By Rebecca Schoonmaker
The exhibit opens tomorrow at the Front Street Coffeehouse, where Gubicza has become a regular since moving to Salem last year. His digital illustrations will adorn the cafe's walls for the month of September.
"Fish Out of Water" features humorous illustrations of characters that are, well, not where you would expect them: a hula dancer in the desert, a cowboy in space, a caveman at a beauty pageant.
The show will be Gubicza's second locally following last Halloween's "Terror Fantasies" art show, part of Salem's annual Festival of the Dead. Here, the all-around artist talks about everything from digital cartoons to "Looney Toons."
Q: Are you someone who was always doodling in your notebook during class when you were growing up?
A: Yeah, pretty much. I was always drawing. My parents were really supportive. People were actually bringing paper to the house. We ran out of paper.
Q: How long have you been an illustrator?
A: Professionally, about four years. (Before that), I had studio jobs doing animation, puppetry, things like that. I started out as a caricature artist and it grew.
Q: Do you still do any animation or other art-related activities?
A: Occasionally, I do some 3-D animation. I play guitar and piano as well. ... I'm (also) an amateur photographer. We go on photo trips, my wife and I and some friends. I try to enter amateur competitions. It's something I'm very interested in.
Q: How do you create your illustrations?
A: They all start out as pencil sketches. They're scanned into the computer and I use Photoshop to make the shape and then paint them digitally.
Q: Where do you get the inspiration for your pieces?
A: Just life in general. Pop culture, old cartoons. Everything your parents would say will rot your brain.
Q: What cartoons did you watch as a kid?
A: "Looney Toons," "Scooby-Doo," "The Muppet Show." I loved that stuff.
Q: What is the theme behind your new exhibit?
A: Fish out of water, I guess. I was just kind of having fun. I was really excited to get my own show. I wanted to do images that you could drink coffee by, you know, not too difficult to understand.
Q: Did you approach Front Street about displaying your work?
A: Yeah. I just walked right in with my portfolio. They were very receptive. I'm really excited. I've gone in there and they have such an interesting array of work. It's almost like a gallery.
Q: You're also doing some collages with magazine cutouts?
A: Those are really new. I'm really excited about those. I just started doing those recently. I really feel like the cutting and pasting is something I really enjoy. I think it's really neat to be able to take stuff that exists and making something new.
Q: Where are you from?
A: Glenmore, Pa.
Q: How did you end up in Salem?
A: My wife is from the area. I lived in Arlington, and we came up here and we just loved Salem.
If you go
What: "Fish Out of Water," digital illustrations by Brian Gubicza
When: Tomorrow through September. Open 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. daily.
Where: Front Street Coffeehouse, 20 Front St., Salem. An opening reception will be Thursday, Sept. 7, from 6 to 8 p.m. The public is welcome.
