2012 Street Fighter Bad Guys
2012.
First Sale
Alongside the annual E3 Expo, Giant Robot (GR2 Gallery) hosted a video game themed show. This was my first time showing and I chose my favorite villians from arguably the most infleuntial video game of my childhood: Street Fighter II.
Up until this point in my career, I’d never actually sold a piece of artwork. I contacted the gallery via email, and I remember walking into Giant Robot and meeting owner Eric Nakamura. Since high school, I’d been a big fan of the magazine and was inspired by so many of the artists who’d shown at the gallery.
It was during this quick “meeting” chat I showed him some photos on my iPad2 of some wooden figures I’d done for a stop-motion project at school. His eyes lit up and told me to forget the drawings and go this route. I haven’t stopped since.
*Dhalsim & Balrog sold before I could photograph them.
I remember staying up all night the week of the show getting these pieces prepared. My good friend, artist & master sculptor Sarah Lee helped me get all five pieces done (I was aiming for seven). 30 minutes before the deadline - I barely made it to the gallery.
Me & the day one homie Alex Ho at my first show.
Thank you so much to Eric Nakamura for taking the time out to give a kid some direction and an opportunity that ultimately changed my life.