Neck Face and The Infamous Thrasher Cover
Neck Face, the awesome graffiti artist from Stockton, California, is probably someone you've heard of if you're into that scene. His art is all about humor and has this cool medieval vibe with blood and violence. He's totally in tune with skate culture and has this unique style that sets him apart from the rest.
His early life & education
Growing up in a big family, Neck Face spent a ton of time at his brothers' graffiti shop in Stockton. It wasn't long before he started tagging the streets during high school. He even went to art school in New York, but he quickly realized it sucked and dropped out.
While in New York, Neck Face made new friends by skating around the city. At night, when no one was looking, he would leave his mark on walls. He didn't care what people thought because he didn't know anyone there.
Career & Work
Neck Face has worked with all the rad brands like Nike, Vans, Thrasher, Baker, and more. One of his big moments was when he did the first Thrasher cover without a skater on it. That really put him on the map in the skate community.
His style is influenced by bathroom graffiti, you know, those drawings and words you find on bathroom walls. He uses bold colors and letters to say what's on his mind, whether it's about politics, love, or just being plain rude.
He's had tons of exhibitions, over 10 solo shows and collaborations with other artists. His first exhibition was in California back in 2004, called "Witch Hunt." He's even gone international with shows like "Killed or be Killed" in Hong Kong.
Here's something cool: Neck Face teamed up with Vans and got to work with The Simpsons. They made these sick shoes, and he got to draw Bart Simpson as a skeleton. The release was a big deal, and those shoes now go for a crazy amount of money.
He has 2 Books
Neck Face has also written two books. The titles alone, "Neck Face: Satan's Bride!!!" and "Neck Face - The Devil Made Me Do It," sound super interesting. They're basically collections of photos showing off his art and him doing his thing, whether it's painting or busting out skate tricks.
It all started when Neck Face went back home to Stockton for Thanksgiving. Bored out of his mind in his small town, he started commuting to San Francisco to paint and skate. The SF skate scene was small back then, so his art caught everyone's attention.
One day, a local newspaper called Bay Guardian interviewed Neck Face, and that's when Jake Phelps, the Thrasher editor, heard about him. They hit it off, and Jake asked Neck Face to do a cover for the magazine. Neck Face was stoked, but he messed up the first sketch by forgetting to put a skater in it. Jake was like, "Dude, we're a skate mag! Where's the board?" But he got it right on the second try, and the rest is history.
