Travis Keller (pictured above in a photo by Ollie Promblemas) is an American creative director, writer, publisher, record label executive, manager, skateboarder and all round artistic whirlwhind. Travis got his initial start in the art game as a photographer and skateboard video maker in his teens. Skills which took him to LA in the mid 1990s were he promptly founded cult culture website ‘Buddyhead’ with his best-friend-at-the-time, Mr. Aaron North.

Through ‘Buddyhead’, as well as his personable nature, friendship with ‘The Icarus Line’, writing, and photography skills; Travis spent the late 1990’s and 2000s immersed in the global music scene – running the ‘Buddyhead’ website, releasing records through ‘Buddyhead’, being a journalist, accompanying bands such as ‘Nine Inch Nails’, ‘Ink and Dagger’, and the aforementioned ‘Icarus Line’ on tour, hanging out with ‘At the Drive In’, getting wasted with ‘Oasis’, collaborating with Raymond Pettibon, and living life as a general cultural roustabout.

Through it all Travis has remained committed to art above all else.

Travis’ latest project is ‘American Primitive’ – an art crew that so far consists of Travis as creative director, as well as musician / producer / engineer Joe Cardamone, and filmmaker Jacob Mendel. Importantly, through Joe, ‘American Primitive’ have direct access to top of the line recording / performance facility ‘Valley Recording Company’, located in Bourbank, California.

A combination of people, skills, and equipment that allows ‘American Primitive’ to do pretty much anything art wise: shoot video, record music, edit, host concerts, plan events, and engage in the usual marketing, sales and hustling.

So far ‘American Primitive’ have released records, merchandise, videos, ephemera and more. With notable releases being Joe Cardamone’s post Icarus Line solo work ‘Holy War’, collaborations with Annie Hardy, releasing Italian musician Nero Kane‘s debut LP, as well as LA electronic goth group Hide‘s ‘Castration Anxiety’ LP, The Great Sadness‘s 2017 LP ‘Weep’, and Travis’ ‘Past Lives’ photography book.

(American Primitive logo, below)

Taking it back to the beginning, Travis centres the ‘why’ of his artistic drive and culture hustling skills with an origin tale baked in American small-town desolation and DIY ethics:

“My first art, like on my own will….  outside of school, was at 13 years old – living in Northern Idaho – and making skateboard videos of my friends and I. The local cable company in my hometown had a non-linear Super VHS editing system that people could use for public access. I taught myself. They would play them on the local cable access channel and we sold a couple thousand copies outta my parents garage for $7 a copy.

Oh and the why? Out Of sheer boredom, ever been to Northern Idaho? It’s a cultural void. Which I think, at least for me, made me create my own world and survive it. Until I could move to Los Angeles. So… outta boredom, survival and it was fun.“

So with Travis having recently launched his debut photography book ‘Past Lives’, and ‘American Primitive’ on the boil big time – now is the perfect time to get to know Travis, and ‘American Primitive’ by reading the Culture Talk below…

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Lewis Morley Jnr aka Lewis P Morley is an Australian artist, sculptor, toy maker, special effects craftsman, prop maker and all round creative wizard. We were introduced to Lewis thanks to our mutual acquaintance Mike McGann – as Mike, Lewis and fellow artist Marilyn Pride all lived together during the 1970’s in a self described sci-fi fan commune in Sydney, Australia.

Lewis was born in 1957 and is part of the first generation of children to grow up with television. He importantly also came of age in the 1960s, a time of sci fi, space exploration, pioneering work in stop motion / visual effects, comic books and toys – all inspirations that guide Lewis’ creative work to this very day. With Lewis himself stating:

“The wonder of childhood is still an important motivator for my work, on some level almost all the stuff I do is satisfying my inner child!“

Importantly, both of Lewis’ parents were also artists. His father being celebrated photographer Lewis Morley Snr, and his mother Patricia an accomplished illustrator. So it is safe to say that Lewis was destined by the gods themselves to lead a creative life! And indeed he has done just that.

(A photo of some of Lewis’ recent miniature art below)

Lewis has only just retired from his professional work, and is still making art of all types at a furious pace. So we decided to ask Lewis some questions about his many years in the Australian film industry, his father, Mike McGann, toys, comics, fandom, giant robots, and much much more.

Read it all, in the Art Talk Interview, below…

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Chance Priest is an American artist, sculptor and man of many talents – weapons making, hunting, snake wrangling, antique dealing, law enforcement and a whole lot more.

We fell in love with Chance’s art immediately upon discovering it early last year. We had never seen anything like it: 1960’s bold comic colours, cubist lines, storyboard-style movement, photo-realistic details and a unique singular vision.

As a result, we fell hard into the glorious rabbit hole of Chance’s creations. It’s a whole world – comics, paintings, sculptures and toys. All interconnected yet able to stand on their own.

Simply put? It’s pure art and we have never seen anything else like it before.

As Chance himself states, art for him is an unrelenting force. Something that he can’t ignore and must pursue above all else:

“I’m a 100% dedicated to my vision. And to be honest if nobody buys it I really don’t care; I’m at total peace with what I consider success. I will build on “my world” till the day I die, if my art sells then wonderful because I really want to share it. If it doesn’t sell then if will not hinder me in any way except for the time it takes to make end meet.“

(Photo below of Chance and some of his art)

With Mr. Priest our new favourite living artist, and the fact that the man himself is always working on something new to blow the mind of his fans – you must, we repeat MUST get hip to the man right now, by reading his Art Talk Interview below…

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The ‘Bein Narly’ festival is on all throughout March and April this year, in multiple venues in Sydney, Australia. It is DIY + Punk as fuck and 100% Art Whore Approved!

As head curator Glenno states:

“This festival is un-apologetically D.I.Y. – arts and craft, folk art (art that folks like) irreverent and heartfelt (low-brow if you like) and just fun in general. The core of this festival is a handful of amazing sponsors – no government funds – no waiting for things to magically happen – no huge axes to grind – some small but strong venues – a few volunteers and a whole heap of focussed enthusiasm.“

Well we thought it would be good to find out more about ‘Bein Narly’ by speaking to the show’s aforementioned curator, the ever epic Glenno – so we shot him a few questions about art in general and the ‘Bein Narly’ festival specifically.

(Photo below of a deliriously happy Glenno)

Read all about it below…

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Recently, we have become intrigued with the rise of the controversial practice of home tattooing. The DIY / punk as fuck alternative to the increasingly bureaucratic world of standard studio work. Home tattooing is raw, dangerous and intimate – attributes we at Art Whore value in any art.

Well, instead of a mere rant, we at Art Whore are blessed to be able to call a recent home tattooist as a dear friend – Namely Beat. So we decided to visit Beat, witness some home tattooing explore the art further.

Read all about it, below…

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(Picture above of Spider tattooing by @rol_or_die)

James aka ‘Spider Death’ is an Australian artist, tattooist and musician. A self described vagabond, Spider travels constantly around the globe: Russia, Japan, America and all over his native country of Australia to name a few. He is a soft and considered speaker, who explodes into a fireball of rage and energy when on stage singing. Attributes which are evident in his art.

Working primarily in black and white – Spider’s tattoos and art involve themes of violence, bondage and criminality. With references from classic illustration, Russian criminal tattoo, Japanese art and wood block printing.

(Picture below of a tattoo by James)

With Spider only recently unveiling his most recent band ‘Death Church’ and constantly pushing his art and tattooing, now is the perfect time to get to know the man, by reading the Art Talk below…

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Insuh Yoon is a Korean born, New York based artist and photographer. Working primarily with the female nude, Insuh’s work is evocative of the New York photography greats such as Larry Clark, Nan Goldin, Cindy Sherman, Ryan McGinly et al. Work that is erotic, personal, underground, provocative, filled with multiple themes, beautiful lightning and engaging composition.

Insuh is also an admirer and frequent collaborator with his fellow artists, models and friends – creating works that bounce off of each other in an almost endless feedback loop: photo to painting to photo to painting and on. To this end Insuh has collaborated with Bunny Lee, Frenchinald, Kelvis, Unfinished Lines, Sarah B. Whalen and many others – creating a multiplicity of artworks of various genre.

(Photo by Insuh, below)

With Insuh’s art finding more and more admirers and with his debut solo show ‘Flowerland’ just behind him now is the perfect time to get to know the man and his art, by reading the Art Talk, below…

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Henry aka ‘Henros’ is an Australian Photographer, Explorer and artist part of the rising UrbEx aka Urban Exploration scene (photographers, graffitti artists, street artists and more).

He explains his passion and reason for creation,

“This is simple to me, everyone wants to be known even after they die and I find making a mark is expressing yourself to everyone in society, showing the public what you do & what you believe in.

Expression is extremely important, everyone is becoming a slave to today’s laws and crazy policies, expression has to be exercised to remain sane and to do the things that you believe in, expression relies heavily on making a mark in my opinion.”

(Photo by ‘Henros’, below)

Henros has only recently turned his full devotion to photography, after years spent in the street art and graffiti worlds. And with a major buzz surrounding ‘Henros’ and the whole UrbEx scene in general, now is the perfect time to get schooled, by reading the Art Talk interview, below…

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