Bad boy artist Ben Moss, widely-known cartoon stylist and muralist based in Shreveport, will be the center of attention at Artini, the annual benefit for Bossier Arts Council.
On the one hand, Moss is an art teacher – Digital Media Institute – and family man. On the other hand, he relishes his rebellious persona and graffiti artist cred.
Moss knows how to bring the fun to a public paint session. At a recent paint-off between 5 artists at Great Raft Brewing, onlookers were bidding steadily as each artist added more to the canvasses. When Moss began to brandish his cans of spray paint, bids flew to his tally sheet.
“In my art, I have always sought the synthesis between”high” and “low” art forms. I try to create work informed by the visual language of comics/street art and the raw emotional power of expressionism. My style is influenced by a diverse range of artists, from Jack Kirby, Pollock, and Picasso to contemporary artists like Jeffrey Alan Love, Barry McGee, and David Choe.”
Moss has a BA from Northwestern State University of La. and is “perpetually one thesis hour from my MLA at Louisiana State University Shreveport.”
Most recently, he collaborated with Linda Dickson on the “American Monsters” series, a lowbrow critique of American politics. His most recent illustration work is visually adapting excerpts from classic literature for “The Graphic Canon” volumes 2 and 3 from Seven Stories Press, as well as illustrating his self-published book of children’s literature, “peculiar poems for pint-size provocateurs.”
Get acquainted with Moss via a 4-minute video produced by Morgan Pitner.
Artini, to be presented at 601 Spring St, features a swimming world of food, art, and libations. Tickets are $65 and can be purchased here.
Like SRAC’s Xmas in the Sky, monies raised at Artini support myriad art programs all year long at BAC.
