Bobbi Abbey is a skater and painter-illustrator from Leeds, England.
His head-turning illustrations use graveyard laden imagery, the undead and the macabre to create absorbing, dense surrealist collages.
Bobbi has been a member for a while so we did this reel cool interview to discover what skating and music, and visual things inspire his art right now.
What’s your full name, where did you grow up and where do you live now?
Bobbi Abbey. I grew up in Hull but reside in Leeds right now.
You illustrate, paint and skate but do you create other kinds of art?
It’s mainly painting and illustration at the moment. If I go away I will take my 35mm camera though.
How did you develop your visual style?
Mainly through being obsessed with music, skateboarding and visual art like comics and films growing up. So my style just naturally shaped out of that.
Do you have a favourite illustrator of all time?
It’s hard to choose just one. Glenn Fabry is definitely up there. He is one of those artists that can create something gross and beautiful at the same time.
Why do you think being creative is important?
To me personally it keeps me from being bored and going crazy.
What is your favourite film of all time?
What’s your favourite skate video of all time?
Sidewalk: In Motion, Thrasher: Prevent this tragedy and Blueprint’s First Broadcast are the first ones that come to mind right now mainly for the soundtracks.
Do you have a favourite musician of all-time?
It’s probably a tie between Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin depending on the day. I listen to a lot of 70’s stuff. Psychedelic, Heavy blues
What songs do you listen to while you make work?
I go through a lot of music in the studio! Few from the top of my head are..
Power of Zeus – The Gospel according to Zeus
Wolf People – Ruins
Graveyard – Graveyard
Motorhead – Motorhead
Sannie Fox – My soul got stranger
Red Scalp – Lost ghosts
Poobah – Let me in
Fu Manchu – Daredevil
Kyuss – Welcome to Sky Valley
What was your last creative project about?
I’ve been painting a bar in Leeds called Neon Cactus.
It’s a Mexican themed bar so they’ve let me go loose and create a crazy psychedelic Mexican western vibe.
Do you have a favourite artist or brand you want to mention?
Piilgrim clothing run by Mark Kendrick is putting out some amazing stuff! He has such a good eye for colour and visuals.
A lot of your work is so surreal, what is it that you love about hypnotic imagery?
It’s fun to be able to take something like drawing and bend it and shape it to however you want it to look.
Last one. You make your own clothing, where can people get it?
I have a few things like zines, T-shirts and one off paintings at www.bobbiabbey.bigcartel.com
