Andrew J Heffron is a Canadian artist, designer, prop maker, special effects wizard and toy creator who first came to ‘Art Whore’s attention thanks to his ‘Lab Monkey Number 9’ persona.

As ‘LMN9’ Andrew creates beautifully crafted resin toys. Under his own name however, is were Andrew’s other talents appear – working with world renowned toy company ‘Spin Master’, designing props for international TV shows, and releasing highly decorative sculptural works.

Indeed, as Andrew states, he has art in his very bones!

I’ve been a creative creature since I was very little. I need to create or I break! I get all squirrelly and grumpy if I don’t  lol

It’s just in my heart and soul to make.

I can’t stop.

(A photo below of Andrew workinging on a large sculpture)

So, as Andrew exists as a constantly bubbling cauldron of artistic endevour – now is the perfect time to get to know the man, and his many varied creations, by reading the Art Talk Interview below…

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Natalie Michelle Watson is an Australian artist, designer and cartoonist who first came to our attention thanks to her lovingly self made magazine ‘Drongo’ – released under her ‘Drongo Press’ label.

Natalie, ‘Drongo’ and her art are unashamed with their sense of pride and nostalgia in Australian culture of the past – sentiments that we at ‘Art Whore’ wholeheartedly support!

With Natalie herself stating:

“Well I guess I started ‘Drongoʼ because I missed the old kiddy mags I used to read in the 90s.

I guess itʼs a nostalgic adultʼs response to Americanisation and the death of Australian culture. I remember, I had a little “Dinky Diary” in primary school, with kangaroos and koalas on it. I collected Oddbodz, and ‘Max Altitudeʼ memorabilia from Qantas. I loved ‘The Feralsʼ… I watched everything I loved about Australia slowly heave and die in the wake of globalisation.

‘Drongoʼ is the most Australian word I could think of, and is my way of attempting to claw back to that time, if only for a moment.“

(Photo below of Natalie reading an issue of ‘Drongo’)

With Natalie working on both issue number 4 of ‘Drongo’ and her new creation ‘Show Dogs’ we thought now was the perfect time to get to know just how rad both Natalie and her art are, by reading the Art Talk Interview below…

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Elliot is an Australian artist, designer, director, animator, curator, vandal and head of the world famous ‘Loser Unit’ crew.

We at Art Whore feel that not only is Elliot himself making some of the most important art in Australia right now, his work as a scene builder with his ‘Loser Unit’ crew elevates him to pure Art-Mensch status. The man can do it all himself, and pushes others to do the same.

In summery – Elliot is a veritable Sad Boy Andy Warhol for these internet-everywhere-and-everything times.

Beginning as a zine in Perth, Western Australia – ‘Loser Unit’ quickly became an artistic force. A multi member crew producing art shows, murals, videos and more. All done under the watchful eye of Elliot himself. As Elliot has grown, so too has ‘Loser Unit’ and the artists within it.

Symbiotic style.

(Photo below of a ‘Loser Unit’ crew tattoo)

And what about Elliot himself? Well having recently moved from his hometown of Perth, to the larger city of Melbourne (in Victoria) we thought it now would be a good time to pick his brain about it all… art, life, graffiti, computer games, memes and much more.

So without further ado, get to know Elliot and ‘Loser Unit’ by reading his Art Talk interview below…

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Moss Kief is an Australian artist bringing equal parts humour and rage to the masses with his graff, music and illustrations. Far from being commercial, or part of any real art scene, Moss creates the art he wants to create, for himself and his friends.

Or as the man himself states:

I wouldn’t describe myself as an artist, I’m just a cunt who listens to too much Cannibal Corpse and can draw at a competent level.

And the result? Works that are unique, brutal and beautiful. Touching upon some of the greats of art history such as Goya and Raymond Pettibon.

So without further ado, get to know ole Moss – both the art and the man, by reading his interview below…

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Mike McGann is an Australian artist who was prolific in the Australian Sci Fi scene in the 1970s and 80s. Back then Mike’s work could be found gracing the inside of zines, flyers for conventions and most notably, on t-shirts Mike would screen print himself, at home.

Mike and his art comes from a period in sci fi fandom before the ease of digital technology and the internet. Back when it was all done by hand, and exchanged via mail-order or at sporadically held conventions. The fandom of this period was personal, DIY and punk as fuck. We love it.

And today? Well me discovered Mike and his work when he was selling some screen printed t-shirts at a pop-culture collectibles fair in Hurstville, NSW; in Australia earlier this year. We instantly fell in love with both Mike and his work.

Sadly, Mike has pretty much no online presence – He’s 64 and doesn’t have a computer or smart phone. BUT when we met up a second time a while back, he gave us lots of binders of his work and said we can scan em up and post em online to share with the world!

Now… You may be wondering how you can get in touch with Mike or order his work after seeing the images below. And… Well… The short answer is you can’t.

Mike is a face to face person for the time being. BUT we here at Art Whore are planing to do what we can to bring Mike’s art to the masses. So stay tuned for developments. AND as always, if you really must know more. RIGHT NOW. Just get in touch via email: contactartwhore@gmail.com

And finally? Highlights of some of Mike’s art – from two portfolios he self published in 1986 – below…

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Crack Cartoons is a young American artist who hit us up asking us to look at her work, and consider her for a “feature”… Well… We here at ‘Art Whore’ respect the hustle and also dug ole Crack’s work, so we asked her to take part in the ole Art Talk series of interviews so both ourselves, and our dear readers, could find out more about her.

(Art by Crack Cartoons below)

Read it all, below…

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Bob Conge is an American multidiscplinary artist who first came to our attention thanks to his art toy works released under the ‘Plaseebo’ brand. Born in 1939 Mr. Conge has seen many trends come and go over the years, but he has forever remained his own man, pursuing a lifelong dedication to the arts – in all it’s forms.

Indeed, whilst many know Bob primarily through his art toy works; that aspect of his work spans only 10 years of over 60 spent as a professional artist. During that time Mr Conge has taught, run an art gallery, worked as a freelance designer, gained respect and adoration for his paintings, fell in love with vintage toys and much much more – the very definition of a fully lived lifetime in the arts.

(Photo below of a Nightgamer sofubi by Bob / ‘Plaseebo’)

With Mr Conge and ‘Plaseebo’ continuing to push artistic boundaries now is the perfect time to read one of the most revealing and insightful interviews we have had the opportunity to do, below…

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Cal of ‘Cal’s Customs’ + ‘Zumps’ fame is an Australian toy designer making major waves in the global pop art sphere thanks to his sculpting skills and the amazing world he has created with his ‘Zumps’ creatures.

Fans, foes and friends can find Cal most days in his lair – the ‘Calstars‘ shop in Newtown, New South Wales, Australia. Here he can be found working on his plans for world domination via designer toys, art and pop culture!

(Photo below of Cal in his lair)

With Cal constantly evolving as an artist – word on the street his newest figures have magnetic articulation – and making major waves as mentioned with his ‘World of Zumps’, now is the perfect time to get to know the man and his creations, by reading the Art Talk interview below…

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Glenn Manders (also of ‘Bad Teeth Comics‘) and Jason Ramke are the two gents behind ‘Soft Vinyl Mayhem’ – an art toy show held annually in Brisbane. Debuting in 2015 ‘SVM’ exists to showcase the work of the global soft vinyl toy art scene, right here in Australia.

For fans or newcomers to the world of art toys, shows like ‘SVM’ provide the rare chance to see these works up close and in personal. We can’t recommend attending enough!

(Photo below of Jason and Glenn preparing some uncut soft vinyl toys)

So with the 3rd ‘Soft Vinyl Mayhem’ show on September 15 – September 24 now is the perfect time to find out all about it, via the show’s curators, the aforementioned Glenn and Jason.

Check it all out, below…

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