Today we’d like to introduce you to Larry Grossman.
Larry, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I began my art career at age fifteen in the mid 1960’s airbrushing T-shirts at the two Teenage Fairs (Hollywood Palladium and Pacific Ocean Park), and at local Hot Rod shows, occasionally working for the legendary car customizer George Barris. In 1967 I moved to Berkeley to attend CCAC Art School, graduating in 1971 with a major in film and Photography.
In my senior year, an animation short (which I singlehandedly produced) won the Grand Prize at the CCAC – S.F. Art Institute Joint Film Festival, and I was invited back the following year to teach Animation at CCAC. In 1981 I was asked by Disney Studios to return to L.A. to work on their landmark film, TRON. After that I worked both “in-house” and freelance for studios such as Disney, Warner Bros., and DreamWorks, creating many memorable logos and posters along the way. I also created album covers for musicians such as Frank Zappa, and T-shirt designs and posters for IN-N-OUT Burger, Pep Boys, Bob’s Big Boy, and many more.
My art is currently sold internationally and licensed for dozens of products such as jigsaw puzzles, signs, clocks, fabric, etc., I have also published over 100 of my own prints, which I sell through my company Retrovisions. In addition, my work is on display and sold at such notable locations as the Petersen Automotive Museum, The Nat’l Hot Rod (NHRA) Museum, the Gene Autry Museum, the Museum of Neon Art, and dozens of Airplane and Train Museums worldwide. I have also had gallery shows of my work at the famed Pebble Beach Concourse de’ Elegance.
I love the styles of the 1930-50’s, and own both a ’32 Ford hot rod and a ’61 Nash Metropolitan convertible (I do all of my own mechanical work), and collect and wear vintage clothes from those periods.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It isn’t always easy to be both an artist and a business man (the challenge of coordinating the left and right brains).
My father was a very successful businessman/salesman who owned his own business, so that rubbed off on me. My mother was an artist, so that is where my artistic talent comes from, and fortunately both parents encouraged all of my artistic endeavors.
The first half of my career was spent airbrushing with paints, which can be quite tedious (especially when one is a perfectionist, as I am). But after working on TRON in 1981, and seeing the potential of the computer I was intrigued. I had to wait a few years until the personnel computer became a reality, but after taking an extension course at UCLA on Photoshop, I realized that this was an ideal way to combine my love of shooting photos with my illustration skills. Not only that, but I was able to escape all of the deadly paint fumes associated with airbrushing!
This has been a very enjoyable and successful combination for me. Unfortunately, I feel that I am still meeting resistance as far as acceptance goes for my digital “Fine Art” in the gallery scene.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Retrovisions – what should we know?
My business, Retrovisions, is a one man show, and I often work until 4am on my art. Not because I have to, but because I so love what I do that I have a hard time stopping! Spending time invoicing, shipping etc. is a lot less fun!
My style is uniquely my own, and easily identifiable (and I am very happy that it hasn’t been ripped off!).
I often do commission pieces for people, incorporating them, their cars, their families etc. into my art, and they love it. I take great pleasure in hearing the stories of my art being given as surprise gifts that “blow people away”. These are gifts that no one ever want to return!
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
Self-confidence, artistic skill, imagination, originality, creativity, sense of humor, style, stamina and drive.
Pricing:
- Prints start at $30 ($35 hand signed and dated in gold ink)
- Custom pictures start at $395
Contact Info:
- Address: Sherman Oaks, CA
- Website: www.retrovisions.com
- Phone: (818) 970-9128
- Email: [email protected]
Image Credit:
Larry Grossman
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