In celebration of Ralph Baer’s 100th Birthday, local artists were invited to submit works to honor the legacy of Ralph Baer and video games. This show incorporates pieces from a dozen artists highlighting the ingenuity and creativity of this unique artform and pastime.
Light Gun
Matt Prindiville
Mixed Media, 2022
$50
My images are inspired street art, mixed media work, and designs from indie music zines & flyers.
For purchase please contact matthew.e.prindiville@gmail.com
Super Guardians
Sam Webb, Conjette Illustrations
Digital Print, 2022
$100
Lili Guardians Collection
Sam Webb, Conjette Illustrations
Digital Prints, 2022
$100 each
My work is an exploration of the stories we tell, whether it be through written narratives, imagery and crafts, or playing games. Games are a medium with which we can express ourselves beyond our physical capabilities, into the world of the virtual, the imagination. They can give us the means to connect with friends, make new ones, and to progress towards the vision of our ideal persona. Games enable us to feel powerful, and that’s the feeling this piece is meant to convey. Over the course of the past two years I’ve used games and art to connect with others separately from each other, thanks to the social isolation the pandemic put us in, but now I want to combine them more readily. I want to use both mediums to share stories, whether they’re my own or someone else’s.
For purchase, please email conjette@gmail.com Multiple copies are available in alternate sizes to be drop-shipped. Pricing will vary based on size. For commissions and other work, visit https://conjette.art
Shadow of the Colossus
QUIBX
Digital Print, 2022
There really has never been a game like Shadow of the Colossus before or after. Released in 2005 by Sony for their Playstation 2, the game follows a character called Wander on his quest to defeat the 16 Colossus in order to bring his love back to life. Each Colossus is a level in itself and players have to figure out the unique key to defeating each one. Depicted here is the meeting between Wander and the first Colossus.
Mushroom Field
Caroline Cupples
Digital Illustration, 2020
$30
Caroline’s colorful illustrations showcase a gentle cross between the beautiful natural world and a simple art style. She enjoys illustrating pieces that make viewers feel as though they can walk right into a natural and organic cartoon world. She loves depicting gentle and calm scenes with a hint of environmentalism and the romanticism of the Earth through the digital medium.
For purchase or commissions contact cupplescm@gmail.com. Find Caroline Cupples on Facebook or https://carolinecupplesillustration.com/
World Tree
Ian Ruoff
Digital Paintings, 2021
This piece was part of an environment development assignment. The theme I wanted to stick to was that of an open world game environment that had some mystical aspects. I took some inspiration from Legend of Zelda, and Horizon: Zero Dawn to create this original piece.
Remnants of the Fireflies
Ian Ruoff
Digital Paintings, 2021
This was the result of a final project where I had to create another game environment piece and the game concept at the end of the semester. I myself am a very big fan of open world and exploration games, so I stayed with that genre. Remnants of the Fireflies follows a somber game concept, where you play as a character wandering through the forest of limbo, collecting lost souls and returning them to the path they are supposed to be on.
Your Pizza is Here
Ian Ruoff
Digital Paintings, 2021
This was a cover piece for an exercise pitch. This one was designed to be a rogue-like, where you play as a pizza delivery person during the apocalypse. While the illustration itself may not be as glamorous as the other two, the same amount of work went into the design of the concept. My biggest inspirations for this one was Cup Head, Hades, and OFF.
Game Over
Aaron Kane
Done with hand cut paper, 2022
$500
This work focuses on the subject of losing a game and the anger that might come from a game over. To constantly struggle with that one difficult boss or level, seeing game over again and again. It can irritate and cloud the mind and cause us to go into a downward spiral of rage
As an avid gamer myself I know there is a deeper emotional connection when gaming. We sometimes don’t notice it but it can be clear to others when reacting to the game. I want to show the viewer how these emotions can make us feel as well as illustrate how something as simple as a video game can create such a response in emotion.
For purchase or commissions contact Aaron via his website. Learn more about Aaron Kane at https://www.thecutpaperguy.com
BLINKY GHOST
Christopher Ottinger
2018
BLINKY GHOST consists of a cathode ray tube set on a custom made pedestal. Displayed on the screen is a continuous loop of a flashing Blinky Ghost from Pac-Man. Gradually, as the loop plays, the video slowly burns a ghost image of a ghost into the screen of the picture tube.
This piece is a eulogy for an earlier era of both video games and gaming technology. While rooted in the past, it is not meant to be nostalgic. Rather, this is an effort to create something new from something old; to excavate the past and make it part of the present.
Learn more about Christopher Ottinger’s work at https://christopherottinger.com/.
Super Mario Vs. Boswer
Andrew Kent Freshour
Watercolor & pen and ink, 2022
$275
Like many artists and illustrators out there, video games have been a constant source of inspiration. The top of the list for me in that regard is Super Mario. I’ve followed that little plumber on his countless adventures for years in the Mushroom Kingdom. The places I traveled and the characters I met along the way have illuminated my imagination for so many years now. For this particular show, I chose to pay homage to Mario, and depict him in this watercolor painting you see before you. When I think of Mario, I think of bright and sunny colors and a keen sense of excitement; both of which I strove to capture here.
For purchase or commissions contact andrewfreshourart@gmail.com. Learn more about Andrew Kent Freshour at https://www.andrewfreshour.com/
Silent Hill – Nurse
Delia Patch
watercolor and ink, 2022
$75
Silent Hill is a comfort to me despite being horror. The writing digs into psychology and trauma and the atmosphere captures emotions I can’t put into words. I often listen to the music, especially from Silent Hill 2, when I need to calm my anxiety. The Silent Hill games are much more than just games to me.
For purchase or commissions contact dmp12345@hotmail.com
Ralph Baer Action Figure
Nick Lavallee / WickedJoyful
2020
It’s a tribute to the grandaddy of home video game consoles, Ralph Baer.
#stayjoyful
For more from Nick Lavallee visit https://www.wickedjoyful.com/
Ralph Baer 100th birthday commemorative egg
Brenda Noiseux
Mixed Media, 2022
Ralph Baer 100th birthday commemorative egg, indicated in his initials, embroidered 100 inside the egg, and the 100 Swarovski crystals adorning the outside. The piece is a play on the gamer term, Easter egg. The egg holds a surprise, a RB inspired game controller.
Brenda Noiseux is a NH-based mixed media artist who believes in making accessible art. Learn more at www.brendanoiseux.com
A Video Game Valentine
Kelley Muir
Mixed Media, 2020
The center piece of this part work is an Atari “Pigs in Space” game cartridge- The first video game I remember loving to play. While, like most games of the time, it was just a new “skin” on some well established game mechanics; there were just some characteristics that made this game memorable- like how Gonzo’s chickens would drop eggs on you.
For this piece I’ve 3-d printed 8-bit graphics from the game, recreated some of the game layout, and made sure not to destroy the cartridge- in case we ever want to play it again.
Kelley has no website. She just loves all things geeky.