The Dark Arts of Mike Vanderhoof - KING MIKE V - Official Website of Mike Vanderhoof - Award Winning Horror Artist - Tattoo Artist - Concept Artist - Graphic Artist - Digital Artist - FX Make Up Artist - Illustration - Storyboard Artist - Film Maker

I once spoke with an enthusiastic observer of my artwork while it was on gallery display recently, whose commentary seemed to coin a term that rang through my ear, summing it up in two words that lay roots in my brain: “Horror Pop.” Not to be categorized or pigeon-holed, but I loved the term to say the least. As a “monster kid” of the lat...

The Dark Arts of Mike Vanderhoof - KING MIKE V - Official Website of Mike Vanderhoof - Award Winning Horror Artist - Tattoo Artist - Concept Artist - Graphic Artist - Digital Artist - FX Make Up Artist - Illustration - Storyboard Artist - Film Maker

I once spoke with an enthusiastic observer of my artwork while it was on gallery display recently, whose commentary seemed to coin a term that rang through my ear, summing it up in two words that lay roots in my brain: “Horror Pop.” Not to be categorized or pigeon-holed, but I loved the term to say the least. As a “monster kid” of the late 70’s and early 80’s, I was constantly in awe of any imagery that was darkened by castle walls, spider webs, and misty graveyards at dawn. From the gothic splendor of the Universal monster movie era, to the hatchet wielding splatter fests of the pioneering slasher films. While other children looked upon the heroic iconic imagery of Superman’s flowing cape, or a gun blasting G.I. Joe saving the globe, I was enamored by thoughts of the Frankenstein Monster versus the Wolfman in hand to paw combat, and the son of Ms. Voorhees hat tricking a trifecta of sinful camp counselors with one machete slice. Some of my fondest memories of my genre influence were gawking for hours at the beautifully tattered poster art on VHS box covers at the 80’s mom and pop video stores, as I searched for which weekly rental of cinematic treasure I was allowed to take home, or the elementary school era ritual of curling up in front of the television every Saturday night with my popcorn and candy to spend two hours with Elvira, Mistress of the Dark, as she broadcasted two hours of B-movie schlock in between boob jokes. So with my artistic and creative endeavors, I naturally take all of this childhood revelry, and mix it up in a bowl along with today’s more mainstream pop culture, and concoct the most adorably vile, gory gumbo this chef can cook. I paint as a mad scientist, capturing the entertainment icons of today, dragging them back in time, to the depths of my childhood laboratory, and re-animating them into a cheeky, bloody, horrorific creature of modern day….