CLEVELAND, Ohio – Two of Cleveland’s most unique artists are joining together for one stand-out show: Double Dog Daddy-O! The Collaborative Works of Derek Hess and Scott Pickering will open Friday, Feb. 17 at Hess’ gallery at 1300 West 78th Street, in the 78th Street galleries.
Both Hess and Pickering came up in the underground rock scene of 1980s and ’90s Cleveland. While Hess was working the door, booking bands and illustrating his now-legendary gig posters, Pickering was on stage at the Euc and elsewhere in town with notable Cleveland bands such as Prisonshake and My Dad is Dead. Both had just begun their visual art careers. While Hess’ posters would lead to him becoming an internationally renowned illustrator, Pickering has kept a lower but no less creative profile with his freewheeling, colorful paintings that show the influence of Romare Bearden and Francis Bacon but are totally unique.
Now, 20 years after their paths first crossed, Hess and Pickering are joining together for a show. Double Dog Daddy-O! features over 25 works created jointly by Derek Hess and Scott Pickering. This is the first time Hess has worked with another artist on single pieces.
“Derek and I decided to collaborate on a series of new drawings. No rules — let’s just see what happens — and the results are energy blasts of visual chaos, perfect,” says Pickering.
Hess is equally enthusiastic.
“Scott and I decided to take our different approaches to the paper and combine them and see what happens,” say the artist. What’s grown from the mayhem are some solid expressions of serious nonsense that leaves the viewer satisfied.”
Double Dog Daddy-O! opens with a reception from 5 to 9 p.m. Feb. 17. It will be open by appointment throughout the month, call 216-288-4868
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