Today we’d like to introduce you to Manny “Pirate Robot” Rodriguez, .
Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
I was really into drawing as a kid. I had a ton of coloring books that I would scribble on. My parents bought me a kid’s drawing desk with a whiteboard that I would spend most of my time on.
I got really into The Simpsons as a kid, and I would record the episodes on VHS so I could pause and draw what I saw on the screen. To this day I still draw some of those characters from time to time just with my own little twist.
I began doing street art in high school around 2004. A few friends and I would hang out and make hand made posters and stickers, and we would go out to the streets at night and wheat paste them all over. After an encounter with the police, I decided that street art was not for me and I wanted to try something different. I started experimenting with acrylic paints on canvas and have been painting ever since.
Please tell us about your art.
I paint pop and surrealism art as well as digital work. I usually place comic strips on to a canvas and paint pop culture characters in my style which I call “exposed” I add Exposed skeleton sections to the characters as well as robot parts giving the pop icons my own twist. For example, I’ll do a Bart Simpson with a laser eye and robotic arm and leg while the other arm and leg are bones. After I’m done painting the pieces, I then cover them in resin to give them a glass appearance. It definitely brings the paintings to life.
I’m not going to give an artsy cliche answer to what the message or inspiration for my work is because at this current moment in my artist journey there is none. I just want people to enjoy the paintings and illustrations. I hope it gives the viewer a sense of nostalgia. I want others to feel joy viewing my work and maybe even spark ideas in other artists the way some of my favorite artists sparked ideas in me.
Do you have any advice for other artists? Any lessons you wished you learned earlier?
Follow your passion! Don’t be discouraged by people who don’t like your work; you can’t win them all.
How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
People can find my work on Instagram on IG @PirateRobot as well as my website www.PirateRobotArt.com.
I am also working with Bandai Japan for a collaboration With Gloomy Bear which will include toys, apparel, and paintings that will be available in Japan later on this year.
In the United States, I will be at Designer Con in November.
Make sure to follow me on Instagram I will post on there if any other events pop up.
Contact Info:
- Address: Instagram: PirateRobot
- Website: www.PirateRobotArt.com
- Email: piraterobot714@gmail.com
- Instagram: PirateRobot
Image Credit:
PirateRobot
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