Cahill Wessel's surreal "Still Life with Pizza Snake" speed drawing is nothing shy of what-the-hell-ya-more-please. On top of three jobs, he squeezed 60 hours in over 14 days to get this thing knocked out from a tiny bedroom in Oakland, CA. He 'explores a middle ground between elegance and kitsch. I merge playful, often low brow, imagery with symbols of power, beauty and sophistication in order to investigate accepted notions of high art.' Naturally, Cahill wrote the music for the vid too.

He has an October show in LA to launch the new Carlos Queso Gallery in Echo Park - details below.

three QUESTIONS:

BEN: Where'd it all start?

CAHILL: My first memorable milestone in the art game was winning the gold ribbon in the 6-and-under art contest at the Solano County Fair.  I was 3. Creating art that was superior to professionals twice my senior was quite the accomplishment, and this grand achievement sparked the fire that still burns today.

How'd you find the Cahill vibe? Definitely your own.

I'm deeply inspired by the painters of the Renaissance so I try to depict my subjects in a way that conveys the beauty of realism while elevating meaningless objects into captivating subject matter.

I'm also drawn to lush, tropical color schemes. It motivates me to create scenes that blend a bright, saturated palette with rich patterns, calculated compositions and lively content to create work that is fun and uplifting.  

Why is it important to create?

Often times, creating work is not only a vessel of self-expression, but a means to explore one's place in society.

the WORK

upcoming CAHILL WESSEL show