Tom Neely

I love my studio. I’m really lucky. It’s a converted garage in my backyard. My back yard is my favorite place in all of LA. That’s the light of God shining down his blessings on all that I create. That’s my clown, Ralphie. Stay away from him. He’s full of spiders.

Entrance (you hear the sound of a loud gong!) That red chair is where I like to read and sketch in the morning.

My drawing desk. Where all the magic happens.

The wall of progress… it’s been moving pretty fast lately.

Those are some Edgar Allan Poe illustrations on the wall. All those boxes are full of Wolves. They need homes. Adopt one.

Where I dabble with music. In the windowsill are all the empty bottles that used to hold the ink that became my first book The Blot. Also, my brother gives me a fake trophy every year for my birthday. It’s an inside joke full of pain and misery. Don’t ask me about it.

A few years ago I had this big solo art show and I thought I had a shot at getting some good write-ups and some big gallery interest… So, I made a life-size sculpture of one of my characters - that skinny naked dude on the left. Obviously, it did not become a part of the MOCA’s collection.

That’s a Jim Rugg print hanging on the bathroom door!

Those eyes are always watching. Beware.