Dearest PingMag readers. The year has slowly come to an end, the high-peak of Christmas is already over, the cookie-overdose-period has not reached it’s limit yet, and while most of you are probably all sleepy in front of the TV, some might actually read this and enjoy what PingMag prepared for you for those lazy days in between the years. WELCOME TO OUR ILLUSTRATION SERIES – coloful images of our favorite illustrators created just for you! Based around the theme of Christmas morphing to New Year spiced up with some “Wild Boar” – the Chinese zodiac year 2007 – we now declare this battle of illustrators to be open! Today we start with Tokyotee yet-undiscovered-crazy-freaky-collage-draw-experimentalist Chris Silverthorn. Enjoy his mental illustrations mixed with a lot of fun and love for Ping-ers!

slightly tipsy Santa

pants-down Rasta-Santa on dope

high blood pressure City-Santa

Santa Claus and Boss’ “Save the Children from Oversaturated Parents – foundation”

Chris, aka Christopher Michael Silverthorn aka Chrmicsil aka Cilvr aka Ceyeg aka cig aka Gary Winthorpe aka imaginari aka… how would you describe, what you do?

I am a visual chemist: imaginating, formulating, conjugating, illustrating, animating, ~ing in an adventurous journey to create pieces of a very large incomplete puzzle that has been set before me which at some stage during or after my life will be put together. Completed or continued. In doing so my intent is to – hopefully – enable viewers to see beyond, look deeper than the surface and appreciate what’s around them just a little more than they hopefully already do. In turn educating the imagination that many of us so easily forget we have. Which is an absolute shame! Due to the fact that it is an extremely fascinating place inside our minds. Let me help you enjoy it. Imagine! Imagine together with me!!!

wild boar studies 01

wild boar studies 02

When did you start drawing and why?

Gee whiz by golly, I started drawing when I was knee high to a grasshopper. I started because voices inside my head and around me said so (Mom, Dad, familia and most importantly my Grandfather the famous Czech painter Vladimir Grundman) and they have never stopped saying so. So I go, go, go!

What does drawing mean to you (fun, a possible career…)?

It is more of a sickness now. Drawing is Chris’ life, Chris’ life is drawing.

Where do you draw?

I draw anywhere really, indoors or out. I like large flat or inclined surfaces though, more freedom and good lighting.

Any particular tools you like to use? Special pens or paper or…..?

Material limits creation. If you want to set yourself limitations, that’s fine. But I will use anything. I once used boulders in a park to create large love filled hearts!

What are your motives about?

Motivating others to look, see, create more, and imagine even more! For every one person who imagines, a life is saved.

What can we expect of you in the future?

Surprises!

What was last year like for your and what do you wish for the new year?

2006 was a year of many kicks and tricks, even treats.
Everyday was my birthday, so that was like a box of sweets!
I got to wear my birthday suit a lot,
which was kind of hot!
Why not?
It is one of my favourite suits.
Like a basket full of sweet tropical fruits
Treats and sweets 2007
I hope for a repeat
that would be quite neat.
Get my art on the street.
Dance a different beat.
Repeat!

Anything else you would like to say?

I’ve already said to much! Let my art speak, not the artist. I am a visualist, not a verbalist.

Chris posing with portfolio, Jim Carrey proof smile and basket

Ze-boar jumping out of Chris’ finger

Thank you, Chris, for sharing your huge joy of expression and also thanks for drawing SO MUCH for PingMag! Merry Christmas and a happy New Year!