Calvin Edwin Ripken Jr Print

I create art using new techniques for an age-old purpose: to tell stories and inspire action. As a child, I was inspired by cartoons; drawn characters and stories brought to life with no visible brushstrokes or shading. My fascination for that aesthetic met its match in my discovery of vector art. After producing photography, sketch and graphic design work years, the vector technique brought me full creative fulfillment for the first time. Now I use the painstaking process to create pieces that share positive messages using unique color palettes, detailed shapes and countless nuances of light, shadow, and midtonal values. My work often uses themes themes of love, cultural understanding, fantasy and futurism to appeal to and inspire the imagination of diverse audiences. I believe that art should be accessible but that accessibility need not compromise quality. I believe that artists should be kind but that kindness need not compromise courage and honesty. And I try my best to live and create in a way that honors both of those beliefs. My current show, Who Said What, is a collection that combines my love for engaging people in the creation of my art as well as my desire to reimagine quotes that move people to live better lives. The creation process begins with a call for quotes to be submitted. I then do careful research and select a unique photograph of the quote’s author, typically in their youth, imagining them as my peer. Using the reference image, I draw the piece itself inspired by 1950s and 60s screenprinting, interior design and album covers. Each piece has a unique color palette and font from an up-and-coming typographer. This series has grown as people become inspired by it and add to it, but it has also spawned inspiration for new collections. As I grow as an artist, I hope that people continue to draw the same level of enjoyment from engaging with my work as I do from creating it.