Interview with Lowbrow Artist Kelly Campanile

Images and Article provided by Jeff Najar at HP Marketers.

Step into the captivating realm of artist Kelly Campanile, a maestro of the Lowbrow
subculture of art. What sets her apart is not just her mastery of unconventional subject
matter, but her ability to breathe life into her creations with a distinct, irreverent tone.

This is one of Kelly’s iconic pieces: a dragon. It takes flight on an unconventional
canvas—a BIG FRIG Growler. This masterpiece isn’t just a static work of art; it’s an
experience waiting to be guzzled.

The thrill doesn’t end there—Kelly’s dragon, living and breathing on the Growler, takes
center stage at the Flying Piston Benefit's "Drink the Art" online auction. (Details at
www.FlyingPistonBenefit.com )

Join us as we unravel the mind behind the art, where every stroke tells a story and
every color sparks imagination.

Q: Describe the design that you created for the Drink the Art competition at the Flying
Piston Benefit.

A: It’s my idea of my character with the dragons. It’s like the Ed Hardy dragon mixed
with some Disney shit going on there. So, you know, I always feel like the flames and
the dragon are like tattoos, like imagery. So it's a few different things mixed together in a
graffiti style.

Q: What medium did you use?

A: So, I used one shot sign painter enamel paint and a couple of coats of clear coat. It
should it should be durable with respect to being washed and all that stuff. Because you
got the best quality you can get on there.

Q: What do you think of painting on a growler? How was that experience?

A: I sort of sketch it out and create the thumbnail on a piece of paper. And map it out
like you would with a tattoo because you have to think about the shape of it. It’s almost
like it’s a 3D shape. So it helps to think about that way. Now, I think it was fun. But then,
it was hard. It’s hard not to smear the One Shot paint. That’s certainly the difficult part.
And it’s not an easy medium, but I am like stoked to practice with it.

Q: How would you describe your artistic style and how it’s developed over the course of
your career?

A: I would describe it as a depraved Lowbrow cartoon. It’s improved over the years
because of learning how to tattoo has taught me a few things about blending techniques
and placement.

Q: What do you do in the motorcycles industry?

A: I like gas tanks. I really like custom gas tanks.

Q: What is your creative process when developing a piece of art?

A: Sure. So its a lot of coffee or a lot of beer, and then pacing, and lastly, a lot of
sketching. Once you get that down, I just go for it. And then the painting part for me is
the reward, you know, so it’s the prep, that’s the hard part.

Q: So, I noticed no cannabis in your in your process. Is that for a lack of trying?

A: No, no weed. You know, I have been non-stop partying since October. And, well, I
have plenty of shit from Colorado that a buddy gave me and I was thinking about doing
dry January. So I might switch over to this Colorado shit and see what I come up with.

Q: Talk about the themes and subjects that consistently appear in your work.

Um, so I guess it’s the punk rock scene and you know, just, they’re kind of the
characters are just like, strung out and partying, you know, almost like they’ve been
doing that for days straight. Kinda like, you know, just live-life-fast type of shit.

Q: So, are you saying this is autobiography art?

A: Yes.

Enthusiasts have the exclusive opportunity to own a piece of Kelly’s creativity, etched
onto a canvas that defies tradition. You can see it in person if you are attending Daytona
Bike Week. Plan on meeting us for breakfast. It kicks off on Monday, March 4, 2024 at
Teddy Morse’s Daytona Harley-Davidson dealership.

Proceeds go to buy bikes for kindergartner P.E. classes across the country. We’ve
helped to train over 150,000 kiddos.

LINKS:
Details are at www.FlyingPistonBenefit.com
Artist: https://www.instagram.com/kellycampanile/