Artists

Artist Guest – Chris Wood (BIGCHRIS)
BIGCHRIS is a professional graphic artist with an emphasis on color illustration. His resume reflects an extensive and remarkable assortment of artistic outlets. BIGCHRIS has lent his distinctive “DarkPop” style to a variety of projects over his 17 year career. This profession found him working on video game titles such as Halo 2 and Pirates of the Caribbean Online, and in the music industry providing art development for the likes of KoRn, System of a Down and Dokken. Continuing from there to comics, magazine covers, national TV commercials and Hollywood movies. BIGCHRIS has developed his skills to cover a broad range of development and hopes to continue to push the borders of his artistic presence to the far corners of the world (or at least his neighborhood… whichever comes first). He currently resides in Mesa, Arizona with his beautiful wife Beth and their 3 children.

 

Artist Guest – Jacob Charles Dietz
Jacob Charles Dietz is an internationally published artist and illustrator working in both traditional and digital mediums. His work primarily encompasses future noir and science fiction themes with much of it leaning on the darker, grittier side of things. Bridging the gap between the now and the then, Jacob’s work is constructed with layer upon layer of detail and almost always includes elements of the 21st century making even the most foreign of places seem strangely familiar. His illustrations have appeared on various book covers, posters and products, in both small and big screen productions as well as in numerous magazines and newspapers worldwide.
Born and raised in Seattle, Washington, Jacob now makes his home in the Sonoran desert, far away from the gray skies and soggy streets of Seattle. His work is most definitely influenced by his years in the eclectic Seattle art scene and this is reflected in his flexible, but unmistakable style.

He attended the University of Washington before dropping out in favor of a small fine arts finishing school housed in an old hat factory in downtown Seattle. He trained extensively in the art of traditional illustration while exploring multiple avenues in the fine arts before making a go at painting for a living. After several years and a solid gallery following, Jacob began illustrating full time and made the jump to working digitally. To this day he continues to leverage traditional mediums in his digital work citing his love for the organic, painterly styles of years gone by.

Jacob lives with his wife in Phoenix, Arizona, their young son Henry Charles and a one-eyed cat named Buddy. He has a ridiculous collection of Star Trek and Star Wars toys that he still manages to store at his parents house, though he dreads the day they send him a bill for years of back storage.

 

 

 

Artist Guest – Mark Greenawalt
Mark Greenawalt has been interested in art since childhood. Even his kindergarten report card commented on his artistic talents. In 2000, Greenawalt moved to Arizona and started planning ideas for bodypaintings. The first was a spider and web on a friend’s back. More recent accomplishments include bodypainting stints at the Playboy Mansion, work in the traveling roadshow “The Body Art Ball“, being an instructor at the first U.S. Bodypainting Competition in NM, end projects for major brands such as Budlight, Maxim, Tuaca. Heineken, Smirnoff. Camel. Dos Equis, and Playboy Magazine. He has completed over 400 bodypainting projects and has plans for many more. Two of his later film projects are included in IMDB. He is expanding his reach by doing new projects in illustration and multi-media art. His domestic bliss includes a wife and two boys.