CALVARIA: is the Latin word for skull. I have always been captivated with mortality; the condition of being mortal, or susceptible to death; the opposite of immortality. I Have been painting and tattooing skulls for the past few years, simply because I enjoy it, and I like the reminder of my own mortality. The skull is both a metaphor for mortality and a complete structural and textural painting challenge. I have gathered a collection of most of the skull paintings and tattoos I’ve done over the past few years. These have been printed on the highest quality paper with the highest quality ink, and bound, by hand with the best care taken to make sure this book will last a lifetime. I have chosen a leatherette cover to accommodate the mindsets that would find real leather compromising to their values. The 12"x 12" cover has been given a blind deboss with a custom die I designed. I have reached for the simplicity and elegance I see in Japanese culture. These books are a true limited edition of only five hundred printed copies. I will sign and number them by hand. I believe in rarity. I’ve always been one to strive for something that not everyone has, or can obtain. I like the idea that, as in life, opportunities come, and opportunities go. I have saved every dollar I could, I have not paid bills for months, and I also borrowed money to get these books printed. I could have had thousands printed for way cheaper in China or something like that, but I chose to go with a high end handmade product from North America. It’s been a gamble, but it’s been a gamble I believe in, and am willing to risk. I plan on having a signed and numbered limited edition print available to purchase with each of the first two hundred copies, if you so choose. I also plan on having stickers, t shirts and a poster that will compliment the book. These are all in the works. but the first two hundred books have been paid for and are on their way. I wanted to give you the opportunity to pre order your copy now. I will be selling these numerically on a first come first serve basis. I am willing to take requests on specific numbers, also on a first come first serve basis, but cannot promise your requested number will be available. Traditionally, limited edition artwork was sold numbered because the printing plates would wear over time and the quality would diminish. These days the quality is consistent but there’s something about getting a low number in an edition that tends to add more value. This blog is basically a sneak peak of this project because I’m very excited to offer a full collection of these skull pieces, including twenty one lithograph quality, high resolution scans of paintings that are available in limited editions, and thirty five professional quality photographs of paintings never scanned for reproduction. That’s fifty six of my skull paintings in one place. Even my most inexpensive promotional prints I sell at shows for ten bucks would cost you $560 to have all of these. I have also printed thirty two studio photographed skull tattoos I’ve done from here in the US , in the UK, and Japan. Eighty eight signature marked pages with two introduction pages explaining how I came to be known as “That guy that does skulls.” There are two velum pages one with a Gogue Art skull logo watermark, and the other over a portrait my daughter took of me, holding the skull that has been such an inspiration.
If you are interested in getting this book, please visit my shopping page on my website.
