Joe Ledbetter
Encyclopedia
Joe Ledbetter is an American artist and art toy designer from Los Angeles
. (also known as JLed)
Influenced by classic animation, graphic design, and daily life, he often combines cute and cuddly creatures with unfortunate — albeit humorous — situations. With a lean on the subversive and absurd, these scenarios are all too familiar, questioning our tendency of taking life (and ourselves) too seriously. He is considered part of the Pop Surrealism, Lowbrow (art movement)
and Art and Designer toys
movement.
Ledbetter attended Humboldt State University
(1996–2001) were he graduated in sociology
with a minor in studio art.
After the graduation Ledbetter began to work as graphic apparel artist for three years in Los Angeles. Then he got involved in the Los Angeles underground art scene, beginning with group shows like Cannibal Flower. By the summer of 2004, he had honed his trademark visual style of emblematic line-work, vibrant colors, and endearing characters to the point of quitting his day job.
In addition to his fine art career, (he has had numerous solo exhibitions in Los Angeles, Tokyo, London, Paris, Rome, Toronto, Taipei, Istanbul, and Amsterdam) he is one of the most important figures of the Art toys scene : his incredible cast of creatures have since been emblazoned on over 100 designer vinyl toys, as well as apparel and lifestyle brands, the world over.
"Pop Culture" auction.
Over 100 toys has been created by the mind of Joe Ledbetter and among them:
, Ride Snowboards, Sony Music, GAMA-GO
, Ford Motor Company
, Last Gasp Press, Dark Horse and his art has been published on the Los Angeles Times
, People (magazine)
, Hi-fructose, Juxtapoz, DPI, Playtimes magazine and more.
Joe Ledbetter's art took part to the following museum shows, among the others, including The Andy Warhol Museum
, MADRE Museum of Contemporary Art of Naples, Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery
, Riverside Art Museum.
In 2010 he created the entire art for the Motion City Soundtrack
new release album My Dinosaur Life
.
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. (also known as JLed)
Influenced by classic animation, graphic design, and daily life, he often combines cute and cuddly creatures with unfortunate — albeit humorous — situations. With a lean on the subversive and absurd, these scenarios are all too familiar, questioning our tendency of taking life (and ourselves) too seriously. He is considered part of the Pop Surrealism, Lowbrow (art movement)
Lowbrow (art movement)
Lowbrow, or lowbrow art, describes an underground visual art movement that arose in the Los Angeles, California, area in the late 1970s. Lowbrow is a widespread populist art movement with origins in the underground comix world, punk music, hot-rod street culture, and other subcultures. It is also...
and Art and Designer toys
Designer toys
Designer toys is a term used to describe toys and other collectibles that are produced in limited editions and created by artists and designers. Designer toys are made of variety of materials; ABS plastic and vinyl are most common, although wood, metal, and resin are occasionally used. The term...
movement.
Career
When someone asks Joe Ledbetter when he began drawing he answers that "I suppose ... I never really stopped. We're all artists when were kids, right? ... I just kept drawing".Ledbetter attended Humboldt State University
Humboldt State University
Humboldt State University is the northernmost campus of the California State University system, located in Arcata within Humboldt County, California, USA. The main campus, nestled at the edge of a coast redwood forest, is situated on Preston hill overlooking Arcata and with commanding views of...
(1996–2001) were he graduated in sociology
Sociology
Sociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity...
with a minor in studio art.
After the graduation Ledbetter began to work as graphic apparel artist for three years in Los Angeles. Then he got involved in the Los Angeles underground art scene, beginning with group shows like Cannibal Flower. By the summer of 2004, he had honed his trademark visual style of emblematic line-work, vibrant colors, and endearing characters to the point of quitting his day job.
In addition to his fine art career, (he has had numerous solo exhibitions in Los Angeles, Tokyo, London, Paris, Rome, Toronto, Taipei, Istanbul, and Amsterdam) he is one of the most important figures of the Art toys scene : his incredible cast of creatures have since been emblazoned on over 100 designer vinyl toys, as well as apparel and lifestyle brands, the world over.
Art toys
The first Joe Ledbetter figure was produced in 2005 from the Wheaty Wheat Studios: Mr Bunny. Released in 3 colorways (original yellow, blue and the Ledbetter own black, the Lava version) Mr. Bunny is now considered an icon of the vinyl art toy movement. In 2008 Mr. Bunny took part with other "most wanted" designer toys to the Christie'sChristie's
Christie's is an art business and a fine arts auction house.- History :The official company literature states that founder James Christie conducted the first sale in London, England, on 5 December 1766, and the earliest auction catalogue the company retains is from December 1766...
"Pop Culture" auction.
Over 100 toys has been created by the mind of Joe Ledbetter and among them:
- Mr Bunny (Wheaty Wheat -2005)
- Fire-Cat (Wheaty Wheat -2005)
- Ringo Bear (Wheaty Wheat -2006)
- Teeter ( KidrobotKidrobotKidrobot is a producer and retailer of designer toys founded in 2002 by Paul Budnitz, specializing in artist-created toys and imports from Japan, Hong Kong, and Europe. Kidrobot also makes Kidrobot Mascots, which are figures of their main logo. These figures are usually nicknamed KR and the number...
-2006/2007) - Sluggonadon - part of the Kaiju for Grownups series (Wonderwall-2007)
- Gamerita - part of the Kaiju for Grownups series (Wonderwall-2007)
- Finders Keepers Miniseries ( KidrobotKidrobotKidrobot is a producer and retailer of designer toys founded in 2002 by Paul Budnitz, specializing in artist-created toys and imports from Japan, Hong Kong, and Europe. Kidrobot also makes Kidrobot Mascots, which are figures of their main logo. These figures are usually nicknamed KR and the number...
-2007) - Hammerhead (Intheyellow-2008)
- Bummer (Fully Visual-2008)
- Smash (Toy2R-2008)
- Unicornasaurus ( KidrobotKidrobotKidrobot is a producer and retailer of designer toys founded in 2002 by Paul Budnitz, specializing in artist-created toys and imports from Japan, Hong Kong, and Europe. Kidrobot also makes Kidrobot Mascots, which are figures of their main logo. These figures are usually nicknamed KR and the number...
-2008) - Slander (Play Imaginative-2009)
- Terror and Magnus (The Loyal Subjects-2009)
- Octobunny (2009)
- Magnus and Friday (The Loyal Subjects-2010)
- Pico and Wilshire (The Loyal Subjects-2010)
- Wrecks and Dazey (Analog Playset-2010)
Works & collaborations
Joe Ledbetter collaborated on several projects with NikeNike, Inc.
Nike, Inc. is a major publicly traded sportswear and equipment supplier based in the United States. The company is headquartered near Beaverton, Oregon, which is part of the Portland metropolitan area...
, Ride Snowboards, Sony Music, GAMA-GO
GAMA-GO
GAMAGO is a company that was started in 2001 by Greg Long and Chris Edmundson. The pair began silkscreening t-shirts with artwork from their friends in Long’s San Francisco garage. They wanted to help promote the San Francisco art scene and distract from their day jobs...
, Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
, Last Gasp Press, Dark Horse and his art has been published on the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
, People (magazine)
People (magazine)
In 1998, the magazine introduced a version targeted at teens called Teen People. However, on July 27, 2006, the company announced it would shut down publication of Teen People immediately. The last issue to be released was scheduled for September 2006. Subscribers to this magazine received...
, Hi-fructose, Juxtapoz, DPI, Playtimes magazine and more.
Joe Ledbetter's art took part to the following museum shows, among the others, including The Andy Warhol Museum
The Andy Warhol Museum
The Andy Warhol Museum, located on the North Shore of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is the largest museum in the United States dedicated to a single artist...
, MADRE Museum of Contemporary Art of Naples, Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery
Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery
The Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery is a large museum and art gallery in Bristol, England. It is run by the city council with no entrance fee. It holds designated museum status, granted by the national government to protect outstanding museums...
, Riverside Art Museum.
In 2010 he created the entire art for the Motion City Soundtrack
Motion City Soundtrack
Motion City Soundtrack is an American rock band from Minneapolis, Minnesota, formed in 1997. The band consists of founding members Justin Pierre and Joshua Cain , along with keyboardist and moog synthesist Jesse Johnson, bassist and backing vocalist Matthew Taylor, and drummer, percussionist and...
new release album My Dinosaur Life
My Dinosaur Life
My Dinosaur Life is the fourth studio album by American pop punk band Motion City Soundtrack, released through Columbia Records on January 19, 2010. It is the band's first album on a major label, after they moved from Epitaph Records in June 2008...
.
Selected Art Shows
- Innards. Solo show. Copro Gallery. Santa Monica, CA. June 11, 2011.
- Magnus Maximus. Solo show. Corey Helford Gallery. Culver City, CA. June 4, 2010.
- Art From the New World. Bristol City Museum and Art GalleryBristol City Museum and Art GalleryThe Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery is a large museum and art gallery in Bristol, England. It is run by the city council with no entrance fee. It holds designated museum status, granted by the national government to protect outstanding museums...
. Bristol, UK. May 15, 2010. - Sharks and Minnows. Solo show. Milk Gallery. Istanbul, Turkey. November 5, 2009.
- Hearts and Minds. Solo show. Mondo Pop Gallery. Rome, Italy. November 3, 2009.
- Birds and Bees. Solo show. Artoyz Gallery. Paris, France. October 24, 2009.
- Arm and a Leg. Solo show. Outland Gallery. Amsterdam, The Netherlands. October 17, 2009.
- Shock and Awe. Solo show. London Miles Gallery: London, UK. October 10, 2009.
- Death and Taxes. Solo show. Copro/Nason Gallery: Santa Monica, CA. June 6, 2009.
- Aerophobia. Solo show. Paradise Toy Land: Taipei, Taiwan. November 14, 2008.
- Hunters and Gatherers. Solo show. M Modern Gallery, Palm Springs, CA. October 25, 2008.
- Unspeakable. 2-artist show with Andrew Brandou. Gallery 1988, San Francisco, CA. May 16, 2008.
- Creature Comforts. Solo show. STITCH, Tokyo, Japan. April 4, 2008.
- Love Songs for the Rejected. Solo Show. M Modern Gallery, Palm Springs, CA. October 6, 2007.
- Ill Morphology. 3-artist show with Anthony Ausgang and Thomas Han. Copro/Nason Gallery, Santa Monica, CA. June 9, 2007.
- Fever Dream. Solo Show. Gallery 1988, Los Angeles, CA. March 6, 2007.
- The Balancing Act. Solo show. Magic Pony Gallery, Toronto, Canada. November 9, 2006.
- Superstitious. Solo show. M Modern Gallery, Palm Springs, CA. September 30, 2006.
- Attack of the Mutant Bunnies. Solo show. Gallery 1988, Los Angeles, CA. July 11, 2006.
- Flight of the Navigator. 2-artist show with Greg "Craola" Simkins. Gallery 1988, Los Angeles, CA. March 14, 2006.
- Swallowed Alive. Solo show and "Lava Bunny" toy release. Kidrobot, Santa Monica, CA. September 22, 2005.
- Temporary Permanence. Solo show, Black Market, Long Beach, CA. March 12, 2005.
- Paintings n, Stuff. 2-artist show with Thomas Han, Cannibal Flower, Los Angeles, CA. September 25, 2004.
- Featured Artist. Featured Artist in a group show. Hangar 1018, Los Angeles, CA. August 6, 2004.
- Tear Gas Wasteland. 2-artist show with Jen Boyd, Underground Art Society, Altadena, CA. March 7, 2003.
Publications
- Creatures of Habit: The Art of Joe Ledbetter, Last Gasp press, 2009 (ISBN 978-0867197181)
- Joe Ledbetter's Sketchbook, Nerdcore, 2008 (ISBN 978-0-9800924-5-5)
- I Am Plastic: The Designer Toys Explosion, Paul Budnitz, Abrams, 2006 (ISBN 978-0810958463)
- Toygiants, Daniel & Geo Fuchs, Selim Varol, 2007 (ISBN 978-1584232841)
- I Am Plastic Too: The Next Generation of Designer Toys, Paul Budnitz, Abrams, 2010 (ISBN 978-0810988873)
- Art-Toys: Photographs by Brian McCarty, Brian McCarty, Tattoo Books, 2010 (ISBN 978-0979330766)