Gallery 1988 in Los Angeles is one of my favorite places to show my work because they put on really fun exhibitions of work inspired by the pop culture I grew up on. Here are some of the pieces I've done for these shows.
Inspired by Ghostbusters, the following piece depicts the moment Peter Venkman is slimed by the green ghost later known as Slimer. The scene is staged as a retro game screen, complete with Venkman’s name, life bar, PKE meter, equipped ghost trap, and a dialogue window displaying the line “It’s looking at me.” The composition foregrounds a large portrait of Venkman, anchoring the scene while the surrounding HUD elements translate the film moment into game logic.
Ugly Little Spud
Based on the finale of Ghostbusters, this piece centers on Gozer confronting Ray Stantz with the question “Are you a god?” The scene is rendered as a game dialogue choice, offering Yes or No, echoing the film’s pivotal mistake. Ray’s name, life bar, PKE meter, and equipped ghost trap frame the moment, with a prominent portrait of Stantz dominating the foreground to emphasize the character-driven tension.
You Say Yes
Inspired by The Goonies, this piece references the rescue scene in which Sloth, dressed as a pirate, swings in to save Annie from walking the plank. The illustration adopts classic game HUD elements including an endurance bar, remaining lives, an energy meter, and equipped items such as a Baby Ruth candy bar and a pirate sword. Sloth’s oversized portrait fills the foreground, reinforcing his role as both hero and spectacle.
You Wanna Play Pirate?
Drawn from Gremlins, this piece depicts the barroom battle at Dorry’s Tavern, where Kate fends off Gremlins after closing time. The scene is framed as an arcade-style encounter with on-screen indicators for time, score, a beer meter, and equipped items including a Polaroid camera and a pistol. A large portrait of Stripe dominates the foreground, shifting the focus toward the antagonist amid the chaos of the scene.
Last Call
Inspired by National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, this piece captures Cousin Eddy dumping waste from his RV into an open sewer drain. The moment is translated into game language through a custom “shitter meter” nearing full. A close-up portrait of Eddy anchors the composition, emphasizing the character’s oblivious confidence as the meter signals impending disaster.
Shitter Was Full
Based on a scene from Wet Hot American Summer, this piece references Chef Gene being overheard making disturbing statements before insisting he was misunderstood. The illustration uses a game-style text selection window to visualize his frantic reframing of what was said. A large portrait of Chef Gene fills the foreground, while the interface elements underline the absurdity of his attempted damage control.
Dick Cream Stick Team
