Off a dusty road, in desolate West Texas, there’s a small structure that is noticeably different from other places in the tiny desert town. Maybe different from any other place, anywhere else for that matter. The aluminum siding has random art & words scrawled across it. The property is littered with unusual sculptures, Natty Lite cans & remnants of various creative projects. This is the studio space for George Zupp.

George is a well known artist whose work seems to sway back & forth between his own lifestyle & his wild imagination. He has been the subject of several other artist’s paintings & I can’t help but notice reflections of George in his own work. Whether direct or indirect, his distinctive artwork seems to portray an ongoing narrative that blurs the line between George’s reality & a bizarre parallel universe. This is the George Zupp interview.

CT: Hi George.  It’s George right?  I’ve heard a couple of different nicknames too.

GZ: Yep, several.. they are all the same, Chicken Bones George, Chicken George. The nickname was given to me a long time ago from selling chicken paintings. My friends were making fun of me, so i went with the name.

CT: You come off as a Texas boy.. that would be my guess.. Where are you from?

GZ: South Houston area. I went to Alvin junior college.

CT: I’ve been a big fan of your work for some years now.  You seem to be very consistent in your art.  Did you grow up doing creative stuff?

GZ: Yep, it was my hobby in high school. I was inspired by magazines in the 80s like Fangoria and softcore mags about adult films I wanted to make paintings with this kind of take away, I was horrible at it.. My art skills were horrible back in the day, 1986-1991.

CT: Nice.  How did your work evolve after high school?  Any formal training or schooling?

GZ: Well they don’t do much training in school. You’re more or less gauging your art production with others. I was a psych major the majority of time, but wanted to graduate and went the art direction. I was always painting. Plus I got to know Sergio Rodriguez. “This guy!”, I thought, “Fuck if he can make it, why can’t I?” He is a great painter.

CT: Damn.  I hadn’t seen his work until now.   Abstract & texture heavy.  Extra delicious for the palette.

CT: I’ve heard you describe your own work as Folk Art.  I can’t help but notice recurring things in your paintings: animals, raw meat, cowboy hats, nudity, etc.  Where do you get your inspiration? 

GZ: It comes from sketches, coffee, something funny i might think of, or see going on in current events. A lot of it is just my ideas morphing.

CT: Your studio in rural west Texas is very interesting.  It’s kind of a work of art in itself with the design & decorations & such.  What’s a typical day like out there?

GZ: Wake up, make coffee, paint,  then eat breakfast, then go work outside till it gets too hot. Then hang out till 4pm or so.. get beer, listen to music, paint some more, eat catfish and soup after the buzz. But I can’t drink anymore because of this diabetes crap. Need to lose weight.

CT: What's the soundtrack for a day like that?

GZ: Jon spencer or techno. I have also been getting into country teasers.

CT: Your pieces from the Rural Elements exhibit in 2019 were rad.  You painted on Fast Food boxes, wrappers and other surfaces.  I've seen some of your other work similar to that too.  Can you tell me a little about it?

GZ: I like the shape of the box folded out & it being that tan color. The tabs make good places to write notes in & the boxes themselves could have a message to them. Fried chicken boxes especially. I like Krispy Krunch chicken boxes.

CT: Food also seems to be a recurring theme in your work.  I love the How-To video you made with the hotdog sculpture covered in nacho cheese.  What was that all about?

GZ: That was based off a drama on YouTube. My buddy out there was messing around with my Ruby Lonestar so i made a hotdog head of him, which floated around in the videos.

CT: Did I also see a chicken bone sculpture you did somewhere?

GZ: I made a trojan horse out of chicken bones.

CT: Did you eat all the chicken off those bones?

GZ: Yep, had parties & collected the bones.

CT: Any upcoming projects or exhibitions?  I know COVID-19 has changed everything for most people.

GZ: Not off hand, I am shooting a more serious video, it’s more fiction where I hang myself with my own guts. Other than that, my YouTube videos.

CT: Sounds fantastic.  I can’t wait to check it out. I appreciate your time.  Where can people find your work and possibly buy stuff?  Also Any closing words?

GZ: Sub on Instagram is the best way, to buy and watch. Parting words: Artists and Magicians are about the same, one questions whether the other is real, so not to be tricked.🐔