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Larry Brooks' Tiki Art |
Beachcomber Brooks
Member
Joined: Sep 09, 2008
Posts: 6 |  Posted: 2008-09-09 11:24 am Permalink
Aloha, all!
This is Castaway Clemens speaking (username still KreepyTiki for the moment)...
I'm here to introduce you to the work of a good friend of mine, Larry Brooks, who just joined TC today as Beachcomber Brooks.
Though Larry has been an artist for many years since his days back at CalArts, only recently -- at my eager urging -- did he venture into the uncharted waters of tiki. And, I must say, it's brought out something new in his work which is hard to define, but I know it when I see it!
A first-rate technician, Larry has a style all his own and his pieces share a (mostly) monochromatic moodiness, an air of the sinister, and a caustic whimsy which make them immediately stand out.
For the moment, with one notable exception, his tiki pieces are all black & white -- graphite on paper. Originally signing himself "L. Brooks", he now uses the nickname I've long called him by -- "Larrold".
First up is "The Dons"...
Then, keeping with this theme, "Tiki Mafia"...
(Those two pieces seem to be "Dons Of The Beachcomber"!)
Next we have "Nice Place"...
"Tiki Dude"...
"Kool"...
"Serenity"...
"Tastes Smooth"...
(Gee, bet you'd never guess Larry's not a smoker, eh?)
And then we have a couple particularly surreal ones -- "I Hate It When This Happens"...
And "You Have A Payment For Us"...
(Miss your payment with THESE guys and I get the feelin' you'd REALLY be "sleeping with the fishes"!)
Then there's a dip into tiki paranoia with "Did He Just Move"...
...and "I'm Not Alone"...
A serving of decidedly menacing tiki with "What Is This"...
..."Can You Hear Me Now?"...
...and "My Good Friend"...
(If tikis could be trained as guard dogs, these would be top candidates!)
And, last but not least, we return to the reassuring (at least relatively!) world of the tiki bar with this bunch, beginning with "I Feel Mellow"...
...continuing with "Nice Little Place"...
...and colorfully concluding with "Tiki Barman"...
Well, there ya have it!
So, ohana, whaddya think?
Cheers & Mahalos  
Castaway Clemens (guest-hosting for Beachcomber Brooks)
[ This Message was edited by: Beachcomber Brooks 2008-09-09 11:25 ]
[ This Message was edited by: Beachcomber Brooks 2008-09-09 17:09 ]
[ This Message was edited by: Beachcomber Brooks 2008-09-10 08:42 ]
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KreepyTiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 18, 2007
Posts: 216 | Posted: 2008-09-10 1:12 pm Permalink
Hey there, Ohana!
Why has nobody commented yet on Larry's stuff, positive, negative, or indifferent?
Give him a little feedback, gang -- he's already gotten plenty of mine, as well as some helpful off-site suggestions and encouraging comments from BigBro.
I know his work is a bit offbeat & perhaps not typical tiki, but I find that kind of refreshing myself.
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Badd Tiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Aug 28, 2008
Posts: 387 | Posted: 2008-09-10 4:12 pm Permalink
Well, I just saw it 
I like it, some interesting compositions and characters/what's the word... subjects I guess.
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Moai_Mama
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Dec 22, 2007
Posts: 47
From: Florida
| Posted: 2008-09-10 4:20 pm Permalink
I think these are fantastic! It's funny how many times I've seen random people who strongly resemble Moai statues~ I really like the way the Artist made the connection between some simple every-day people and similar Tiki images. Very talented drawings, thanks for sharing them with us! Moai_Mama
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teaKEY
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Nov 09, 2004
Posts: 3683
From: The thumb !
| Posted: 2008-09-10 4:21 pm Permalink
The last pencil drawing is my favorite tiki. I see a Micheal Jackson in there.
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KreepyTiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 18, 2007
Posts: 216 | Posted: 2009-03-26 9:44 pm Permalink
Larry's newest creation is comin' up...
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KreepyTiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 18, 2007
Posts: 216 | Posted: 2009-03-26 9:47 pm Permalink
...And HERE IT IS!
This one's called 'A Head For Business'.
[ This Message was edited by: KreepyTiki 2009-03-27 21:25 ]
[ This Message was edited by: KreepyTiki 2009-03-27 21:26 ]
[ This Message was edited by: KreepyTiki 2009-05-01 05:29 ]
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MadDogMike
Grand Member (8 years) 
Joined: Mar 30, 2008
Posts: 9018
From: The Anvil of the Sun
| Posted: 2009-03-28 10:48 am Permalink
I love the dark, subtle humor in all of these.
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leleliz
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Sep 02, 2008
Posts: 1981
From: NorCal
| Posted: 2009-03-28 3:09 pm Permalink
I dated a guy who actually looked like a cross between a Moai and a member of organized crime (I think the 2 go hand in hand!) so I can really relate to the subject of these drawings. Interesting perspective on tiki with a twist.
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teaKEY
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Nov 09, 2004
Posts: 3683
From: The thumb !
| Posted: 2009-03-28 5:42 pm Permalink
Why has nobody commented yet on Larry's stuff, positive, negative, or indifferent?
Looks like Jack-O
The last one is the best one for me. The same tiki as the one in the last Tiki Shark pencil.
_________________
 20+10 =30yo
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KreepyTiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 18, 2007
Posts: 216 | Posted: 2009-05-01 05:27 am Permalink
And here are the newest additions...
"Here's Lookin' At You"
"Savage Dreams"
"Primitive Thoughts"
"The Powers That Be"
"Visitor"
"Spirit Of The Jungle"
"The Appointment"
NOTE: The reason I post Larry's work rather than Larry himself is simply because he doesn't want to be bothered with the preperation and posting of the images and I don't mind doing it.
Besides... I'm his MANAGER! 
Cheers & Mahalo
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Robb Hamel
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 07, 2008
Posts: 1013
From: Ohio
| Posted: 2009-05-01 05:40 am Permalink
Mafia Tiki - somehow I get it. I sure dig it.
Cool, fresh, very imaginative: it's what a lot of us are here for.
_________________
www.robbhamel.com
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KreepyTiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 18, 2007
Posts: 216 | Posted: 2009-08-09 06:30 am Permalink
And now for the newest in this unique "Tiki-With-A-Twist" line-up:
'Disputed Territory'
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little lost tiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jun 12, 2006
Posts: 7750
From: Orange,CA-right near the Circle!
| Posted: 2009-08-09 08:46 am Permalink
Great work Larry!
bringing some psychological perspective to TC!
Your work has that
Ralph Steadman/Gerald Sharfe(sp?)
immediacy and movement!
Have you tried doing some ink tints over the pencils?
Might get a better feel than trying to color em in the computer
too many subtleties in gradation and such to let a computer do it!
Great work!
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MadDogMike
Grand Member (8 years)
Joined: Mar 30, 2008
Posts: 9018
From: The Anvil of the Sun
| Posted: 2009-08-09 09:09 am Permalink
I had missed this tread, very cool Larrold. The subtle humor and the little digs at various people are priceless. I love that the people see the tikis as inanimate but they are very much alive and interacting with each other.
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