The Rev. Craig Michael Horky
Works at ad agency, in-house design guru for Bermuda Mohawk Productions and freelance designer, plays guitar for the Cartridge Family and bass in Cavalcade
Can you remember the first flier you made?
It was for my brother's first band, the Gomers, back in maybe '96 or '97. It was a total old-school black-and-white Xeroxed cut-and-paste punk rock flier. I wish I still had a copy of it.
Why did you start making fliers or posters?
I really got into the poster/flier art when I moved back to Michigan and started a band. It grew out of necessity at first. We had shows to promote and since I went to art school and did design for a living I was the obvious choice to start making the posters.
Do you consider this an art form?
Very much so, and there is a whole community of collectors and artists out there who would agree with me.
Name an artist, contemporary or not, you identify with:
Oh, wow. There are so many amazing artists out there. I don't know if I actually identify with anyone in particular but I really respect and admire the work of Raymond Pettibon, David Witt, Aaron Horkey, Gary Grimshaw, Tyler Stout, Tanxxx, Casey Burns, Charles Burns, Adrian Tomine, Jake Kelly … ugh … too many too mention!
What's your style like?
I think that I have a few different styles that I can apply that are all still recognizable as me. It's a combination of illustrative and designer-y styles. Most of my work is done with a Sharpie and then finished on the computer. I try to hand letter most of my text.
Who's your hero, in real life or fiction?
Sonny Barger, Evel Knievel and Abe Lincoln: the three most important dudes to have ever lived.
If you could create the flier for any band or gig in history, what would you choose?
Wow … umm … hard question. Probably the very last Rocket from the Crypt show. They are one of my favorite bands and I would have loved to have been the one to immortalize that particular show.
What trait do you hate in others?
Let's not concentrate on the negative. Life's too short.
Where do you feel most at home?
Despite the old saying that "location is everything," I find location to be extremely irrelevant. It doesn't matter where you are, it's who you are with and what you are doing that makes something feel "like home."
What's Detroit's most amazing spot for inspiration?
I can honestly say, without a second's hesitation, that I have never found inspiration from any "spot" in Detroit. From the people, the history, the music, sure, but not from Detroit itself. Once again, location — irrelevant.
What do you waste money on?
Mostly on music, books, art, tattoos, debt, girls and my motorcycle … and food … I eat out too much.
Gotten any good news lately?
Well, they say that "no news is good news" and I haven't gotten any news that I can remember … although I have a pretty bad memory so …
Who do you think you are?
Just a guy with a Sharpie who hates free time.
What do you think you're doing?
Communicating.
Who do you think you're talking to?
Anyone willing to listen.
See more art by Craig Michael Horky at gigposters.com/designer/24684_Craig_Horky.html
