Travis Louie’s paintings come from the tiny little drawings and many writings in his journals. He has created his own imaginary world that is grounded in Victorian and Edwardian times. It is inhabited by human oddities, mythical beings, and otherworldly characters who appear to have had their formal portraits taken to mark their existence and place in society. The underlying thread that connects all these characters is the unusual circumstances that shape who they were and how they lived. Some of their origins are a complete mystery while others are hinted at. A man is cursed by a goat, a strange furry being is discovered sleeping in a hedge, an engine driver can’t seem to stop vibrating in his sleep, a man overcomes his phobia of spiders, etc, … Using inventive techniques of painting with acrylic washes and simple textures on smooth boards, he has created portraits from an alternative universe that seemingly may or may not have existed.

CV

Born  in Queens, NY

Currently lives and works in Red Hook, NY

EDUCATION

1990 BFA in Communication Design at Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, NY

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2011

“Curious Pets” at Merry Karnowsky Gallery, Los Angeles, CA (November)

“The Creature Show” at Roq La Rue Gallery, Seattle, WA (April)

2010

at William Baczek Fine Arts  Northampton, MA (Sept)

“Curious Myths” at Joshua Liner Gallery, New York, NY (July)

2009

“Lifetime Companions” at The Shooting Gallery, San Francisco, CA (Dec)

“Strange Grooming Habits” at Copro Nason Gallery,  Santa Monica, CA (May)

2008

” Portraits II ” at Roq La Rue Gallery, Seattle, WA (April)

2007

“Unusual Circumstances” at Copro Nason Gallery, Santa Monica, CA (May)

2006

“Portraits” at Roq La Rue Gallery, Seattle, WA (May)

GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2011

“Lush Life 3″  at Roq La Rue Gallery, Seattle, WA (Oct)

“Sea No Evil” at Riverside Municipal Auditorium, Riverside, CA (June)

“Cute and Creepy” at Florida State University Museum of Fine Arts

2010

“Sea No Evil” at RiverSide Municipal Auditorium, Riverside, CA (July)

“Tiger Tiger Burning Bright” at Roq La Rue Gallery, Seattle, WA (May)

“Lush Life 2″ at Roq La Rue Gallery, Seattle, WA (March)

“Who Killed The Music” at the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles, CA (Jan)

2009

“August Group Exhibition” at Joshua Liner Gallery, New York, NY (Aug.)

“Kokeshi” at Japanese American National Museum, Los Angeles, CA (July-Oct.)

“Lush Life” at Roq La Rue, Seattle, WA (May)

“Overdose” Group Exhibition at Copro Nason Gallery, Santa Monica, CA (April)

“The Art of Sketch Theatre” at the Gnomon Gallery, Hollywood, CA (March)

“Superschool” at Copro Gallery, Santa Monica, CA (March)

“World on Fire” curated by Will I. Am, Kris Lewis and Justin GIarla at Pacific Electric Lofts, Los Angeles, CA (Jan.)

2008

“New Works” at Shooting Gallery, San Francisco, CA (Oct.)

“BLABSHOW, Ryan Heshka’s Obit paintings” at Copro Nason Gallery, Santa Monica, CA (Sept.)

“Crimes On Canvas Group Exhibition” at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas, NV (July)

“The New Mythology” at Dorothy Circus Gallery, Rome, Italy (May)

“Locked and Loaded” at Joshua Liner Gallery, New York, NY (April)

“Femke Hiemstra and Travis Louie” at Roq La Rue Gallery, Seattle WA (April)

“Grand Opening Exhibition: Hard Left” at Merry Karnowsky Gallery, Berlin, Germany (March)

“Brad Benedict’s Sideshow: 20th Anniversary Edition” at Merry Karnowsky Gallery, Berlin, Germany (Feb.)

2007

“New Works” at Shooting Gallery, San Francisco, CA (Oct.)

“October Shadows” – A Celebration of Halloween in Art” at Rick Baker’s Cinovation studio, Glendale, CA (Oct.)

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY

The Art of Sketch Theatre Vol 1  2011

The 3D Art Book  2011

Weirdo Noir  2010

Curiosities 2009    Baby Tattoo Books

Juxtapoz Dark Arts 2009

Bizarre Magazine Sept 2009

Rue Morgue #92 August 2009

Owens, Annie. “Hi-Fructose Collected Edition Box Set.” Last Gasp (June 2009)

Juxtapoz Magazine #95, December, 2008

Coilhouse Issue #1 July 2008

Inked  April 2008

Fenner, Arnie & Cathy Fenner. “Spectrum 14.” California: Underwood Books, 2008

Dean, Mike, Groth, Gary & Kristy Valenti. “Comics Journal #291.” Washington: Fantagraphics Books, 2008

Hi Fructose Magazine
Volume 5 (V) MAY 2007

Blab!
Volume 18 Fantagraphics 2007  edited and designed by Monte Beauchamp

Tattoo Society Magazine Issue 7 January 2007

Empty Magazine issue 10 2007

Joia magazine issue 2 Feb 2007

Fenner, Arnie & Cathy Fenner. “Spectrum 13.” California: Underwood Books, 2006

Fenner, Arnie & Cathy Fenner. “Spectrum 12.” California: Underwood Books, 2005

Fenner, Arnie & Cathy Fenner. “Spectrum 11.”. California: Underwood Books, 2004

Fenner, Arnie & Cathy Fenner. “Spectrum 7.” California: Underwood Books, 2000

Fenner, Arnie & Cathy Fenner. “Spectrum 6.” California: Underwood Books, 1999

Fenner, Arnie & Cathy Fenner. “Spectrum 5.” California: Underwood Books, 1998