Beautiful Nightmares - Introducing Clinton Meister

If you have seen David Lynch's terrifying movie "Eraserhead", you're a die-hard fan of Tim Burton which I myself am, or ever read an Edgar Allen Poe novel you know what I'm talking about when I say "a good kind of darkness". Nightmares can be beautiful as well.

"Nightmare Journal: I'm seven years old, playing with my best friend in the soy bean field across from our trailer park. I ask him to get some more stalks for the fort ware building.
He is no longer visible."

The connection between darkness and beauty is always a hard thing to consider. Some people identify it simply with skulls and demonic creatures, satanic tattoos and goth girls wearing black lipstick. This time we show you another kind of dark-themed art by Clinton Meister, 42 lives in a small suburb of Philadelphia Pennsylvania, can be found as @cmeisterartz on Instagram. You don't have to be an expert to tell what he's doing is high quality art. However, he never took art lessons he's works could easily be the illustration of your book or just a picture on the wall you can't get bored with.

In Heaven Everything is Fine by Clinton M.

- What's inspiring you?

- My inspiration comes from numerous places, I suppose. - says Clinton. - A lot of it comes from favorite writers and musicians and movies I love. With the icon series I took a lot from pop culture. This is an icon of Eraser Head. The icons were heavily influenced by Greek Orthodox art in Astoria, Queens NY. 

This piece is titled "In Heaven everything is Fine." It is pen and ink and gold acrylic paint on Mixed Media Paper.

- Some of my work is heavily influenced by nightmares I had from a child up to now. I sometimes suffer from severe night terrors, so I try to capture some of these reoccurring images on paper. 

"The wind begins to howl and the dried bears shake like rattles in their pods. The sky turns to night. From the darkness appears the man, covered in blood. I knew it was the blood of my friend. My dog attempts to attack, but is suspended in mid-air.
I know it's over for me."

Elephaskelter by Clinton Meister

- And sometimes - he continues - I like to just do ridiculous cartoons of insane people like Charles Manson.
My favorite artist is R. Crumb. His style and execution is remarkable. I also enjoy Barry McGee and Thomas Campbell as far as music goes. When I draw, I tend to listen to a lot of blues like Robert Johnson and Skip James. Otherwise, I'm prone to putting on a podcast like Last Podcast on the Left or Lore, or My Favorite Murder. I seldom watch television unless it's a movie.

- You never took an art class. So how did you end up as an artist?

- I was a theater nerd and communications major. I started drawing seriously after some rough patches in 2002 and haven't looked back. Since then I have participated in numerous group shows in Philadelphia and NYC. Had a couple solo exhibitions and am currently planning on getting back into showing after a three year hiatus!

- Is it possible to buy your drawings? If yes, where?

I have a Facebook page, I prefer to sell through there. I have both prints and originals available. I don't use a nickname, when I was a kid I was called as Pumpkin head. As an adult, my name pretty much works!

Make sure you check Clinton's page to see his freaking amazing drawings!

The man in the bean field by Clinton Meister