Hey folks,

After the success of my Ghostbusters-themed piece, something properly clicked with me: sometimes the key to great art is just painting what you love. Not chasing trends. Not worrying too much about what other people expect. Just following that inner spark, the stuff that shaped you, inspired you, made you who you are. That’s what real art is about. Pure, unapologetic self-expression.

Now, anyone who knows me knows I’m OBSESSED with the 80s. I mean, I was born in that magical era of neon colours, big hair, wild creativity, and utterly iconic film and TV. I’ve decided I need to sit in that nostalgia pocket for a while and let it properly simmer.

This whole direction is a wee bit of a switch-up from my usual deep, moody portrait style, but after the Ghostbusters piece and the Hugh Jackman portrait, it felt natural. The bold colour injection is actually a welcome surprise! Don’t get me wrong, I’ll always love my serious portrait work (that’s my roots, after all), but for now I’m loving this experiment. Mixing childlike colour and 80s flair with classic grayscale portraiture? That's the kind of juxtaposition that gets people talking.

So, what comes after Ghostbusters?

Back to the Future, obviously.

But I’ll be honest, this one was a challenge. I didn’t want to just paint Marty or Doc. It had to be both. They’re a package deal, right? You can’t have one without the other. But that decision instantly doubled the pressure, two heads instead of one, and all at a chunky 1.5m by 1.5m scale. Spray paint can be tricky at that level of detail, but I pushed through and got it nailed.

And you know what? It worked out a treat.

As always, I wanted a bit of theatre around the piece, an intro and outro to build the buzz (for you and for me, lol). With this one, it was a no-brainer. The DeLorean and time travel HAD to feature. Side note, turns out the BTTF enthusiast who owns the DeLorean was well up for buying the original artwork. Mad!

Painting-wise, I was stoked with the result. Doc’s eyes gave me a laugh. I tweaked them two or three times, but eventually they landed perfectly. They’ve got that manic, wild energy we all love about him. Marty, on the other hand, had that fresh-faced 80s teen vibe, so getting his smooth skin just right was a fun challenge too. I'm buzzing with how it all came together.

And the best part? The prints are now available!
Each one is 60cm by 60cm – a perfect slice of 80s magic for your wall. Honestly, they’re a certified must-have for any true 80s kid. A proper nod to the PAST with a futuristic Graf art twist (see what I did there??).

Thanks for reading as always, folks.

Onwards!
Pops