RAW Natural Born Artists - ENVISION

Calling all SoCal art lovers!

I will be showcasing at this years RAW:OC arts show entitle ENVISION on January 24th.

Over the 5 years I spent living in Seattle I began to experiment with only using red, blue, white, and sometimes black paint. All of these paintings were created after my local Seattle art gallery shut its doors for good meaning that this January event will be the FIRST time I showcase this series of paintings in front of real live humans! I have shown some of these pieces on my website before but am very excited to give everyone the opportunity to see these up close and personal. I will be selling all of these paintings at my booth including some newer ones.

Tickets to the event are $22 and you get so much more than an art show. There will be live music, dance performances, live painting and a fashion show to end the night!

As a bonus to everyone who buys a ticket from me, you will be automatically entered to WIN an original art piece. A name will be drawn at random on the night of the event so you can go home with your new art! Your ticket must be purchased using the link below to be entered.

Be sure to add "Mike Oncley" as your "artist" when you purchase your ticket.

See the other artists HERE

From the Toy Box

ZIIBRA was nice enough to document the opening reception to Ltd. Art Gallery's "From the Toy Box" show!

Check it out on ZIIBRA right now.

Courage: And Why You Shouldn't Dis It

Sometimes the speed at which you receive information via the internet isn't fast enough. Then there are times it is too fast.

A few weeks ago I started to scour my past photographs. Not looking for certain people or a certain period in which I took them, just looking at them to see if I could see the image in a different way. I have been drawing more cartoons than I used to and I wanted to imagine what I could draw into my photos to make them funnier, or a little more touching, frankly any other emotion than just "oh yeah I remember that place".

Close-up photo of my computer screen I posted to Instagram

I loved the idea and began to draw on my photos using Illustrator. Though, as the 2014 holidays approached, I had to wrap up my drawings and ship out to California to be with my family. I was away from my work and away from my tools. I don't even have a decent example of my work to show you because it's all in Seattle!

In this time away from my computer, the work of Lucas Levitan went slightly viral. What Levitan did, in a series he calls Photo Invasion, was take strangers photos from Instagram and rehash them with his characters doing funny things.... and he nailed it. All of them are hilarious, drawn well and extremely clever.

(More photos after the jump)

So now what?


Do I give up? Do I say, "well he did it so well, no one will be interested in mine?" Honestly my first reaction was, "Shit, there goes that idea." It wasn't the idea of drawing on photos that I felt was executed so perfectly by Levitan, but the humor and thought process that goes into thinking of a whole new situation when given a photo that wasn't taken with the intention of being drawn on.

The more I sat and thought about how excited I was to return home and continue working on these, the more I felt like it was absolutely mandatory that I did. That is art. Art isn't an invention, or a single idea; art is an era, an emotion someone is conveying to the public. Just because we both like humor/photography/cartoons doesn't mean we can't both enjoy this art sandwich. We like the same sandwich, and quite frankly, when we are put in our own kitchens the sandwich will be made slightly different.

I'm not saying Lucas is the first person to try this method, we all watched Bob Hoskins bop Roger Rabbit on the head a few times, or Brad Pitt run around town with Holli Would. Not to mention the rise in popularity of people buying thrift store art and adding their own flair to it over the past couple years.

“Throat Shark Is Just Looking For A Good Time” by Chris McMahon

My main point I am trying to convey(poorly), is that you can't beat yourself up for having a similar idea to someone. They say great minds think alike and with over 7 billion people on Earth, sometimes it's hard not to.

As an artist it is so easy to get discouraged when you see someone doing that thing you wish you did back then and with help from the internet, we're finding these things out over night. Although, in a positive light, it does help us to see that this is something the public will enjoy if done well.

So keep an open mind, know that you are unique and never back down on your ideas, even if it means feeling like a hack for a couple of days.

....and happy 2015, by the way.

Mike Oncley's Tales of Horror Part 4

Electric Eat 1964

by Robert Indiana

In 1964, before the zombie fad

There was an army of zombies Robert Indiana had

They lived on his ranch, and had space to run

Each one of them felt to be Robs daughter or son

He fed them and bathed them and cared for them deeply

He didn’t find these rotting corpses creepy

Night and day he would tend to their needs

Early morning runs and late night feeds

They say when you love someone, to let them be free

So that’s what he did when he got out his key

He unlocked the door and showed them the way

To freedom of choice, but the zombies didn’t obey

They just seemed confused, looking for a meal

No motivation to gather, none to steal

Roberts training had failed, they were used to being fed

So he constructed a sign that would help out the dead

A reminder to EAT, yes EAT everything

"Get it yourself, there is no food I will bring”

So the living dead feasted and bit and chewed

The living ran in terror as the dead did pursue

Keeping in mind to keep that sign in view

or else they may forget what to do

After weeks of feasting on animal entrails

Robert Indiana was shocked at all the killing this entailed

"I fed you grains and legumes and soy!

I never wanted death when my zombies were deployed"

So he quickly ran to the source of their thoughts

A brightly lit EAT, burning at 3 million WATTS

He then bent down to the lower left side

and loosened some bulbs to loosen the zombie's pride

FAT the sign read, “You’re all getting fat!

Put down those brains and eat healthy snacks"

The zombies were outraged, betrayed by their father

“We can’t fight our instincts, don’t be a bother!”

Thus began the great zombie migration

Greatly offended, they headed to the train station

“But where will you go?” asked Robert in confusion

“Maybe the woods, to scare kids who are boozin

or to the snow to leap out at campers

or maybe the desert to party with the vampires”

With a whistle and steam, the locomotive was gone

When Robert got home, the lights were still on

He unplugged the sign, ashamed at his ignorance

forever saddened by the absence within his fence

It wasn't till ’07 that Robert fixed the sign

Tightened the bulbs and brought it inside

Facing his window he hoped it’d be seen

and that his zombie family would return home, to EAT

by Mike Oncley


Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

Mike Oncley's Tales of Horror Part 3

Vote McGovern 1972

by Andy Warhol

In 1969, our boy Richard Nixon died

“Oh Mike, you must be mistaken.” You’re thinking inside

But nay! Nixon, had a head on collision

In his President’s limo cause by the car driver’s bad vision

But the sun roof was open and old Nixon got snagged

Popped his head clean off and into his bag

His men did scramble to get him some aid

They thought of one name, but they were all too afraid

"Old Dr. Andy Warhol, he’ll know what to do

I heard he re-animated a thing or two”

So they took in the head, and the body came next

and begged mr. warhol to "at least try his best!”

So they showed him their goods, and from what he could tell

“That bodies too old” Andy said, “it’s beginning to smell

Come to the pantry, I'll see what I’ve got”

So he looked through his bodies that hadn’t begun to rot

“Here’s a fresh one! His name’s Brian Jones.

He’ll have the head of old Nixon, and a body from the Rolling Stones"

So he jammed on the head, a staple in back, a staple up front

He began to speak! About politics and that you can’t always get what you want

A little more stapling, the job was complete

They loosened the straps, he stood to his feet!

A look to his left, a look to his right

He walked to the car, and got on with a presidents life

Come time for reelection in 1972

Nixon policies stunk, and Andy knew what to do

He grabbed his brush and an old photo he took

Painted Nixons face green, with it’s menacing look

to tell the world of this monster, that he had created

But Nixon fought on, he toured and debated

So Andy then planned to throw the party of the year

To inform everyone of the monster we’ve got here

"My new club in Soho, it’s called “Watergate”

We’ll all meet up there, try not to be late!"

Soon Nixon got word, it traveled quite quickly

He knew of the party, of his face looking sickly

He sent out his men, to bug up the place

“Do it quickly, and don’t leave a trace!”

So they did what he said, at their speediest pace

Only noticing the name on this space

Not taking note of the address on the building

With Nixon’s new handwriting, the map was confusing

Now, if you think about all of the coming events

that we all know from the history of our governments

The cases, the questions, recordings and lying

All leading up to old Nixon resigning

It’s safe to say Andy won their game

of who could cause the other party the most shame

Quickly ending the rein of old Nixon

It seemed that this monster, was AGAIN, in need of some fixin

by Mike Oncley


Part 1
Part 2
Part 4 

Mike Oncley's Tales of Horror Part 2

Double Elvis 1963 & 1976

by Andy Warhol

As not many of you may know

There was much more behind that little white fro

Andy Warhol was not only mad

But a mad scientist, who wasn’t half bad

A couple love potions, a guy back from the dead

He even sewed Brian Jones(rolling stones) body to Richard Nixon’s head!

By the time word hit his A-list clients

A young southern boy said he wanted to try it

“Try what?” asked Andy, “You’re being quite vague”

“Any experiment!” responded Elvis, “transplant my leg!”

But Andy knew better, not to waste his great skills

The machine he then described, gave Elvis chills

“From here to there, to any time, I’ll move all your atoms!"

“Time travel exists?” Elvis could not even fathom

"I’ll load you in here, you exit right there

Simple as that no need to be scared.

The question now is what time you’d appear”

“Try 1976, that sound like a good year”

So Mr. Presley hopped in, Andy set his date

No one foresaw Presley’s new fate.

As many may know, teleportation is scary

When one side moves over, results may vary

Say, if a fly flew in to one side

You’d have Flyvis, the sexy bug with southern pride

Fortunately for our protagonist, there was no fly

Simple absence of matter, so the machine gave it a try

It sent Elvis flying, through time and through space

Well, half of him that is, his hips and that handsome face

What was left behind wasn’t the man we know

But a lesser being, who could still play a good show

Less self control and a little bit fatter

Elvis2 was half the man, but twice the matter

So the world would have to settle for these identity tricks

Until Elvis1 would appear in 1976

13-years of solace, in galaxies above

Elvis1 returned, ready for his hat and gloves

Andy welcomed him with worry in his eyes

“The other you's been performing, and eating all the pies”

Elvis1 quickly took off, to meet this imposter

to hopefully redeem the image left by this monster

With talking and planning, it took them a year

to finally decide what they’d have do here

“The name has been soiled, Elvis is dead,

Lets go to a place I’ve spent some time in instead”

We’ll go out in space, we’ll dance in the stars

Where we’re going, we need no guitars

So In 1977 the Elvis’ took action

They approached the machine and decided to pack in

"Both in one? Maybe we’ll merge”

Although years before this caused them to diverge

So in they went, 4 fingers crossed

Andy set the coordinates, destination: Lost

A pull of the switch, a turn of a knob

A great flashing light, the Elvis were gone

So now anytime you see a star, or read of Elvis’ fall from grace

You can thank Andy Warhol, for sending Elvis to space

by Mike Oncley

Part 1
Part 3
Part 4 

Mike Oncley's Tales of Horror Part 1

Last night I had the privilege of leading a tour at the Seattle Art Museum.

I added a red censor since photos are not allowed in SAM(shhhhh)

I was part of the "My Favorite Things" tour during the October 30th, 2014 "Community Night Out" at the museum. In the spirit of Halloween, I decided to make my false backstories have a bit of a spooky twist.

For anyone who couldn't make it, I will be posting my 4 stories in order on my website. The painting that helped kick off my tales of terror was Roy Lichtenstein's "Study for Vicki".

Study for Vicki! 1964
by Roy Lichtenstein

The old creaky house with the mailbox outside

is were Mr. Jones and his wife Vicki reside.

A worn welcome mat and their name on the door

The Jones’ had moved in a long time before.

As the red wallpaper tore and the carpets grew mold

their passion fueled marriage somehow grew cold.

As Vicki’s attention soon moved to her writing

Mr. Jones and his wife had to work through the fighting.

"We’ll go to a counselor, they’ll tell us what to do"

“Oh I assume you want me to pay for that too!”

So they never got counseled, they just stayed home

Two people present, but both so alone.

A traditional man, and stubborn as hell

he knew a divorce was what he had smelled.

“I can’t do that! Lose half of my stuff!”

So his next idea was a little off the cuff

He started to pace and ponder and sway,

"What if she dies? Then I don’t have to pay”

Without missing a beat, he planned in his head

the way in which he’d make his wife DEAD.

After breakfast the next morning, he kissed her goodbye

"Don’t wait up honey, I’m working late” he had lied.

Later that evening, upon Mr. Jones return,

Vicki was asleep and her husbands decision was firm.

He snuck to their room with only one thing he could see

The 6 figure amount on her life insurance policy.

As his hands dove into the space below her chin

Vicki’s future was beginning to look grim.

Normally in the story, the hero enters to save her

But Vicki’s fate was a just a little bit graver.

Mr. Jones was no doctor, and he wasn’t that strong

but the look in her eyes, he knew Vicki was gone.

With his hands trembling, the moon still in the sky

He retired to the couch, to get some shut eye.

Mr. Jones dreamt of his story, home invasion gone fatal.

He awoke to the sound of plates on a table.

The sun had come up and the room smelled delicious.

Someone had made breakfast, and was putting out dishes?

“Did I dream up last night? Is someone else here?

The police? The in-laws? my boss Mr. Grier?"

Then, what he heard was as clear as day,

“Breakfast is ready” just like his wife used to say.

In fact, it smelled how her breakfasts smelled, that certain way.

As he pulled back the door and his heart began to race

He didn’t know what he’d do if he saw that face.

His skinned turned white from it’s normal, spotted red

“Vicki! I-I thought I heard your voice!” he said.

It was her, alive, just setting the table,

In fact she looked healthy, happy and able.

The only thing off was the surprise in her stance

When her husband walked in and gave her a glance.

“Mr. Jones Found Dead” was the headline she had hoped to see

When she sprinkled the poison into his Wheaties.

"He said he’d work late, the end is nigh

He’ll collapse on the job and I’ll have my alibi"

Vicki had thought, the morning before,

Little did she know how slowly the poison would absorb.

By the time that cocktail reached Mr. Jones heart

He had already strangled his wife and was sleeping apart.

Now it’s not every day you can murder your own killer

But eternity with them sounds an oddly bit chiller.

The murder they thought would separate them from their spouse

Only caused the haunting of that old creaky house.

by Mike Oncley

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Banksy's Identity Revealed

It's me....

Not really, but I can't help but laugh at all of the trolling going on with fake news sites. They found out how to get your attention!


Original, fake article here: http://nationalreport.net/banksy-arrested-identity-revealed/

Stop, Motion.

With a click of the play button on Two Door Cinema Club's Tourist History, I have been transported to my past.

As "Do You Want It All?" began to play I was reminded of the stop-motion video my buddy Jole and I made years ago, not to mention a couple recent work conversations regarding stop-motion animation.


We originally would hold down the right arrow key to scroll through Photobooth photos to animate our images.

After throwing it into Final Cut we were able to make this.




A lot of fun to make, and sometimes confusing.


Prior to this double-laptop, stop-motion beast, Jole and I were riding solo in own own videos.


My first:



My Second:


I hope to do more in the future. I have a nicer camera now and even an intervalometer! Look at me now mother.


Stay tuned for #someothertimeinmypastsunday!


Not really.... but I might have to draw 2 #barfadays tomorrow.


ZzzzzZzzzzzz

What is Goo Aush?

I have seen this word before. I have been reading it for years, never once have I heard it said by a person. I think artists avoid saying it to avoid awkwardness but one of them did.

This introduction to illustration video has the talented Alison Woodward illustrating some animals in bottles and gives it some nice highlights using GWOSH at the end.



I was blown away. Forever I thought it was "gauch" or "goush" or just something non-audible. Anyway, I looked it up and it is pronounced "goo-aush" but when said fast enough sounds exactly like "gwosh".

Maybe I can finally buy it in confidence.

Society6 iPhone Templates

I always hated the guessing when uploading art for a phone case on Society6. Recently, I was able to make this rough template for iPhone cases.

This PDF file should be used as a reference only to see what sections of the art will be cut off, by giving examples with three iPhone shapes. Also, the file size is the correct dimensions for phone submissions, so just place your art and save it! Free for anyone who could get some use out of it.

Click here to download the layered PDF

Click image to see examples

Let me know in the comments if this has helped you at all.

You're Beautiful

Dove did a really cool experiment recently.

They asked women to describe themselves to an FBI sketch artist. Most of their answers to his questions of appearance were negative and unflattering.

The 2nd part of the experiment was having them interact with a stranger for a bit, and then having that same stranger describe them to the same sketch artist.

The results are pretty interesting.



Love the way you look ladies..... we all do.

El Camino Lamar

C'mon Kendrick!

Kendrick Lamar's 2012 Album "Good Kid, M.A.A.D City"

The Black Keys 2011 Album "El Camino"

I think it is safe to assume that if someone releases an album cover with a profile of a shitty van, you should wait a little longer than 10 months to do the same.

Great Poetry, Great Art, Great Message

Give the author your love

The North Wars

With a $7 price difference, PLUS a guarantee that my shirt will attract waves of the opposite sex, how could you not buy it? HOW?

...plus their style is called "ASEY". To 'one-up' them I am now naming my style "BALZY".

Gnarley Foot

I am in love with this piece by Skinner. Such good color and just an awesome figure to paint on.

Product - Bigfoot - Customized One Off - by Skinner by The Art of Skinner · Storenvy:

KATO Gallery

Come July 14th-15th my work will be featured in the KATO Gallery in San Diego. The theme of the gallery is paying tribute to any and all of Judd Apatows films/tv series. I've got about a month to finish my work so it will be a photo finish since this falls in the middle of my move to Seattle. The gallery is scheduled the weekend of SD Comic-Con to get all of the Apatow nerds to show up. If you're going to Comic-Con, take a lunch break and check it out.

Hope you can make it!

(Not my work, but pretty awesome)

Click the photo to get the details.

Odd Oldie

Not long ago I started noticing more and more photos of, and by, Terry Richardson showing up on the blogs I follow. I didn't know who he was or why his photos were so popular. I figured I'd let his Warhol-mimicry slide and let him do his thing. Although, when I saw Odd Futures recent video for "Oldie" I knew I didn't like Mr. Richardson.

Odd Future is a rap group that is the oposite of predictable. They are strange party animals who do what they want and when they want to. They are Odd. So for Terry Richardson to have them scheduled for a shoot, and for him to expect them to stand and behave like models or dogs in a pet chow ad, seems a little odd in the first place. Either Terry didn't do his research, or he only wants everything his way. Watch his little tantrum in the beginning of the video to which he stops shooting anything.

What he doesn't realize is that this video is a different look at a band performing their song. Completely unedited and completely out of the blue. Instead of taking photos of the group performing the most unique DIY music video ever made, he just complains and gives up on the group. It isn't until the end of the song that he comes to and sees what a dildo he was being.

If you need to learn something today, learn that the world isn't set on a schedule and perhaps the most unplanned events are the greatest.

Also, if you're a fan of Odd Future, Jackass and Tim&Eric, then go watch Loiter Squad, Odd Future's new show on Adult Swim.

Puerto Rico

Home of the worlds largest shit.

....and two little shits

I think this 1930's poster needs to rethink it's imagery.

Assembly Required

I'm loving this brilliant ad campaign for Ikea. This ad promotes their assembly service to help you put together that thing you bought that you can't pronounce.