This past weekend I got the chance to Finally meet Dan Mumford in person as he had a showing at Gallery 1988. His show runs from Friday July 17th through August 8th at their West location 7308 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90046. I also had a chance to sit down and have a chat with him. I have turned it into a bit of an informal interview to show you a little more about the man. Here are a few of the highlights of our conversation in this artist spotlight.

B – Dan, can you tell me a little of how you got into this thing that is Pop Culture Fine Art?

D - “After I got out of school I worked with a band called Gallows.. A punk band, friends from when I was back at home playing in bands and stuff. And I worked on their first album cover. Then they got signed to Warner Brothers, which was amazing because they basically became huge. That meant my front cover was everywhere. I think they released on Epitaph in America. So it became the sort of perfect storm of everything. Then I basically worked with Punk bands, and Metal Bands on t-shirts and cd covers for about four or five years. Next I kind of went more toward art prints and things.”

B- When we spoke before you had said you basically printed everything yourself, then got to a point where you were just done? All that it takes to do even a hundred print run by yourself is tough.

D- “Yeah, and I wasn’t that great at it to be honest. ::laughs:: It was more of a way to kind of get out there. I did some printing for other people too. I didn’t have my own print space; I didn’t have a proper studio either for like two years out of University. “

B – How’s the setup looking now for you?

D – “ I share a space with about 20 other people. It’s a big space, a big warehouse and we’re on the top floor. The Bottom Floor is like, a Yoga/Gym Place. It’s really good. It’s a little bit of an old English building, you know. It’s just a warehouse, but it’s quite rickety, but it’s got personality. Big glass windows with a lot of natural light. Which can be quite bad for when you have to look at a screen. I’ve got a window behind my station, so at about four o’clock I’ve got to put the window shades all the way down. It’s really nice as no one really does work like me in that space. It’s people doing book covers, architects, a photographer, designers.”

B – That’s great! One thing I really miss about college is the collaborative element, getting to walk around when you take a break to discuss the work around you.

D – “ It’s so nice to be able to talk to anyone. If you’ve got a problem, if you just need a break. There’s a big communal area as well. It’s just a nice environment. I did the thing where you work at home, and you start freaking out cause you haven’t left the house in 24 hours. I just don’t want to go back that ever again. There was maybe a year after University where I was working from home. Which was weird because I had three housemates who would go out to work and come home, and I hadn’t moved.”

B- Then everyone comes home and they ask if you’ve been out of your cave, to which you answer no with hands all cramped up.

D - “Yeah, I don’t want to ever do that again. I try to treat it 100 percent like a Job. I go to work, and I go home.”

B – With Horror Films, is that specifically a Genre you’d like to focus on, or is that kind of secondary?

D – “ It’s just one of those things that I’ve loved since I was a kid, to be honest. I think because it always seemed like something that you’re just not meant be allowed to see. One of my best memories was my dad with VHS Tapes would film what was on TV. I mean we would rent stuff as well, but if something was on TV he would tape it. So I’d look through the guide every week for him to record. Of course if it was horror, or sci-fi or something and I was real young he would Say “Yes, but I’m going to watch it to see if you can watch it. “ Which we would watch them normally anyway, cause they would edit for tv anyway. One of them he recorded Predator 2. I don’t think I had seen Predator one at that point. But it had to be Predator 2. I was so excited to watch it, I came home from school, I started to watch it. He gets home from work and finds me watching it. Of course he walks in as a topless woman is riding a man, Before the Predator kills them both. He says Dan, you’re not meant to be watching this. I didn’t even get to see the Predator. I still hadn’t seen Predator 2 until just recently. Haha, but he brought me into that world, and comic books, and Video Games and all that.”

B – That’s awesome! My dad got me into Comics as well, starting with Superman and Green Lantern.

D - “ Yeah, my dad had a big sort of trunk full of Batman, and Superman comics. I read them all at my Grandma’s house. We’d go over there and I’d read all of them, they were just rotten comics. All falling apart but they were amazing.

B- So that’s how you kind of got where you’re at?

D – “Those sort of things totally made me who I am. Reading Comic, watching films I shouldn’t be watching. The first thing I saw in the Cinema was the original Turtles film. It was a great film. I think I was nine. I don’t remember much of the film, but I remember front row. My dad said you can go and sit wherever you want. I said Front Row. It was in a really, really crummy run down Cinema. But I loved it , I thought it was amazing.”

- Much Television discussed. –

B – When I explain to people what I do, I usually get the blank stare, and that’s a thing. Is it easier for you?

D - “ I can’t explain to my family what I do. I draw pictures.”

B – That’s great man. I really appreciate you taking the time to do this with me. I wish you nothing but the best. For a parting bit, what’s next for Dan Mumford?

D - "Mainly working on a lot more prints coming up, lots of exciting ones, lots of juggling some deadlines to try and fit everything in and hopefully a couple more shows potentially. The show at gallery 1988 certainly lit a fuse that has made me want to pursue that far more than I had before. So all in all..lots more work!"

Here is an image recap of a few of his pieces on Display at Gallery 1988 West until August 8th.

Currently available from Darkinkart

I hope this insight inspires you young artist's out there. Keep at your craft, you'll get there eventually. If you're really committed to your art and want to make it in this world doing what you enjoy, be sure and always treat it like a job. Make time for your it and practice. Know your strengths and be the best you can be. Always read your Comics, take your daily dose of T.V., learn your pop culture. All of these things may come in handy some day. It has so far for the two of us :).

Thanks again for checking in as this is just the beginning of the Artist Spotlight segment. - B

Artist Spotlight - Dan Mumford