V-Sub

Introducing the Busmarine!  The ideal transportation solution for hardcore surfers and marine biologists.

This is the second painting that Meriwether has appeared in.  He's the shark in the foreground, clearly amazed by the V-Sub's deep sea maneuverability.  The shark in the background is Daedalus, and this is his first appearance in a painting.  Don't ask him about his eye patch, he's a bit sensitive about it.

Painted in watercolor, 9x12 inches.  The original painting is available here.

Invasion of the Squid Hats - The Victorian Age

This piece is part of a series featuring the many disguises the Squid Hats utilize in their quest for world domination. There are many varieties of Squid Hat, and they are specially evolved to keep pace with wildly fluctuating fashion trends.  No hat is safe, from the top hat to the propeller beanie.

Learn to recognize the signs of Squid Hat possession and be wary of neighbors and friends who suddenly take to wearing a hat, or change hats for no reason.  Be aware of any hat stores that suddenly pop up in your neighborhood, offering free samples.  Report anyone who starts talking about "crushing the puny hairless monkeys", or engages in other antisocial behavior while wearing a hat.

Above all, DO NOT confront a Squid Hat directly.  Leave them to the professionals.

Painted in watercolor on sinister paper stock.  10x14 spooky inches.

Copyright 2011 Matt Yost, all hats reserved.

Edit:  They're Spreading!  Limited edition prints now available on ebay.

Finders Keepers

This is where the madness begins.  This is Genesis for the whole cars and mermaids thing.

Up to this point the bulk of my work concentrated on scenes of so-called "real life", or my interpretation of it, anyway.  But I was becoming bored with hayfields with tractors and combines and thermoses of sweetened powdered grape drink, or beach scenes with surfers running toward the water.  I needed a change of scenery.

So... mermaid.

But not just any mermaid.  I believe every painting needs a good back story, so I created a thieving, avaricious, possibly schizophrenic mermaid with a taste for vintage trucks and cowboy hats.  Oh, she's also carnivorous, that's important. In fact, someone should tell the approaching surfer dude not to get too close.

Thus was born the delightfully weird Finders Keepers series.

FK is done in watercolor, and measures about 10x17 inches.  The original painting and prints are available in my ebay store.

That was My Favorite Board

I've chosen another shark for this post, though this one is not so victorious.

He's gonna get it, now.  That was an $800 board.

14x21 inches, watercolor.  The original painting is available here.  Prints can be purchases in my ebay store.

The Hammerhead

A mermaid with a sponsor.  And a trophy.



Watercolor, 14x21 inches.  The original painting can be purchased here.

Twang!

Even a siren has to keep up with the world.  Tastes in music change, and these days an a cappella performance just won't cut it. You need to grab your victim's attention and keep it until it's too late.  That's not easy to do with competition like Aguilera to deal with.  Perhaps some guitar lessons and a homemade amplifier are just what the doctor ordered.  Surfers beware!

Painted in watercolor, 14x27 inches.  The original is available here.  Prints are available here.

The Coffee Break

This is one of those pieces that sort of evolved by itself.

I had already done a version of this car in green, but I was not happy with it.  The whole thing was just blah.  The car was too clean, the background was plain and flat, and the girl was waaaay too goofy. 

So I started over, taking the car out of town and putting it in the middle of nowhere, changing the color and adding some patina.  Now the car needed a new driver, someone less cheerfully creepy and with better fashion sense.  I found a girl who fit the bill waiting in a pile of sketches, minus the wings, which eventually became black.

  So why is she stretching in the middle of nowhere?  Well, she's been driving for 300 or so miles, traveling to point b, wherever that is.  And what might you need after driving 300 miles in a buggy-sprung bathtub, besides a good stretch?  That's right, coffee.  So... thermos.

Who is this winged woman?  Is she an angel or a devil?  Where is she going? Why has she traveled such a great distance, and why didn't she choose a more comfortable mode of transportation?  Like a Cadillac, maybe?  I mean, isn't it cramped in there with those wings?

I cannot answer these questions.  All I know for certain is that she's not drinking decaf.

As usual, painted in watercolor.  14x21 inches.  Prints available on ebay.  The original is available, contact me for details.