Ever since last week’s introduction teaser, I’m sure you’ve been wondering, “who is that glorious male adjacent to a giant elvis chicken? He must as cool as Skeeter Valentine.” Well worry not, little one. You are about to meet the elvis chicken man. Pete Cardoso.
The Mighty Mighty Bosstones
2 color screen-print
…HOW ADORABLE. Three years ago, Maria and I (and another editor of the Public Journal) watched the fourth editor leave our upstate-new-york-cafe-meeting on a moped. With her boyfriend. What followed this event was an echo of “sighs.” This poster reminds me of that panda-precious moment.
Elvis Costello: 3 color screen-print
I love, love, love this. The colors are great and the portrait of Elvis is perfect. Oh and I love Elvis Costello! Triple score! (Confession: I started listening to Elvis Costello when I became a Gilmore Girls watcher. I was a wee young one who had big aspirations to be as cool as Lane Kim.)
(clockwise) The White Stripes: 2 color screen-print, The Living Things: 3 color screen-print, The Hold Steady: 6 color screen-print, Low: 2 color screen-print
What I find especially exhilerating is his female illustrations. They remind me of women on 1950s sewing patterns! In his White Stripes poster, he uses the iconic White Stripe color pallete, but makes it his own! And The Living Things poster is so vivid! Serial Killer Housewife? I think so. The contrast in texture in the ultra glamorous Low poster is great too! On one final note, I really hate the Hold Steady, but I love this poster (and Art Brut). I once saw Art Brut sing Smiths songs in a tiny kitchen! (LEGIT.)
Death Cab for Cutie
3 color screen-print
Ever since reading a very interesting article in Monday’s New York Times about the Babar exhibit at the Morgan Library & Museum, I keep thinking about elephants (remember “The Elephant Show”?!). This Death Cab print is so wonderfully illustrated! The golden curly swirls add a great, delicate touch to an otherwise wrinkly animal. (Not that there’s anything wrong with wrinkles).
Roky Erickson
3 color screen-print
Now for something different! Pete does a glorious job capturing the psychadelic-santa-claus that is Roky Erickson, and portraying him as a cracked out Genie. One of my favorite baristas (who will no longer make me my americanos womp womp) first introduced me to Roky. This led to many youtube videos, and my now familiarization with Roky Erickson.
Well, I was born and raised and currently live in Providence, RI. I went to school here but spent allot of time in Rock Clubs instead of studying. I spent a little time as a roadie so I got to see this wonderful country of ours far and wide. All the while still designing full time.
When I was 5, I totally wanted to be a garbage man. I would wake up every Monday morning at 6am just so I could see them ride up the street in the back of the big trucks throwing trash around. At 5 it seemed like the coolest thing ever.
I am currently having a retrospective gallery show with a variety of work from the last decade. Some good, some not so good but hey it’s a learning process everyday!
2. I would describe my style as…
In my early posters I did mostly illustration but the more I studied design I developed more of a graphic design style. I really fell in love with what Art Chantry, was doing with this sort of retro, dirty punk thing. But I also loved the simplicity of the late 60’s and 70 graphic design forms and current work from folks like Michael Schwab. I guess I am somewhere in the middle, always experimenting.
3. I am inspired by…
Retro graphics, sign painting, many of the current street artists that crossed over to graphic design, graffiti, type, LOTS of music and Mark Twain.
4. Can you describe the creative process that goes into making a print?
I usually try to get the vibe of the band through there music. Sometimes it may not always seem like it directly relates but if you dig deep enough it usually does. From there I will usually mess around drawing or playing on the computer with type etc… drink a few beers, listen to music and then like magic a poster design appears. Then the printing starts but that’s a whole OTHER story.
5. My favorite print is…
Ohhh that’s hard. For now I’ll say the “Worker” print Shepard Fairey did back in 2000 I think. It has always been a favorite of mine.
6. What’s on your walls at home?
Currently a few Dave Kinsey prints, a few Shepard Fairey prints, Dj Spooky cover print by Paul Insect, Gas Huffer poster from Kozik, “Pointing Finger” by Roy Lichtenstein, Breeders poster by Art Chantry, a small water color mixed media thing by Derek Hess as well as his Guided by Voices print, Jay Ryan Fugazi print (with the chairs), a couple prints by Jeff Kleinsmith, Iron and Wine poster from Methane Studios and some screenprints by Brian Chippendale. And a few by Evan Hecox
7. I am currently listening to…
A lot of 60’s Jazz and soul stuff, Black Mountain, My Morning Jacket, Television, REM, Lifetime, Dinosaur Jr. have all been in heavy rotation lately.
8. I support…
Obama 08!
9. I am against…
Selfish, stupid, angry, ignorant, lazy, people!
10. My best recent purchase was…
Warborne Blvd from Dave Kinsey, man that will make anyone step up there printing game, also a killer pair of Levi’s and a ton of fresh fruit and cheese from a farmers market when I was in Upstate NY. Oh and some awesome Elvis recipe magnets on a recent visit to Graceland!
11. I am currently obsessed with…
Jazz Documentary’s, the political conventions on TV, homemade veggie sushi, Duffy, Fall Fashion, hotforwords.com, the color orange
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3 Responses for "poster party day 6: Pete Cardoso"
[...] and Sean Higgins 3. Leia Bell 4. Powerslide Design: Mike Klay 5. The Small Stakes: Jason Munn 6. Ghost Town: Pete Cardoso 7. Largemammal: Kevin Mercer 8. Mike [...]
[...] Studio (so, as I discovered when I read Tricia’s post, this specific poster is actually by Pete Cardoso’s partner-in-crime, Darren Johnson, but they’re on the same team, yes? Some of Pete’s [...]
[...] Pete Cardoso recently acquired some notable Elvis recipe magnets, and a wall of Kevin Mercer’s home features a velvet Elvis. Kevin Mercer loves Robert Rauschenberg, whom Tad Carpenter strongly supports. Tad Carpenter happens to be inspired by Golden Books, which Mike Laughead cites to describe his design aesthetic. Perhaps as wee tots, Mike Laughead could have compared Ninja Turtle sketches with Leia Bell (and Sean of the Bubble Process). Leia Bell and Mike Klay cosmically both own a few Jay Ryan prints, which (if the stars were super aligned) might be the same prints. Mike Klay is inspired by the Pacific Northwest, which Sean might also enjoy since he is currently obsessed with the woods. Sadly, Sean does not get to see his teammate, Rez, very often (Rez described this unfortunate situation as QUOTE “SAD< CRYING RIGHT NOW>”) because he lives in Brooklyn, New York. This great state happens to be where Jason Munn made his best recent purchase: Japanese design books. Whew. [...]
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