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| Chronic Art |
| Snoop Dogg: "Buy my medicine, buy my medicine..." |
Amazingly, this is just something Cliff does in his spare time. He's one of Pittsburgh's finest tattoo artists at his day job. But it's his roach paper Chronic Art that has captured the imagination of folks nationwide.
As a student at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh, Cliff had the opportunity to take inspiration from the great mosaics of the past. "I was studying mosaics in school," Maynard remembers. "I just remember sort of making this connection in my head between the tiles and roach papers."
His roach paper portraits include iconic rock star stoners like Jimi Hendrix, Jerry Garcia, and John Lennon, and hemped hop rap stars like Snoop Dogg and Method Man.
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| Chronic Art |
| Jimi Hendrix: Burning of the midnight roach? |
All these followed his very first roach paper portrait, which was of Jesus. "Maybe it's a Catholic thing," Maynard says. Another piece is Cliff's roach paper take on the Michelangelo classic "Creation."
"I'm always a little worried that I may run in to some trouble for my art," Cliff told Mids Magazine. "That's why I didn't take my work public sooner. I think times are changing though. The marijuana movement has been winning battles left and right."
Maynard's Chronic Art offers original artworks and prints for sale, and also does some commissioned work.
Cliff's currently offering hand-signed and numbered, limited edition, museum quality (Giclee) prints of all his mosaics. "I'm only making 420 of each design," he told Toke of the Town. "The prints come professionally mounted and matted in black. All you need is a frame."
Originals can take over 200 hours to finish, Maynard told us. "An 8x10 portrait is about $2,000 and the larger pieces start at around $3,000," Cliff said.
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| Chronic Art |
| The artist himself: Roach paper king Cliff Maynard rocks. |
The fantastic level of detail present in Cliff's work is truly mind-boggling. When you start to grok how much time must have been spent fitting together all those sticky little bits of paper, cutting and arranging them in a way as to form a work of art, you have to admire this guy's dedication. Hell, Cliff is a one-man refutation of pot's supposed "amotivational syndrome."
"The next project that's about to be done is Jack Herer," Cliff told Toke of the Town. "Then a Marc and Jodie Emery. I decided to do an 'activists' series of portraits. It'll include Ed Rosenthal, Rev. Eddy Lepp, Richard Lee of Oaksterdam, and I'll probably do a Rick Simpson at some point," he told us.
Although until recently Cliff would probably have fit into the "unknown artist" category, he's fast leaving the "unknown" part of that in the ash heap.
Maynard's unique and phenomenal talent has turned the heads of numerous cannabis luminaries such as Cheech & Chong, Marc Emery ("a roach art Renaissance!"), Todd McCormick ("absolutely epic!"), Rev. Eddy Lepp ("I LOVE this shit!"), and Vivian McPeak, all of whom totally freaked on the level of passion, skill and detail in Cliff's work.
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| Chronic Art |
| Cliff hard at work at his day job as tattoo artist. |
"Cliff's incredible roach paper renderings are beyond stunning, they are phenomenal," said McPeak, executive director of Seattle Hempfest. "Cliff's ability to make the papers come alive and fool the mind's eye is a unique gift that everyone should get a chance to witness."
Or as the inimitable Tommy Chong put it, "Creative way to dispose of roaches, man!"
61 comments
Comments
Excellent stuff, Cliff!
I remember doing some pointillism "way back when" and it literally took DAYS to do...but I knew how big each point was, and I didn't have any reason to try to consider whether a dot was up or down or angled or...
For those who see this are aren't truly amazed, you REALLY don't know how much patience works of art like that take! To be honest, neither do I! ;)
Keep kickin' ass and takin' names, Cliff!
PS: Thanks for mentioning Rick Simpson...he needs all the press and assistance he can get right now!
G.U.P.I. said:
dude awsome work keep it up.
Stuntman in ParadiZe said:
I hope his work helps in the worldwide struggle to legalize cannabis and it's related products.
Korey Z said:
DUDE Cliff has amazing art work, i've known him since i was a baby because my dad and him are friends since forever and they used to blaze up all the time. He does the most amazing tattoos at his shop The Angry Moon down in the southside and one thing he makes that never is mentioned is little house replicas, the most amazing detailed little houses and all kinds of shit for DnD.
Its cool to see him becoming so popular
Daniel said:
Great stuff! I would like to see the photo of jesus, which was the first one...
Cliff Maynard replied to Daniel:
Actually Daniel....Jesus was the first one I attempted to do.
johnny141 said:
technically isnt that illegal?
Cliff Maynard replied to alapoet:
Haha
Cliff Maynard replied to johnny141:
Technically, yes it's illegal. That's part of the draw....and the statement.
Jason said:
Wow, that is pretty amazing!!
Chris said:
Wow, these are pretty cool!
John Woods said:
Wow, I really like this idea, a LOT.
RT
www.be-invisible.ua.tc
e cigarette said:
Wow those are awesome... Very cool!
jim said:
Wow, fantastic art, with what I would imagine to be a very difficult medium. Truly amazing!
scott said:
Awesome! Thanks.
RyanO said:
Great work man, glad to see you dispelling the myth about unmotivated potheads, while creating super-cool shit in the process.
Anonymous said:
your amazing i wish could afford to buy one
Jordan Kobold said:
If you ever need a roach maker. Just let me know...
Hammer said:
Dude truely amazing artwork...Southern Illinois University loves your work, 99.8% of us get high...
smokey mcpotleaf said:
i can donate some more roaches, i have thousands
poop replied to smokey mcpotleaf:
HI RYAN MILLER
poop replied to smokey mcpotleaf:
HI RYAN MILLER
mrwickey said:
I have a Jerry Garcia Litho of his from several years ago...very nice work.
Erica said:
...and I thought I smoked a lot of pot.
Props, that Jimi portrait is amazing!
PURPLEKUSHY said:
INSANE, KEEP DOIN' YOUR THING.
Susierr said:
Amazing !!! Have you done Pres. Obama?
Hobo Song said:
Can I get high from smoking your art? I guessing that I can
Sadie said:
Great work, very creative.
Fuma Cigar said:
yeah i would have to agree that this kind of work is really amazing.
Chad said:
great stuff! very creative and resourceful.
Jonas said:
It's tragic that police could legally confiscate these and destroy them as "drug paraphernalia".
Anonymous said:
You do not need to command (adult jokes) at home is too small, there is no extra space is given to six-year Iowa to sleep, so he will be at the bedside of the father and mother broke a small bed to Iowa. Hot summer, because of the night when the temperature remains high, and often so that Iowa could not sleep, so he stared at the hole on the nets Not long afterwards, a mosquito from the hole drilling, he has heart and big hair, on with the mosquito action shouted: "Come," "out", "Come," "out." When he was very happy to play when, only heard his father shouting from the next to the big bed in the: "muddy kid, you do not need you Dad command. "
electronic cigarette said:
Hey, beautiful art is beautiful art. Wish I had the talent to create anything close to that!
margie0001 said:
that's is what recycling is all about
Cep Giydir said:
Amazing artistic talent! Was he high when doin the art? Ehehehe
wholesale electronic cigarette replied to Cep Giydir:
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panic relief said:
that is really nice
E Cig said:
I hope to one day meet this artist.
Your girl Mary :)
JS said:
Aren't YOU clever!
Anonymous said:
dude that is the sickes shit ever man i fucken live it keep up the good work man
Anonymous said:
Hey Hey HEY WUR'Z THE THIZZ KING AT MAC MUTHA FUCKIN DRE IT'D B SIK WIT IT IF YA'll WENT IN DUN IT LIK DAT
Anonymous replied to Anonymous:
ha fuk i was thinkin the same dayum thang shoot... he need's da throw tha bay boss ah try n see wat happenz... shyt b tight
Phil E. Drifter said:
Looks photoshopped.
Roz Sanchez said:
dayum! das tight if ur outta ideas dude u shud really make one for mac dre i'd so effin buy it off u
Acai Optimum said:
Wow this artwork is actually made out of roaches? Pretty amazing stuff. I wonder if he was high when he did this.
Spongebob Squarepants said:
Excellent post & nice effort. Do carry same type of job in future as well. Keep this smart work in future as well. Thanks for nice comments. you can also get quality & awesome information from Affiliate Program Any comments will be appreciated.
memory power said:
that was really good
MLM said:
Nice article posted....
In Chronic Art we see the inspiration of someone who was forced to use his imagination at an early age.
me said:
help.....I do roach paper art too but don't know how or where to advertize.Please email me!!!!!!!My art is different but good .Check it out.
Capital Gold Group said:
Making Mosaics cannot be done by everybody as it requires a lot of creativity which existed in 'Cliff Maynard' from a very small age.Good job man.Go on..
brisbane house painter said:
good to see this.
I hope that one day i will meet this artist.
Max Furniture said:
Great stuff! Jesus was the first one I attempted to do. Excellent post & nice effort.
Dude that's amazing work.I hope his work helps in the worldwide struggle to legalize cannabis and it's related products.
yeah i would have to agree that this kind of work is really amazing.
Copywriting said:
Wow this artwork is actually made out of roaches? Pretty amazing stuff. I wonder if he was high when he did this. Awesome stuff.
San Diego Tax said:
Great stuff indeed.Making Mosaics cannot be done by everybody as it requires a lot of creativity which existed in 'Cliff Maynard' from a very small age.Good job man.Good job man!!
San Diego Tax said:
Great stuff dude...i must say lot of creativity exists in "Cliff Maynard".
HMS Home Warranty said:
Excellent post & nice effort. Do carry same type of job in future as well. Keep this smart work in future as well.
Walkin tubs said:
Hot summer, because of the night when the temperature remains high, and often so that Iowa could not sleep, so he stared at the hole on the nets Not long afterwards, a mosquito from the hole drilling, he has heart and big hair, on with the mosquito action shouted.
