Relentlessly Cheerful Art is the name of artist James Hance’s website (As well as the title of this article. Clever, eh?) and it also happens to best describe his work. But before looking at his stuff it may be best if we get to know the man and who better to do that than his own UK website?
For those browsing over here who are unfamiliar with James he is an Englishman who defected to the dark side… Now living in the sunny state of Florida he produces a constant outpouring of brilliance that delights fans; new and old. His work feeds on something that was rooted deep down inside of many of us at an early age. Luckily he’s feeding on our smiles and pumping out pure joy.
His work references many aspects of pop culture as well as more classical art works. Whatever the project though it will always raise a smile and unite generations with the playful, fun nature that is a constant in everything he does.
With the introductions out-of-the-way we can concentrate on what makes James’s work so great; namely his love of pop culture and his amazing art skills. Hance’s favorite shows appear throughout his prints and he uses them to great effect by injecting them into other already existing pieces. Shows like Firefly and Doctor Who are joined with Pixar productions and Labyrinth, all melding into one another to create brand new entities. His most famous/adorable creation is probably Wookiee the Chew, a mash-up of Star Wars and Winnie the Pooh. But Hance’s muse for painting has to The Muppets, which he constantly uses in his work. Here’s a sample of his extensive gallery:
It’s clear from looking at his art that James has a huge love for pop culture. They’re the equivalent of a nice warm hug. It’s hard not to smile when seeing these creations on the web or on your wall. His style is very diverse, with numerous techniques been used depending on the subject. He has a great knack for knowing which subject will look better painted a certain way, which you can see in the gallery above. If you like his work you can buy it from his website. With December fast approaching this would seem the best time to have a look at James’s incredible art and get them on your Christmas list pronto.
Grizzly Bomb 