Travis Louie’s paintings come from the tiny little drawings and many writings in his journals. He’s created his own imaginary world that is grounded in Victorian and Edwardian times. It is inhabited by human oddities, mythical beings, and otherworldly characters who appear to have had their formal portraits taken to mark their existence and place in society. The underlining thread that connects all these characters is the unusual circumstances that shape who they were and how they lived. Some of their origins are a complete mystery while others leave clues to their stories. A man is cursed by a goat, a strange furry being is discovered sleeping in a hedge, an engine driver can’t seem to stop vibrating in his sleep, while another man overcomes his phobia of spiders.

 Using inventive techniques of painting with acrylic washes and simple textures on smooth boards, he’s created portraits from an alternate universe that seemingly may or may not have existed.

Biography

Travis Louie was born in Queens, New York, about a mile from the site of the 1964 World’s Fair. His early childhood was spent making drawings and watching “Atomic Age” Sci-Fi and Horror movies as well as marveling at 1950’s memorabilia such as the rocket ships, super heroes, giant monsters, and  old pulp art covers . Travis went to Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York, and graduated with a degree from the communication design  dept.  with the intent on pursuing a freelance illustration career. The work wasn't as rewarding as he had anticipated and after a few years freelancing,  he created a body of paintings and began showing them in local art galleries.            

The visual style of his work is mostly influenced by the lighting and atmosphere of German Expressionist and Film Noir. Films  from directors like F W Murnau, Fritz Lang, Orson Welles, Robert Siodmak, Robert Aldrich,  Jacque Tourneur, and cinematographer, Greg Toland, had a great effect on the way he wanted his paintings to look.