Who is HAMtasia?

HAMtasia is a cartoonist and connoisseur of kitsch who draws inspiration for our art from the massive store of trivia and ephemera accumulated in the course of our lifetime. When addressing us, please use our preferred pronoun, the Royal We. HAMtasia makes our home in the scenic wonderland of the Pacific Northwest with our Johnny Mac and our Corgis, Hank and Dean.

Our Chosen Materials

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HAMtasia prefers to use acrylic paints and markers for our work because the scent of linseed triggers art school PTSD. Sometimes we paint on new canvas, sometimes we recycle used ones from the pile of artistic failures in our studio closet. But our favorite surface on which to paint? One word, Benjamin: CARDBOARD.

Cardboard? Why?

It holds up to acrylics with or without gesso, and works well with HAMtasia's fast-paced, multi-layered style. It adds a fabulous texture to our lazy colorblock backgrounds. Best part? It's FREE! Canvas is pricey. Cardboard is plentiful - one can literally find it lying by the side of the road. Go to any grocery store and have your pick of free art materials. Cardboard can be layered for strength or cut into any shape. Keep cardboard out of the landfill, kids - make art with it!

Yes, but cardboard won't hold up over time like canvas does.
Wrong you are! HAMtasia has been painting on cardboard for two decades. Quality cardboard lasts a mighty long time if you don't get it wet, expose it to bright light, or feed it after midnight. Remember: this cardboard is painted with acrylics, acrylics are plastic, and plastics are forever, my friend!

One last question. What do you mean by "fine-ass low-brow art"?

Although HAMtasia paints, HAMtasia doesn't produce "fine art". "Fine art" is comprised of the boring landscapes and perpetually-untitled abstracts one finds at any given summer weekend Art Fair. We produce fine-ass art. And since our art finds better company with Ratt Fink than Raphael, we claim the descriptor "low-brow" as well.

It's a little known fact...

HAMtasia was a contestant on the 30th season of Jeopardy!. Like our fellow beer-and-trivia lover Cliff Clavin, we lost in Final Jeopardy! (GODDAMN RED PANDAS), but someday when Trebek retires and a new host takes over, we vow to return and try again...

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© 2019 Hateful House Publications/HAMtasia