Cactus Springman

 
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Title, Bloody Brain Cats, by Cactus Springman. A photographic print of a soft sculpture black cat, opening its chest with red yarn spilling out. The background is a pattern of bandages. Title, Self Sabotage Brain Cats, by Cactus Springman. A photographic print of two soft sculptures, a black cat and white cat. The white cat is holding an illustrated baseball bat, about to hit the black cat, who is bending over in the foreground. The background is pink with lighter and darker shades. Title, Punched Out Brain Cats, by Cactus Springman. A photographic print of three soft sculptures, a black cat, pink cat, and white cat. The pink cat has a cyclops eye and is bending down, taunting the black cat, who is bloodied up and being held by the white cat. The white cat is looking down at the others, holding out a clenched fist. The background is greenish-blue. Please Don’t Cry Brain Cats, by Cactus Springman. A photographic print of two soft sculptures, a black cat and pink cat. The black cat is sitting on a pillow, head in their hands, while the pink cat tries to comfort them. Both cats are on top of a human-sized bed. Title, Take Your Meds, by Cactus Springman. A digital illustration depicting a lithe pink cat with human features standing inside an orange medication bottle. The bottle lid is off, so the cat has their head and arms sticking out, resting on the rim. The pink cat has a blue cyclops eye. Space Oddity, by Cactus Springman. An illustration made from a linoleum stamp, printed in ink with acrylic paint and glitter on top. The focus is a white, cat-like figure in fetal position, encaged in a gold coffin, floating in space. The planets are pink and purple, while the rest of space is black. Runaway Brain, by Cactus Springman. A photo montage of four cyanotype prints, each depicting a human brain with legs. The brain is running away from a person in the background, who is holding, then throwing, a large pill. When the pill hits the brain, it falls down and lays motionless, finally calm. The prints are of various sizes, all navy blue and white. Sharks, by Cactus Springman. A digital illustration of various species of sharks all swimming around each other. The sharks and water ripples are black, while the background water and bubbles are blue and white. The sharks are repeated as an asymmetrical pattern throughout the piece. Mystery Soda Machine on Capitol Hill, by Cactus Springman. This is a digital illustration turned into an animated GIF. The focus is an old, red soda machine on the side of the road, where pink mist floats in and out of the retrieval slot. A lone soda can drops out of the machine and rolls into the road, without anyone pushing a button. The GIF loops. The background is a dark forest. Proboscis Monkey Battle Primates, by Cactus Springman. A large watercolor painting of a proboscis monkey sitting on a mangrove tree. He is dressed like a Dayak warrior, one of the native peoples in Borneo. He is surrounded by water, plants, fruits, and other vegetation. The monkey is holding a machete, and a long, painted shield rests near him.
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Gallery
Title, Bloody Brain Cats, by Cactus Springman. A photographic print of a soft sculpture black cat, opening its chest with red yarn spilling out. The background is a pattern of bandages.
Title, Self Sabotage Brain Cats, by Cactus Springman. A photographic print of two soft sculptures, a black cat and white cat. The white cat is holding an illustrated baseball bat, about to hit the black cat, who is bending over in the foreground. The background is pink with lighter and darker shades.
Title, Punched Out Brain Cats, by Cactus Springman. A photographic print of three soft sculptures, a black cat, pink cat, and white cat. The pink cat has a cyclops eye and is bending down, taunting the black cat, who is bloodied up and being held by the white cat. The white cat is looking down at the others, holding out a clenched fist. The background is greenish-blue.
Please Don’t Cry Brain Cats, by Cactus Springman. A photographic print of two soft sculptures, a black cat and pink cat. The black cat is sitting on a pillow, head in their hands, while the pink cat tries to comfort them. Both cats are on top of a human-sized bed.
Title, Take Your Meds, by Cactus Springman. A digital illustration depicting a lithe pink cat with human features standing inside an orange medication bottle. The bottle lid is off, so the cat has their head and arms sticking out, resting on the rim. The pink cat has a blue cyclops eye.
Space Oddity, by Cactus Springman. An illustration made from a linoleum stamp, printed in ink with acrylic paint and glitter on top. The focus is a white, cat-like figure in fetal position, encaged in a gold coffin, floating in space. The planets are pink and purple, while the rest of space is black.
Runaway Brain, by Cactus Springman. A photo montage of four cyanotype prints, each depicting a human brain with legs. The brain is running away from a person in the background, who is holding, then throwing, a large pill. When the pill hits the brain, it falls down and lays motionless, finally calm. The prints are of various sizes, all navy blue and white.
Sharks, by Cactus Springman. A digital illustration of various species of sharks all swimming around each other. The sharks and water ripples are black, while the background water and bubbles are blue and white. The sharks are repeated as an asymmetrical pattern throughout the piece.
Mystery Soda Machine on Capitol Hill, by Cactus Springman. This is a digital illustration turned into an animated GIF. The focus is an old, red soda machine on the side of the road, where pink mist floats in and out of the retrieval slot. A lone soda can drops out of the machine and rolls into the road, without anyone pushing a button. The GIF loops. The background is a dark forest.
Proboscis Monkey Battle Primates, by Cactus Springman. A large watercolor painting of a proboscis monkey sitting on a mangrove tree. He is dressed like a Dayak warrior, one of the native peoples in Borneo. He is surrounded by water, plants, fruits, and other vegetation. The monkey is holding a machete, and a long, painted shield rests near him.
Title, Bloody Brain Cats, by Cactus Springman. A photographic print of a soft sculpture black cat, opening its chest with red yarn spilling out. The background is a pattern of bandages. Title, Self Sabotage Brain Cats, by Cactus Springman. A photographic print of two soft sculptures, a black cat and white cat. The white cat is holding an illustrated baseball bat, about to hit the black cat, who is bending over in the foreground. The background is pink with lighter and darker shades. Title, Punched Out Brain Cats, by Cactus Springman. A photographic print of three soft sculptures, a black cat, pink cat, and white cat. The pink cat has a cyclops eye and is bending down, taunting the black cat, who is bloodied up and being held by the white cat. The white cat is looking down at the others, holding out a clenched fist. The background is greenish-blue. Please Don’t Cry Brain Cats, by Cactus Springman. A photographic print of two soft sculptures, a black cat and pink cat. The black cat is sitting on a pillow, head in their hands, while the pink cat tries to comfort them. Both cats are on top of a human-sized bed. Title, Take Your Meds, by Cactus Springman. A digital illustration depicting a lithe pink cat with human features standing inside an orange medication bottle. The bottle lid is off, so the cat has their head and arms sticking out, resting on the rim. The pink cat has a blue cyclops eye. Space Oddity, by Cactus Springman. An illustration made from a linoleum stamp, printed in ink with acrylic paint and glitter on top. The focus is a white, cat-like figure in fetal position, encaged in a gold coffin, floating in space. The planets are pink and purple, while the rest of space is black. Runaway Brain, by Cactus Springman. A photo montage of four cyanotype prints, each depicting a human brain with legs. The brain is running away from a person in the background, who is holding, then throwing, a large pill. When the pill hits the brain, it falls down and lays motionless, finally calm. The prints are of various sizes, all navy blue and white. Sharks, by Cactus Springman. A digital illustration of various species of sharks all swimming around each other. The sharks and water ripples are black, while the background water and bubbles are blue and white. The sharks are repeated as an asymmetrical pattern throughout the piece. Mystery Soda Machine on Capitol Hill, by Cactus Springman. This is a digital illustration turned into an animated GIF. The focus is an old, red soda machine on the side of the road, where pink mist floats in and out of the retrieval slot. A lone soda can drops out of the machine and rolls into the road, without anyone pushing a button. The GIF loops. The background is a dark forest. Proboscis Monkey Battle Primates, by Cactus Springman. A large watercolor painting of a proboscis monkey sitting on a mangrove tree. He is dressed like a Dayak warrior, one of the native peoples in Borneo. He is surrounded by water, plants, fruits, and other vegetation. The monkey is holding a machete, and a long, painted shield rests near him.
Slide 1 of 10

I am Cactus Springman, a Northwest-based Illustrator with a BFA in Communication Arts, Otis College of Art and Design, Los Angeles. I appreciate the opportunity to bring my own style to a project. I am heavily influenced by my love of animals and the fantastic, so my work is infused with anthropomorphic characters, animal images, color, and imaginative presentations. Characters, settings or color choices often reflect and express mood, emotion or mental state and depict the underdog, the overlooked, the oddball. I have worked as a graphic designer for a music school, creating performance posters and promotional material, as well as freelance design work for businesses, sports teams, and musicians. I work on Mac, Huion screen tablet, and iPad, freehand drawing and painting. I enjoy textile work, theatrical make-up, murals and stop-motion animation, too.  I have always drawn and been a doodler, and being a creator is my passion.

One of ten photographic prints depicting the Brain Cats, part of the artist’s Senior Project. Each of the Cats represents a set of emotions and/or mental state. This is Black Cat, depressed and panicked, literally pouring themself out to the viewer. This soft sculpture is made with cotton fabric and yarn, inside is a metal wire skeleton. Photo manipulation was added to the print, using pictures of bandages.

One of ten photographic prints depicting the Brain Cats, part of the artist’s Senior Project. Each of the Cats represents a set of emotions and/or mental state. In this piece, White Cat is about to let out some rage on the unsuspecting Black Cat. White Cat is blinded by anger, not realizing what this action could do to their friend. Black Cat could fight back, but maybe they want this to happen? These soft sculptures are made with cotton fabric and yarn, inside is a metal wire skeleton. Digital illustration was added on top of the original photograph.

One of ten photographic prints depicting the Brain Cats, part of the artist’s Senior Project. Each of the Cats represents a set of emotions and/or mental state. We’ve come upon the Cats in the middle of a punishment session. Black Cat is powerless to keep White Cat from hurting them, while Pink Cat makes fun of the darker cat. Pink Cat’s eye is wide open, meaning they are unmedicated and hyperactive. These soft sculptures are made with cotton fabric and yarn, inside is a metal wire skeleton. Digital illustration was added on top of the original photograph.

One of ten photographic prints depicting the Brain Cats, part of the artist’s Senior Project. Each of the Cats represents a set of emotions and/or mental state. Here we see Pink Cat, eye closed and calmed down, trying to make Black Cat feel better after a dark episode. While the Cats may sometimes hurt each other, they are still friends, just trying to exist. These soft sculptures are made with cotton fabric and yarn, inside is a metal wire skeleton. The cats were edited into a picture of a scene using Photoshop.

One of three illustrations depicting the Brain Cats in 2D form, part of the artist’s Senior Project. This is Pink Cat, a cyclops with ADHD and social interaction difficulties. Being medicated is not universal for those with ADHD, but it is a personal experience for the artist. Pink Cat’s eye only opens when they’re not on their meds. This piece was drawn in Procreate using an iPad Air 2, and can be printed to use as a sticker.

One of several linoleum stamp prints in various colors. Printed on large Bristol paper, using ink, acrylic paint, and glitter. This is the artist’s visual interpretation on how the song, Space Oddity by David Bowie, sounds. The cold and floating sensation, paired with the lyrics of isolation in space, weighs on one when listening to it. Outerspace can be a metaphor for any location in which one feels all alone, with the figure’s coffin-shaped cage being their fear of death.

A narrative collection of cyanotype prints on paper, printed using cyan chemicals exposed to light, their absence creating the white lines of the image. These prints depict a hyper brain running loose, while it's supposed “owner” tries to catch it. This is a personal interpretation of the artist’s relationship with medication; while it is necessary for a regulated day, the accompanying symptoms make the pills less than desirable.

This piece is a digital illustration, which was later printed on two sheets of polystyrene, creating a layered effect. The artist was tasked with creating an asymmetrical pattern with elements of nature, plants or animals, with a limited color palette. They chose sharks, as they are one of the artist’s favorite animals, but also highly misunderstood. There are many different types of sharks, but all are threatened by human cruelty, loss of habitat, and global warming. Sharks are not the monsters that popular media makes them seem to be.

One of three digital illustrations depicting urban legends from the Puget Sound in Washington. This one shows the mysterious soda machine on Capitol Hill, which has no source of power or anyone to service it, but it always spits out soda. It has occasionally disappears, only to return in a new spot within the Seattle neighborhood. The illustration was animated in Photoshop as a GIF, with the “source” of the soda machine’s mystery being a pink fog. It even operated on its own, as every so often a can comes rolling out.

One of three watercolor paintings, each featuring a different primate dressed in indigenous clothing. This piece shows a proboscis monkey, wearing the regalia of a Dayak warrior. Both the proboscis monkey and Dayak people come from Borneo, a country filled with rivers and swamps. This series is meant to address the similarities between humans and primates, as we share many evolutionary traits. The artist wanted these primates to pose like old, rich, royals in their expensive portraits, while surrounded by native plants and agriculture. Each piece is watercolor paint, colored pencils, marker, and gel pen on watercolor paper.