Artist BrianMViveros aka Brian Viveros hails from Corona, California and is an artistic force to be reckoned with. Although internationally renowned, Brian is relatively new to the Design By Humans community and apparel industry. His detailed, head-turning paintings have made extreme headway with our community and fans alike. Brian's infamous paintings feature a range of doe-eyed beauties straight from the battlefield. He creates these empowered women using a range of highly pigmented colors and stark lighting that make for some stunning t-shirt designs. Join the DirtyTroops as we find out what makes this twisted mind tick...
Introducing BrianMViveros: Commander Of The DirtyTroops
Q: Brian, tell us a little about your process and how you got started as an artist.
Well, I've been a little creative devil since the age of four, thats when I think I started drawing. Always drawing and drawing & writing out ideas & mapping things out. I even made splatter horror film as a kid with all my friends using the home video camera I took from my grandma. My process always starts with a rough sketch. Once I have the the right pose, which is most important for me, then I transfer a super tight pencil onto the maple board and start laying in the oils, building up the colors.
Q: You've been called a technical perfectionist because of your intense command of the canvas. Do you have any traditional schooling or are you self-taught?
No formal training. I'm a self taught artist and self taught madman. Started off doing underground comics when I got out of high school but then found my way into the fine arts when I met up with HR Gigers' agent Mr. Les Barany who got me in my first group exhibition which was held in Switzerland alongside HR Giger and many other greats I looked up to. Doing the exhibition thang really set me off in the direction that I want to go.
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Q: The strong women in your paintings seem to symbolize something very important to you. Do you mind sharing what inspired you to create these heroic beauties?
It is important to me that they represent STRENGTH & POWER! I've always been drawing the female figure as long as I can remember but things really clicked for me when I started painting & I did my first DirtyLand signature piece in 2006, which was for my first solo show that was held in Switzerland. I started to use elements I grew up with from boxing to bullfighting to Lucha Libre - everything that was me. So I included these elements into my female portraits & created this DirtyLand world of sensual, smoking doe-eyed bad girls. Say that three times >;-)
Q: In addition to your ferociously feminine subject matter, your use of dramatic lighting and strong pigmented color creates a kind of raw emotion for viewers - what do you hope people see in your work?
Well, I hope that the viewer becomes somewhat hypnotized by their look, their stare, their beauty, their power of luring you into their world for a second & making you think "what is the story behind this girl?" Well, that's for you to create and come up with. But just know this, that all of the women I paint are not victims in any way. Don't judge because you see blood. There is beauty in the blood & the splash of red. They are the heroes that have just stepped off a battlefield victoriously posing for me & my camera eye.
Q: The color red, and more specifically your use of red roses are two prominent elements in your artwork. What does it represent or stand for?
Red is passion, red is the fire, red is the blood in us all, plus it's my favorite color.
Q: It seems like you have a very devoted following - just who are the DirtyTroops?
That's my gang, you haven't heard of it - you have to smoke to be in it though and wear a helmet haha! It's
just something that started from an early painting I did called The DirtyTrooper and then as the following grew and I started getting tons of emails from fans doing there own photo interpretations and tattoos of my work - To me they just became this kindof DirtyTroop army. If you're wearing a Viveros shirt consider yourself a DirtyTrooper.
Q: We've heard that you're a big fan of film director Robert Rodriguez. Your artistic style seems similar to his portrayal of strong women in films like Sin City. What exactly draws you to his style of work?
There's kind of dirty grainy seventies vibe that I dig. I was actually a guest artist on a project he did with Blackberry for the fans called 'Two Scoops'.
Q: We understand you've been creating some films of your own as well (Dislandia and Southern, to name a few) What drove you to experiment with filmmaking?
Doing surreal films is a deep passion of mine. It's always been in me to make these art films. I've always been fascinated by classic silent films especially 'Un Chien Adalou' the silent surreal short film by Luis Bunuel & Salvador Dali. For me it's something I just do and don't really think about it. My full length surreal film 'Southern' was featured on Sundance channel with a behind the scenes look as we were making it. You can view my films for FREE at my underground film site at www.dislandia.com.
Q: What got you interested in printing your paintings on t-shirts?
I did T-Shirts for the fans. We had gotten tons of emails & I always wanted to make it happen for the fans. Putting some of my most iconic images on T-shirts was something I always wanted to do & I'm glad that now there is a home where the fans can get - these exclusive tees here @ DBH.
Q: Tell us something about you that might surprise our community.
I do all paintings blindfolded HA! Just kidding around, umm lets see. I have and collect helmets & crazy head gear. I have all sorts of vintage helmets and strange head wear. I also have a collection of human skulls that watch me paint.
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Q: You just finished your "Dirty Dozen" show in New Orleans - can you tell us a little about the exhibition?
From what I heard it went really well. I wasn't able to make it, I was busy down here working on a documentary but it was a special exhibition of 12 Dirty Dozen amazingly talented artists for a special group show that was happening the weekend of New Orleans BIG Dirty Linen annual art fair.
Q: Do you have any exciting pieces you're currently working on?
I do, I'm currently working on some new pieces for Art Basel Miami this December & I have a special Halloween piece for NYC Last Rites Gallery & one for special curated show by ThinkSpace Gallery that's happening Halloween night in San Francisco. To anyone in the Bay Area, I'll be at the San Fran show opening that night so swing by say hello & I'll give ya a treat.
Q: Finally, if you had to choose between Sin City and Machete, which would you choose?
I'd have to go with Sin City but my heart will always be with 'El Mariachi'.
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Thank you so much this opportunity & please check out my website, we just launched a new print at www.brianMviveros.com.
Stay Dirty My Friends,
Brian M. Viveros
Visit the BrianMViveros Collective Store
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