Artist Statement -
Out of my love for art, music, and literature, I have developed a distinctive style of drawing which I call Graphikoism. Graphikoism is using handwritten words, phrases, poems, or lyrics to create a drawing. I had often found myself wanting to use discourse in my artwork, and how better than to use the written word as a way to construct the very image its self? Because there are no solid fields, lines, washes, cross hatching, or stippling, my drawings have a unique texture all their own.

Since music has always been an immense part of my life, I have been focusing on musicians portraits. As I listen to a particular song or band, I will find inspiration in the music and lyrics and write down those which move me and it’s these lyrics that I’ll use to compose the drawing. To further my inspiration, I’ll continue listening to the music of the singer or band as I draw the portrait. Frequently new lyrics will catch my ear which I hadn’t noticed before. Perhaps those lyrics capture how I’m feeling at the moment. I try to have fun with my work, sometimes using the deep lyrics of a punk band juxtaposed by a humorous portrait of the lead singer. I also hide personal expressions in my work including, “I ♡ U MORE” which is hidden in every drawing I do.

Graphikoism grew out of my pen and ink drawings of the past. As a struggling artist, ink was cheap and paper was plentiful. My original pen and ink work was heavily influenced by Robert Crumb. From there I grew and refined my style. My cross hatching became more detailed and the images more defined. Always experimenting to make myself stand out from other artists, I started using colored inks. On my first Graphikoism drawing, I went back to black and white but quickly realized the colored inks would work just as well with Graphikoism as they did with cross hatching. I am continuing to experiment with a variety of inks and substrates. Currently I am putting together a series of Graphikoism paintings on large canvas, using paint pens as the medium.

I hope people who view my work will be pleased with seeing a portrait of their favorite musician. The distinctively characteristic style of Graphikoism will invite them to take a closer look. Most viewers are surprised when they notice the words for the first time and have fun as they search the drawing for lyrics they recognize.

Bio -
Born in Valparaiso Indiana, Captain Fancher lives and works in Los Angeles, California. His self styled pen and ink drawings are truly distinctive, employing a technique he calls Graphikoism. Fancher uses handwritten text to produce beautifully detailed portraits. Heavily inspired by other "Outsider Artists" such as Robert Crumb and Joe Coleman, Fancher himself has little formal training. Even so, his love of human form, intuitive use of color, captivating compositions, and joy of the human spirit shine through in his meticulously detailed work. Fancher has traveled and worked throughout the US and Europe with collections in England and France where he lived in the late 1990's. Currently, Fancher has been producing a series of rock musicians in his Graphikoism style. This latest series works well with his charisma and eccentric style which intrigues his viewers. Fancher shows regularly in Los Angeles, Including KGB Gallery and The Punk Museum in Downtown. He is currently represented by The Kollaborative - The Space Gallery in Hollywood.

I'm looking for a very particular expression and attitude from the models I use. I've worked with photographers that get their models from Model Mayhem and I've always been impressed. Now I'm at the point in my career that I'll need to use models on a regular basis. Right now I'm painting a series of 16 pieces of an "LA woman". I'm represented by a gallery and all shoots are done with a professional photographer. Hair and makeup professionals will be provided when needed for the look I'm shooting. This current series is a big one and the shoots will be done quickly so I can get on to the next model or look.

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