My drawings are odd. My drawings are quirky. My drawings are nonsensical (intentionally!).
Why do I draw what I draw?
The short answer is it’s FUN! The more introspective answer is that my drawings are the essence of who I am and the very backbone of my being. Let me explain…
Growing up my family’s humor was a wild blend of slapstick, sarcastic, wacky comedy with a bit of dark humor mixed in. My brothers and I to this day still joke around and come up with comedic stories or jokes about a current situation. The inspiration came from classics such as The Three Stooges, Laurel and Hardy and Abbott and Costello along with a modern 1990s mix of The Simpsons, Ren and Stimpy and Seinfeld. Yet the biggest influence came from stories we heard (and witnessed) of our father’s crazy exploits, and the hilarious situations he found himself in…but that is for another time.
I absolutely respect and stand in awe of artists whose drawings lean towards photorealism or whose superhero figure illustrations grace the pages of comic books. Perhaps if my childhood was different I would draw my influence from elsewhere and my drawings would have a different style to them. But I grew up witnessing madcap situations like my letter carrier father being chased by two dogs while delivering mail…and then turning around and chasing after them in turn. I guess that’s why my head is full of these off the wall characters and scenarios that instantly pop into my thoughts with little or no effort.
I draw hedgehogs piloting biplanes because zany situations like that make me smile. Sometimes while drawing I will catch myself smirking at what I am creating on paper (robot rocket lobster anyone?). My art makes me happy. It is my hope that my drawings will do the same for others with the same type of zany, wacky and absurd sense of humor that I have. I know you all are out there…I married one of them!
So if you like chainsaw-wielding mice, skateboarding pigs or business chickens, then you have come to the right place! I hope to make your world a brighter place with my artwork. If I can get you to crack a smile, then I’m doing my job. :-)
Aaron Riddle
Cartoonist / Illustrator / Pet Pig Owner