Gublernation!

Matthew Gray Gubler is on my list of people I would love to meet. He is well known for acting as Dr. Spencer Reid in the CBS television show Criminal Minds. He was born on March 9, 1980 in Las Vegas, Nevada to an attorney father and a rancher/politician mother. He attended the Las Vegas Academy of International Studies, Performing and Visual Arts where he majored in drama. He never imagined he would end up with a career in acting, he simply thought it was fun and that it would help him succeed in other areas, especially public speaking. 

Right after graduating New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, he was approached by a modeling agent on the street. According to Gubler, the agent only saw potential because of the emaciated looking male models in fashion magazines. He accepted and quickly became one of the most sought after male models in New York City. He noted posing for ads and participating in runway shows for designers such as Marc Jacobs, Lois Vuitton, and Tommie Hilfiger. 

Gubler was always focused on making films, and in 2004 he took an internship with Wes Anderson. He was then cast in The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou as Intern #1 and right after, he was cast as Dr. Spencer Reid, whom is a genius FBI BAU (Federal Bureau of Investigation Behavioral Analysis Unit) agent with three Ph.D. degrees in his twenties. Gubler has also had several other movie roles.

Matthew Gray Gubler has also directed multiple episodes of Criminal Minds, including Mosley Lane, Heathridge Manor, and The Lesson. He has also directed and written Claude: A Symphony of Horror, The Cactus That Looked Just Like a Man, and MGG: The Unauthorized Documentary. Many of these and a few more can be found on his YouTube channel.
 

The "Gub" as he is sometimes called, has stated that he shares a few things with his character Dr. Reid. He is quick-witted, slightly OCD, and interested in odd things, but Gub doesn't have the eidetic memory of Dr. Reid.

Why would I write about an actor in an arts blog? Not only is a model, actor, writer, and director, he also draws. Mostly caricatures and self-portraits, but also some monsters.

He has a multilayered website entitled Gublerland, which is the universe in which his creations reside. It is packed with doodles and drawings and fun things to do. Urban Dictionary describes Gublerland as the "all-amazing, fascinating land where you, an intense fan of MGG can live your wonderful all-around-Mr. Gubler life."

In this wonderful land, one can get their own passport to be a well rounded citizen of Gublerland and explore all its wonders. You can write letters in which Geeselund the Mail Monster of Gublerland may respond to you per The Gub's request since he is a busy, busy man. From here you can access his photographs, finger puppets/small creations, and his art on his webpage. In which has an audio of him reciting Annabel Lee by Edgar Allen Poe.

Kermit and Vincent Price by MGG

Matthew Gray Gubler has a magic touch with a magic smile. I am enchanted each time I see his picture, not just because of his dashing good looks, but the genuineness behind them. He has many talents and his thankful for them and his fans.

The mustache isn't so bad.

*all images were taken from the internet. I DO NOT own any of them*

Food, Sleep, Sex, and Revenge

“There are four basic human needs; food, sleep, sex and revenge.”

― Banksy

Banksy is one of the most famous, or infamous depending on your outlook, artists in Britain today. He is a hidden identity, although many rumors of who he really is have surfaced. He earned his fame after graffiti-ing, or tagging, Bristol, England in the 1990's. Some call him an artist, as I do, others consider him a vandal, but one thing everyone agrees on; he is controversial and makes people think.

Banksy is an anonymous graffiti activist in Britain and around the world. His website, features his artwork and some information. He also provides images for his fans to use to create merchendise for themselves, but he points out that it's not okay to sell anything. Born in Bristol in 1974, he started as a free-hand vandal when he was 14. He later switched to stencils because he claims he wasn't very good at free-hand and it was too slow.

Banksy first appeared in Bristol, England in the early 1990's as part of a larger underground scene with Inkie, 3D, and others. He eventually spread around the world and has been noted in London, Vienna, San Francisco, Barcelona, Detroit, Paris, and Israel. His work has sold for thousands of dollars at auctions, including Ruined Lansdcape for $385,000. Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are among the many owners of Banksy works.

In 2006, an exhibition in Los Angeles was centered around an 8,000 pound elephant covered in red paint and fleur-de-lis patterns. Needless to say, animals rights activists were not so happy and they were ordered to wash the elephant. Flyers were handed out in the crowd and read something to mean "There's an elephant in the room...20 billion people live below the poverty line."

Much of his artwork has a message behind it and inspires many to think about their government and social stance. It is also rather hard to explain at times, and is much easier understood just by looking at the work. Banksy is an activist and self titled "art terrorist" and therefore creates more of an impact to society. If people don't know who he is, they look more into the artwork for meaning. Humans have a need for knowledge, and this causes people to remember his artwork since they have no real identity to pair with it.

“Art should comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable.”

― Banksy

His anonymity is part of who he is, and he runs his own narrative always keeping his identity hidden. He conducts interviews through both, but when he meets with someone face to face, he wears a creative paper bag to hide his identity. He uses the organization, Pest Control, to authenticate real Banksy work from imposters. Even the few that do know who he his will deny it, time after time, to keep the secret.

Here is a website with a series of GIFs created from Banksy work, including the following.






Banksy has also made a film in 2010, called Exit Through the Gift Shop. It is a documentary (Banksy style) about the creation and making of street art. The New York Times commented that is strongly comparable to his best work. The film was even on a list for on Oscar in the documentary category in 2010.

Banksy seems to have a heart for animals. They often stand in for humans, especially the rats. They appear in many of Banksy's pieces seeming to be fighting a war against an unseen enemy.

Banksy does not have a Twitter or Facebook account.

The entity that is Banksy is not just an anonymous artist, but is a force towards change. 

“People who get up early in the morning cause war, death and famine.”

― Banksy, Banging Your Head Against a Brick Wall   

For more images click here. This is a site with over 100 Banksy originals.

*I do NOT own any of the above images*

Pardee and his Monsters

Alex Pardee is one of my personal favorite artists. He was born in Antioch, California on February 5, 1976. (According to Wikipedia, anyway) The first piece of his artwork I saw was the artwork for THE USED's album, "In Love and Death," they also happen to be my favorite band. I adored the art and looked into the artist and as I browsed more of his art, I fell in love. My favorite band + my favorite artist = my heaven.

"In Love and Death" by The Used; Art by Alex Pardee

He spent years fighting depression and anxiety, but dominated it with his love for art and creation. He also writes and loves to watch movies. His main medium is pen and ink, but also used markers, watercolors, and much more. In many of the interviews, bio's, and 'about me' sections, he says he loves you. Very much. That makes me glad because I love his art, and him too. He sounds awesome.

Owlex by Pardee

He has also done more album art for THE USED, as well as AIDEN, IN FLAMES, STREET DRUM CORP, and others. His experience expands to include music videos, comics, calendars, and art for Warner Bros' motion picture SUCKER PUNCH. He has worked for Hurley International and Twenty Twenty Skateboards. He also worked on the WB's web series "Chadam," where there are ten webisodes. Chadam was also featured on THE USED's album "Lies for the Liars."

Concept art for Sucker Punch by Pardee

Pardee's concept  and figurine

Pardee is listed as a freelance artist, clothing designer, and comics creator. He claims to have been artistically influenced by The Maxx, The Garbage Pail Kids, Spawn, and Tales from the Crypt, while being overly influenced by 80's horror flicks, pop art, graffiti, and gangster rap.

live action Chadam and friends, by Pardee

He has his own art and clothing label called Zerofriends, which includes a couple other artists and a store in Oakland, CA. If I ever visit Cali, that's the first place I'll go...maybe only place. I won't have any money left after I leave the building.

Monster Urkel by Pardee

Alex Pardee's blog, EyeSuckInk, where he talks about his stuff, stuff he likes, and random stuff. It's full of neat stuff. Once in a while he'll mention his girlfriend, Chloe Rice, whom also has a blog. It's like everyone has a blog these days, sheesh.

Pardee has a small series of drawings and toys called Bunnywith. They consist of bunnies with something attached, wrong, controlling, or otherwise disturbing about them.

Bunnywith Intro 

One of the Bunnywith plushies

Pardee also creates parodies of characters, (the Urkel image above), along with many, many, many original monsters. It has been difficult to write this because I keep getting distracted looking at the art and learning about him. It's been hard to choose what goes into this blog, I think it's all so fantastic and inspiring.

Here is a wonderful interview between Lloyd Harvey and Alex Pardee that I was fond of and needed to share.

**The links may not be the official site, but it is further referencing the art or music.**
**I do NOT own any of the above images**