focus all possible effort on making the stippling of the "sandy beach" as good as I could.

Almost there. Maybe only the dabbing on if a few more hundred thousand dobs of color and the beach will be done.
The show in Maui is Tomorrow night!
I HAVE to finish the painting today . Then, I gotta' drive it up to the north side of the island where my printer will professionally scan it so it can later be recreated as one of them-thar high end giclees.

Big Aloha,
Brad~

Man, I would buy the painting ASAP, but alas I will just have to settle for a print.

Brad the Tiki Shark..my modern psychedelic hero :wink:

Brad, Unbelievable work! Dedication and follow through, you've got it!

a lil' dab'll do ya!
Today's the day,eh?
Knock 'em dead,Tiger!
:)

Aloha Tiki Tribe!
Atomic Tiki Punk - Thanks! You know, the gallery is having a special discount for the "tiki tribe" while I'm there. I'm sure it would apply to any web purchases during my appearance (Sept 17th to the 19th) 10% off Giclees and 20% off originals. Just in case ya was wanting some art right now... anyways, thanks for the support! U da BEST!
TikiG - Wow, you made my day. Big Big Mahalo!
mp - Thanks! I try... really, thanks!
little lost tiki - Yes, today is the show! Well, tonight! I stayed up late and finished the painting:

"Jungle Witch"
(named after the Clouseaux song)
30" x 24"
acrylic on canvas

here's her delicate little feet...

I was going to give her "Alice Cooper" eye make up. Then thought, if I want to so his style eye make up, it'd be much better if I should actually do a low-brow exotica portrait of Alice Cooper - I would do a whole big-wet-eyed-Keen version of Alice. We'll see.
So, I took the Jungle witch more in the classic goth/Betty Boop style.

Here's the witch's hut.

Here's the old tiki

and here's the modern tiki!

Big Mahalo for the support while I got ready for this show!
Let's hope the "fine art" wine and cheese crowd of Maui is ready for some "Low Brow" tiki art!
Here's links to the shows information:
Check out the painting in progress thread here...
http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=21212&forum=18&start=1995&2007
Check out the show details here:
http://www.sargentsfineart.com
http://www.calendarmaui.com/php/event-detail.php?event_id=6336
...and look, I got da' show listed in the ultra-underground art mag "Hi-Fructose" 's web site.
http://www.hifructose.com/index.php?option=com_jcalpro&Itemid=81&extmode=view&extid=1011

Aloha,
Brad

Stunningly gorgeous!
"I've determined this has to be my greatest and best work ever."

Ummm, I think you nailed it!
Good luck with the show! Your work is beautiful and I know that I would love to see it in person, fine art gallery or any other. Why NOT fine art? Looks pretty fine to me!