‘Crummy Gummy’ is an American pop artist working in a vast array of mediums – street art, photography, sculpture and digital works – who first caught ole Art Whore’s eye back in 2013 thanks to his art toy creations made in collaboration with Manny X.

(Picture below of one of the many ‘Crummy Gummy’ sculptural works)

‘Crummies’ work is filled with a childish joy, combined with the realities of modern adult life – unemployment, violence, sexually transmitted disease and war.

With lots in the works and a new art toy just released, now is the perfect opportunity to get to know ole ‘Crummy Gummy’ and his world, by reading the Art Talk below…

Basics/Getting to Know

Name + D.O.B?

First Name Crummy Last Name Gummy.

80’s kid.

(Picture of ole ‘Crummy Gummy’ himself, below)

City, State n Country you currently call home?

Orlando, FL, USA

City, State n Country your from?

See above

(Picture below of some ‘Crummy Gummy’ street art)

Describe a memory from three stages of yr life ….basically trying to piece together your pivotal moments. Concerts, art, action-figures, romance, school, crime… ANYTHING!

* age 5 – beginnings:

I witnessed my pet hamster eat its babies…..

* age 10 – continuations:

Stop having pets for awhile.

* age 15 – getting serious:

Really into sports: did swimming and Waterpolo in high school and loved it!

* age 20 – young adult:

College years, also when I started to take art more seriously.

* age 30 – adult mode:

Loving life and counting my blessings.

Also working very hard on my art career.

(Picture below of a custom Mad L figure by ‘Crummy Gummy’)

Personal motto?

Pretty much cutting the negative people out of your life and do what every the Hell makes you happy.

Favorite band(s)?

Big fan of all music but punk holds a special place in my heart.

Rancid, NOFX, Pennywise etc.

Favorite TV show(s)?

Pretty much anything superhero related: Daredevil, Flash, Arrow, Gotham and Bobs Burgers (Not super hero related).

Favorite sport(s) + teams?

Orlando Magic (Unfortunately L), Orlando City Lions and I’m glued to the TV because it’s playoff time in the NBA.

(Picture below of some art by ‘Crummy Gummy’)

Favorite movie(s)?

This is a tough one: Bronx Tale, Guardians of the Galaxy, Chopper, The Jinx (documentary), The Exorcist, Childs Play, Clockwork Orange and a countless other horror movies.

Favorite books and comics?

I like to read a bunch of biography’s, most recently Mike Tyson. Dude had a crazy life.  As for comics, TMNT, Spider-Gwen, Star Wars (Darth Vader story line) and Descender.

Art Questions

Why the name ‘Crummy Gummy’?

When my gummy photographs started to get popular people had a real hard time remembering my real name. So I created Crummy Gummy, because it’s easy to remember and plus I always had the gummy bears hurting each other.

It kinda made sense.

Favorite other artist(s)?

I have a bunch and I have been fortunate enough to meet some really cool artists: Alex Pardee, Slinkachu, Kaws, Hanksy the list goes on and on.

Worst aspect of the contemporary art-hustle?

There is a lot of people who talk a big game and never come through, so you have to navigate through the bullshit.

Best aspect of the contemporary art-hustle?

Meeting fans, learning from other amazing artists.

Do you consider what you are making to be ‘art’, ‘design’, re-hashed crap?

Art.

(Pictures below of some ‘Crummy Gummy’ art in the wild + the associated original)

When and why did you first start making ‘art’ (drawings, paintings, anything)?

I grew up watching my mother paint Colombian landscapes as a kid, so I started to draw and such at an early age.

What did you draw as a pre-teen child?

Tons of Comic book stuff.

What did you draw as a teen?

More Comic book stuff plus Dragon Ball Z.

A crap load of Dragon Ball Z.

Any pivotal artistic moment/influence?

In college, while taking a humanities class, my professor just blew my mind about Contemporary art and that got my gears in motion.

Why + when did you decide to go in on the art hustle?

When I realized I truly loved it. Including all aspects of it such as the creative side and business side.

Describe the method of making a ‘Crummy Gummy’ work? (dot point all o.k.)

* your street art – such as theR2D2 inspired dumpster you painted?

I was commissioned by the city of Orlando to paint a dumpster on Mills Ave.  (Close to downtown).

I thought to myself what should I paint?

If somebody was walking by what would want them to snap a photo of it. So the Star Wars geek in me came up with R2-D2.

(Pictures below of the R2-D2 Dumpster by ‘Crummy Gummy’)

* your paste-up work?

I love photography, so being able to photograph a toy make it large scale and have it interact with the environment excites me very much.

It is still one of my most favorite creative outlets.

(Picture below of a paste up by ‘Crummy Gummy’ in the wild)

* your sculptural work – such as your art toys?

I’m a big fan of the vinyl/resin toy scene, so it was only a matter of time I explored that route. Being able to create affordable art in s 3D scale is so much fun.

I also have to thank my homie Manny X with his help on that.

(Pictures below of some of the many ‘Crummy Gummy’ sculptural works)

* your photographic work – such as your ‘Toy Talk’ series?

That was a series I did for a solo show I had at the Redefine Gallery in Orlando, Fl. Basically an extension of my wheatpaste work.

The whole idea was “What would that toy have to say if they could talk?

(Pictures below of some works from the ‘Crummy Gummy’ Toy Talk series)

Your initial resin works were collaborations with Art Whore’s pal Manny Romero…

* how did you and him come to collaborate?

He found one of my classic Crummy Gummy Kid stickers on Melrose and he found me on instagram and reached out.

We have been working together for over 2 years now and I consider him a good friend.

Random fact He also made me meditate once at his place. He also tried to get me to drink something that was green, but that’s where I put an end to it.

Those crazy LA people…..

* any thing else in the works with Manny?

My new Series “The Four Faced Gummy” Currently showing and available at PiqProducts.com and in there store located in Universal Studios Citywalk Orlando.

(Pictures below of the just released Four Faced Gummy figure – both the original digital sculpt + the finished resin work)

What ON EARTH possessed you to make giant masks out of gummy bears?

I ask myself that too sometimes, especially because it’s such a pain in the ass. It was curiosity pretty much.

I figured it would really be visually catching to combine two things I love. Gummy Bears and masks.

(Pictures below of some gummy bear masks, by ‘Crummy Gummy’)

What was it like working with Art Whore Approved artist ‘Atomic Vomit’ on your Crummy Gummy mask – seen in the feature image to this interview?

Very smooth, that guy has so much talent and really made what I drew come to life. And I am such a horror fan that making this mask happen was one of the coolest experiences I have had in my art career.

It is still one of my favorite things I have done.

The mask is currently on the desk of the computer I am typing this on.

What was it like collaborating on a mural with Boy Kong back in 2013?

Boy Kong and I are both from Orlando and good friends.

I invited him to jump on that wall during Art Basel and it was actually the first mural he has ever painted. The guy has so much talent at such a young age it’s incredible.

We might be doing something together again later in the year if everything pans out.

(Picture below of the ‘Boy Kong’ x ‘Crummy Gummy’ collab)

In the graffiti scene there is a friction between what seems to be a desire for recognition – namely placing stickers and art all over public spaces – and a reluctance to be interviewed, set up an online presence and all of those other ‘normal’ art hustle things…

Care to explain and elaborate this for those at home?

I can’t really speak for other artists and what they do.

I mean you don’t want to get caught, and doing interviews is a pretty easy way doing so.

Odds n Ends

What role did toys play in your childhood?

A huge part, just look at me now.

I’m just a big kid who loves art and toys.

The word on the street is that you will be visiting Australia aka Convict Town this year…

* When are you coming and were will you be visiting man – stalkers take note!?

I wish I was heading out to Australia, but I am actually just taking part in a group show “One Sugar To Go” in East Perth.

* Any initial thoughts on Australia you would care to share?

Just that I imagine the insects to be the size of  pigs and anything can kill me.

Other than that I hear it’s a pretty nice place to visit.

What role has the humble gummy bear played in your artistic and personal life?

Well artistically they got me noticed in the art world.

Personally, they taste good.

‘Star Wars’ is a constant theme in your work…

* favorite Star Wars character?

Darth Vader

* thoughts on the upcoming films?

That I will be first in line to watch it!

* what role has Star Wars played in you personal and artistic life?

Creatively it’s one of the best movies of all time. And because I am such a nerd for the movies it’s just manages to show up often in my work.

(Picture below of some ‘Crummy Gummy’ art)

You discussed the importance of comic book conventions to your art practice in your 2015 interview with ‘Spook Magazine’…

* what are your thoughts on the current status of the convention scene/circuit?

As artists it can be great exposure and revenue. You make a lot of contacts and future collaborations.

As a fan they are so fun to go too.

You could just people watch all day and it would still be a good time.

* funniest con memories?

Seeing a trio cosplay as the Human Centipede.

That’s commitment.

Please describe your experiences growing up in America?

Coming from immigrant parents and also traveling the world and seeing how people live in different countries, I feel I was very blessed to be born in this country.

There are opportunities that you just don’t always have in other parts of the world.

I probably could have cut back on fast food, but other than that I love it.

(Picture below of some ‘Crummy Gummy’ art)

Who was your 1st crush and why?

Man, we are going way back to pre-school.

Her name was Valerie and she was a blonde hottie. Well to me back then, that came out creepy….

Does sex change everything?

Hell Yes!

Please describe your latest dream in detail…

I had a dream that I was a fetus in my mother’s womb and farted.

Then that fart traveled up to her mouth and she burped.

Not sure what that means….

Have you ever tried psychedelics of any sort? And what was the experience like?

Nope, I don’t like not being in control.

Of everything you have done what would you most like to be remembered for and why?

That I was a good person and my art made you laugh.

(Picture  below of one of the iconic ‘Crummy Gummy’ stickers)

Drugs – waste of time or gateway to the universe?

Not my thing. But if you want to try it, go for it.

I just never saw the appeal in it.

The Future

Any collaborations on the horizon?

I will be doing an artist series where they will be customizing my newest figure “The Four Faced Gummy” so stay tuned for that.

Any major projects you want to hype?

Yes, I recently became business partners with my friends Peter Van Flores and Steve Parker in running the Redefine Gallery in Orlando, FL.

You can check us out at Redefinegallery.com and on instagram  @Redefinearts.

I also have more shows planned with PIQ and expect to see me at NYCC this year.

Links

• Crummy Gummy – site
• Crummy Gummy – online store
• Crummy Gummy – Instagram
• Crummy Gummy – Facebook
• Crummy Gummy – twitter