Welcome to the Tiki Central 2.0 Beta. Read the announcement
Tiki Central logo
Celebrating classic and modern Polynesian Pop

Tiki Central / Other Crafts

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

Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 4,327 replies

Monster collection display is tops!

Digging the shark reflection in the car. Man, this one has it all just about. That is some crazy detail there, daddy-o!

Aloha Tiki Tribe...
Fighting a cold/flu bug I got from some tourist...
Today was the first day I was up and around , a little. Worked on a banner ad for ...ah...something...here it is...



If you can't be in Kona for the big party, go over to the tiki market place and check out where to get the cool BG tiki-mugs on line...
Ah ...(AH -CHEW!) snif, snif... er... think I'm gonna' crawl back into bed.
Aloha.

You big event is just around the corner so drink lots of water and get plenty of rest. Nelson and Mary are looking forward to seeing you soon. Wendy

Photos from the Aloha Festival that was yesterday.

Mary and Nelson.

Aloha Tiki Tribe...
We were talking about the father of "Low-Brow Art": Robert Williams a while back, and his painting "Appetite for Destruction" as the cover art on the GNR album of the same name - watch this trailer for this great new film about Robert Williams and they talk about exactly that... http://documentarychannel.com/docs-on-dvd-robert-williams-mr-bitchin/

BT

Yeah that's the docu I linked to back there. It's on Hulu for free right now.

AWESOME! THANKS!
If there was never a Robert Williams, there would never be a Brad Tiki-Shark Parker, I know that!

Hey, I found this old pic from a while ago. But it shows the SEASON in my work room.... although much cleaned up for this sunday supplement this appeared in!

Yep HAWAII-WEEN is just around the corner....that dark shadowy corner....

Aloha Tiki Tribe!
OKAY...back to "Robert William Mr. Bitchin". Here's the link to it on Hulu... http://www.hulu.com/watch/516532
HAte the commercials , but this is really worth seeing if you wonder where tiki art came from ....

Aloha Tiki Tribe!
Here's the sketch for da' day...

"skater Dream 01"

Aloha Tiki Tribe!
Oh my Gosh!

The Body Glove Sea Creature Limited Edition 60th Anniversary Tiki-Mug sets have arrived on da' Big Island! Wow! I'm reeeally excited about this finally all coming together. Tiki-Farm , and Holden Westland did an amazing job on getting every single detail on this mugs just right. I wanted to create something special for this very special event. BIG Mahalo to Tiki Farm for helping make it happen!
Course, there are Art Prints of the Body Glove Sea Creature , and Beach Towels, and more...but, wow, the mugs are sweeeeeet!

KK

Skater Dream 01 looks cool! Makes me think of another artist who's work I like:
Robert Crumb.

Wow. THAT is a awfully big complement! Thank you!

Aloha Tiki Tribe!
So The Tiki Mobile .... "GO TIKI" went to Hollywood. Traveled away.... (sniff)... but guess what?

The rumor is..... "Tiki mobile will be in episode 18 of the Television show "Major Crimes". Shooting next week."

GASP! My baby has gone off an become a movie star!

Sweet art
Sweet mugs
Sweet ride

:)

Jon

Oh, shucks!

Aloha Tiki Tribe!
OKAY!
I gotta do it!

I'm working on a super-mega-secret "TIKI ART" project for the "BIG HAWAII-WEEN BODY GLOVE 60th ANNIVERSARY & SEA CREATURE TIKI-MUG Release PARTY"! (whew!)

ALOHA!

Aloha Tiki Tribe!

Ever dream of going 160 MPH in "GO-TIKI"?

Weeelll.... now you can!

As you may have known... GO-TIKI went to the mainland... is gonna appear in the TV show "Major Crimes"

...and now I hear it's gonna be up for sale!
If you are interested in this blazing fast "Tiki-Mobile" please go to https://www.facebook.com/jackson.young.5686322?fref=ts
and message Mr.Young with an offer.

aloha tiki tribe!
....what I'm working on today....

Aloha Tiki Tribe!

The secret Tiki-Surf Art Project....

I'm looking to make something special to commemorate the Body Glove 60th Anniversary party/event here in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. A piece of surf/Tiki Art that will be signed by the family members /owners of Body Glove, the President of Body Glove, the Hawaiian Pro-Surf Team Riders of Body Glove, me, and maybe even the Mayor of the Big Island of Hawaii. ...AND, I want this to be priced to not only end up sitting in a gallery, or a museum, or like that, but I want it to be in someones home Tiki Bar! ...so when friends come over, they sit down, have a Mai Tai, look up and say "What the....?!! Where the Heck did you get THAT?!"

hmmmm .....now that is a cool framing job!

Aloha!

Mahalo!

Aloha TIKI tribe!

MAHALO!

Aloha Tiki Tribe!

I dig showing my art at gallery that has tiki torches burning out front every night...

Aloha Tiki Tribe!
Here's last nights work on the Surf Board...

at sunset...

hmm that's a bit dark

that shows a little more

was a nice sunset
ALOHA!

Aloha Tiki Tribe!
Well, the V.I. P. from Body Glove are here for the big event on Thurs and Fri. Here's Owner Billy Miestrell is digging my painted surf board - a vintage board from the Body Glove Surf Team in the 80's - a triple fin - Tiki & Surf Art threat - sweet!

Our good friends Nelson and Mary (Mahalo Tiki) have left today for the celebration. I hope you all have a blast. Wendy

Cool!
Yeah l;ots of folks are here. Plus island folks are coming over from the wet side just for the party... the whole island is abuzz!

The Body Glove SEA-CREATURE went on the local radio show this morning LAVA 105

The Royal Kona is already running out of Tiki Mugs!

The most popular is the CREATURE!

Whew! Just gotta make it thorough the next few days !!!
ALOHA!!!

OK I sat in the CREATURES lap too!

...hey, I figured at Christmas you sit in Santa's lap, so at HAWAII-WEEN you should sit in the CREATURE's lap!


Brad (Tiki Shark) Parker
"Brad Parker creates lurid paintings that pull in influences from tiki, comics, and rock."

[ Edited by: tiki shark art 2013-10-24 15:13 ]

Oh, that's not right...no...

Atomic Tiki Punk - yeah, the CREATURE didn't think it was right either...

Aloha Tiki Tribe!
Wow!

What an amazing 2-day party.
It started as a Tiki-Art painting of the Body Glove Sea-Creature.
Then became a set of Tiki Mugs based on that painting.
Then became a Tiki-Mug Release party.
Then became a Body Glove 60th Year Anniversary Event.
Then became a even bigger thing...the Big Island gave back as much as we gave ...and more.
Now we have an Official State Proclamation from the Governor's office that October 24th is henceforth known as "BODY GLOVE DAY" in the State of Hawaii!

(WTF!)


Me an Big Island Mayor Billy Kenoi
I cannot even begin to explain it all ...please just go here and read...
https://www.facebook.com/bradtikisharkparker?ref=tn_tnmn


Brad (Tiki Shark) Parker
"Brad Parker creates lurid paintings that pull in influences from tiki, comics, and rock."

[ Edited by: tiki shark art 2013-10-27 03:25 ]

Aloha Tiki Tribe!
A few more days of V.I.P.s and I'll have my life back... I cannot wait!
Everything was amazing... I didn't know half of what was going to happen ..happened! Big Thanks to everyone who came, and everyone in Kona who didn't know what we were doing! You are all awesome.

Now, I had to get a few hours of making da' Art in before I lost my mind!

It's been many days since I picked up a brush! LLT knows how it is when you are cut off from what feed your soul...so ...whew...gotta put that brush to the canvas just a little ...a=in a few days my world will go back to normal...

Aloha Tiki Tribe!
IT was a greatest Tiki-Mug release party EVER!!!!
(That was held at the Royal Kona Resort of Body Glove Tiki-Mugs!)

Go to this link and see all the amazing happenings!

http://damontucker.com/2013/10/25/body-glove-turns-60/

Aloha Tiki Tribe!
Slapping some paint on a 24 x 30 canvas I call "The RED TIKI LOUNGE".

feels good to be making ART again!
Yep, that supposed to be Crazy Al as a Zombie on da' right.


detail of the Cthulhu orchids!

ALOHA!


Brad's imaginary "Low-Brow Art Muse" sez:
"Whew! I was starting to think the kid had become a tour guide, or a wedding planner, or something!"

[ Edited by: Tiki Shark Art 2013-10-28 19:11 ]

Happy Hawaii-Ween! - this is my new favorite Halloween movie...

http://viooz.co/movies/2325-trick-r-treat-2007.html

Aloha TIKI-TRIBE!

HAPPY HAWAII-WEEN!

Aloha Tiki Tribe!
feels good after all the big party scene of halloween to be in the studio painting.

RED TIKI LOUNGE
24" x 30"

So, my Art-Agent walked in my studio, and in true Art -Agent fashion squints at the canvas and sez: "So. This is the only Brad tiki-shark Parker original painting, on the whole planet...that isn't sold."
I look up at him and say.
"Ah, it's not done."
He just looks back.
"Hmmm."

Snicker, WOW, he is such an Art-Agent! What is so funny about all this is... when I first asked him to "pose" as my agent. He said "No-way, I don't know anything about art or art galleries."
I said, don't worry. You look like an agent. I'll do the talking. And It totally worked! The gallery treated me with a complete different 'tude. I did this to finally get into a gallery here in Kailua-Kona. My work is a bit too "low-brow" for the usual Tourist gallery you find here. A lot of galleries closed the door in my face and said "Tiki Is DEAD. it won't SELL. Tourists don't get the retro stuff."

Well, they were sure wrong!

Now... let' see, my "art-agent's" got me into my local gallery - in the front window where ALL the tourists can see it and come in to ask "what is this tiki-art thing?" He got me into "La luz de Jesus Gallery" multiple times, got me an "artist retrospective" in the LA County museum system. And the last show here in Hawaii had the Mayor of the figgin' Big Island at it.. giving a speech! Well. I guess he's a "real Art-Agent" now.
He he he... and he thought he didn't know how... too funny!

But really, I owe him a ton. He really made it all work. Even when he didn't know how, he tried, and made it happen.
He's Abbas, and he's da' BEST! THANX dude! U RAWK!

ALOHA!

Aloha tiki Tribe!
Working -autographing 2014 TIKI calendars for sale today...

Check over in the tiki market place for where to get yours!
Here's a pretty "Day of the Dead" sunset off the Big Island!

Hope u had a great Pumpkin day!

ALOHA!

Aloha Tiki Tribe,
Here's the news..
http://damontucker.com/2013/11/04/big-island-artist-brad-tiki-shark-parker-sues-cafepress-com/
Gosh, I wish Damon would have used a more dignified photo of me instead of me doing the HULA at the big Body Glove 60th Anniversary party! HA! Oh well! Aloha!
It made it on line here too: http://www.courthousenews.com/2013/11/04/62592.htm

What's really silly about this is they could not have picked out a worse painting to rip off. YOU all saw me paint it RIGHT HERE on TIKI CENTRAL step by step (pages 60 to 70 I think of my thread) From sketch to finish. So, there is no question who's art it is!

Ha, ya' got to laugh, or you'll cry I guess!

Here was the canvas 24" x 48"

Here's the first steps...many folks on line watching . I hope.

Till it was almost done...every single step I put up on line for the world to see.

Me finishing...

Here's the painting done!

Oh well. No one ever said pirates were smart.

They do have a lot of bucks, and a lot of legal folks defending their "work" of putting out items with "art" on them. So I am the little guy in this fight. I don't really know if I'll come out winning or not. These guys are big.

The "salt in the wound" was when an ad for their pirated products (they were selling over 200 items with "Forbidden Island" on them!) appeared on MY OWN face book page.
I saw it and was dumb struck.
So, they were selling my pirated art to my own fans on my own face book page! sheesh!
I had to do something!
Oh well...

And this sale of towels that got nixed...this was my one big order. I finally got noticed by a really big retail co. Who could place a really big order. Now, that's gone. I may never get there again. I'm trying not to be heart broken. Be happy I am still making art...but sometimes it's hard.
Breath...

Trying to keep the ALOHA...

Laters Tiki Tribe!
Brad tiki-shark Parker


Brad (Tiki Shark) Parker
"Brad Parker creates lurid paintings that pull in influences from tiki, comics, and rock."

[ Edited by: Tiki Shark Art 2013-11-04 21:30 ]

C

Ggrrrr I hate when stuff like this happen, specially to artists that put soo much on their work like you. I hope things go the best they can go for you, aloha!


mundotiki

[ Edited by: Clarita 2013-11-04 19:33 ]

Aloha Tiki Tribe,

If you did not hear, a major painting of mine was pirated, and sold on hundreds of gift items on line by some one else with out my knowledge.

Because of this, I lost a big sale.

Thanks everyone for all your support and Aloha, it really means a lot to me.
I kid around ...but this is kinda' tough.

Here's the news..
http://damontucker.com/2013/11/04/big-island-artist-brad-tiki-shark-parker-sues-cafepress-com/
Gosh, I wish Damon would have used a more dignified photo of me instead of me doing the HULA at the big Body Glove 60th Anniversary party! HA! Oh well! Aloha!
It made it on line here too: http://www.courthousenews.com/2013/11/04/62592.htm


And this sale of tiki art towels that got nixed... this was my one big order.
I finally got noticed by a really big retail co. Who could place a really big order.

I thought "Wow, I might have really done it, finally..."
But oh well...
FATE.

Now, that's gone. I may never get there again.
I'm trying not to be heart broken. JUST Be happy I am still making art... but sometimes... it's hard.

Breath... in out...
A-lo-ha!

Trying to keep the ALOHA...

bp~


Brad's imaginary "Low-Brow Art" muse sez:
"OK. Dats it! To quote a famous, pissed off Hawaiian: "No more "Aloha-Aloha" for you!!"
Time to call the freakin' lawyers!"


Brad (Tiki Shark) Parker
"Brad Parker creates lurid paintings that pull in influences from tiki, comics, and rock."

[ Edited by: Tiki Shark Art 2013-11-04 22:02 ]

C

Oh sorry I got lost between links, and saw the future here, it seems, hahaha! I hope everything goes great really.

On 2013-11-05 07:03, Clarita wrote:
Oh sorry I got lost between links, and saw the future here, it seems, hahaha! I hope everything goes great really.

Thank you. I don't know. Cafe Press is a huge company, (rumors are around 300 to 500 million a year big, but that's just a rumor I heard I dunno) they are infamous for doing such things to small time artists, and they have a whole legal department. I have this one hawaiian surfer-dude lawyer who is not in is office of the waves are up! (very Big Island). I have no idea if we can do anything to these big company kooks, with their endless cash to stall legal works. I don't have the resources they do. I may be S.O.L.

I may never get the attention of a big retail company again for a large tiki towel order. I promised them an exclusive use of this image and suddenly they see it all over the net on cheap-butt china crap. They thought I was trying to rip THEM off! Sheesh! What a mess.
We had such a good Halloween with Body Glove & the beautiful tiki mugs and the big party, and then now this disaster.
Oh well...
Maybe it's fate.
I should not think too much about it.
Am I only to do so much in tiki? ...and tiki is not for the world?
I am just trying to be ok and happy with making tiki art again, not letting this whole evil thing break my tiki-mojo, and be full of aloha and grateful I can still paint.
I just want to try to focus back on my painting.
But thank you so much for all your love, and support, kind words and aloha.

A-LO-HA tiki tribe,
Brad tiki-shark Parker

H

Best of luck with this lawsuit Brad. I think you have a good fighting chance of winning it.

Does tc have an agreement with Cafepress? I felt that if they'd take Brads art then they'd most likely take others as was mentioned. I took the liberty of searching under tikis. There are 48,000 items. I found a tc mouse pad on page 21. If you type tiki central into the search bar a few more items with the tc design are displayed.

Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 4327 replies