Growing up just miles from New York City helped feed my constant need to see new things. One thing that has fueled my current work is urban scrawl. Graffiti on the sides of buildings, posted bills on a construction sites, and lampposts layered with stickers promoting propagandists. The city is a constantly evolving organism that has its own unique beauty. You can walk down a street in Lower Manhattan and see urban walls tagged with graffiti and walk down the same street a week later only to find that it is vastly different. The majestic signage and layered landscape of typography that is the city is amazing. I seek to create an image that makes you feel like you're on a city street being bombarded with advertisements, street signs, and discarded paper.
The thin-line between tragedy and comedy is also pervasive in my art. It is amazing how broad the spectrum of humor is. It is a delicate balance between what some people will find offensive and others find absolutely hilarious. It is a tight rope I love to traverse and when I'm able to make someone smile or laugh I feel I've accomplished my goal.
My process is quite random and doesn't have much sketching of the final composition. Most of the objects that I use are found pieces of paper from the street and miscellaneous junk mail. I have a particular fondness for stamped random numbers that are found on parking tickets. I try to use images from the past, type from foreign language magazines, and drawings from my own sketchbook that I feel strong about. Then I apply acrylic paint on top of those sketches and images to complete the piece. By working in such a random manner, it is very satisfying when this process works.
Direct sales are allocated exclusively to EK Allocation List members at a 10% discount. Orders of 6+ bottles save an additional 50% off shipping. New releases ship twice a year, once in the spring and again in the fall. Join EK Allocation List
CUSTOMIZED ALLOCATIONS
You may customize your spring and fall allocations any way you like, from 0–12 bottles of each wine. (Small-lot and list-only wines will have lower limits.) To modify your allocations, click on MY ALLOCATION above. Join EK Allocation List
REORDERS
Wines often sell out at or close to release, so we encourage making the most of your spring and fall allocations. As long as wine remains, you are welcome to reorder online through our EK Special Order store. Or contact John Gillis at john@erickentwines.com or 415.244.9453.
