I’m not here to say KISS is my favorite band of all time. I don’t believe in favorites. But I listen to them a lot. And when I do, I feel great, and that’s all that matters.

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The beauty of life is that there is so much floating out there in the world that you can constantly trip over it. I saw a book of Richard Paul Lohse’s work when I was in Paris this past April. It was a massive book with endless pages of color studies and geometric patterns. Color usages that I had never seen before. It was amazing. Nothing in this world is random. It’s always an important thing to remember. Experiences and moments have different significances, but everything happens for a reason. Tripping over this book was a huge moment for me.

Matt Stone and Trey Parker are my heroes. They have proven time and time again their genius and I bow humbly before it and absorb it for all its worth. South Park has been around for twelve years now but is constantly fresh and pushes the limits of just about everything. It’s living proof of what can be accomplished with purity of vision and commitment.

Richard Colman is one hell of an awesome human being. I go back and forth on whether or not I enjoyed him more in his drinking days or post drinking days. I guess there are pros and cons to both scenarios. He is a very talented man and a close friend. We have exchanged ideas over the years and pushed each other in the true spirit of oneupsmanship. He’s proven to be a great source of inspiration.

I have followed the Clayton Brothers’ work since the mid-90s and had the pleasure of meeting them a few years back. Their art is a reflection of what great people they are. It’s really compelling to see their work in person. I love it and can’t get enough of it. I wish I had a lot more money so I could have a big one in my house.

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Jake and Dinos Chapman are on the same level as the South Park duo, as far as I’m concerned. I draw the parallel in my mind, but whether anyone would agree, I don’t know. It’s like they took every sketch I made as a kid and turned them into the most awesome play set ever. Their art is one of those things that just resonates with me. The sense of humor, the commentary, and the pure graphic overload will keep you engaged for days. I wish they would make a movie of this.

Seonna Hong is one of the most amazing, incredible humans I have ever met. So it’s no great leap for her artwork to be equally amazing. She has served as a constant source of inspiration and support for me over the years. She’s a multi-talented, multi-tasking mother who operates with the purest of grace. Soak it in.

I wasn’t aware of who Emilio Pucci was until my work was compared to his for the hundredth time. I’m happy to have anyone make that connection. I’m not a high fashion person. I keep to the basics and feel alright about it. The introduction to his work was mind blowing for me. Not only for the rich colors and patterns, but how those things worked with the human form. It was an interesting revelation, and one that has sparked more interest for me to explore fashion as a medium for art.