Cat Atomic’s hand-painted Tequila figure for SubUrban Vinyl’s NYCC Show!

Transcending the stellar two-dimensional feel that he brings to his hand-painted vinyl sculptures, New Jersey based artist Cat Atomic takes his first steps into the realm of original sculpted elements. This contribution for SubUrban Vinyl’s custom Tequila show at this year's New York Comic Con maintins Cat Atomics trademark scarecrow mask meets skull facial patterning, but the visage has been hand-molded onto the piece's 8-inch tall frame. Aside from the precisely executed wound patterns on the body, I unfortunately feel the newly sculpted part is at odds with the heavy black lines surrounding it, an awkward merging of what the artist has been known for with potential future iterations. These are the sort of uncomfortable artistic moments one expects from early explorations into a new mode of expression, but I do think this $220 one-of-a-kind piece will become a keystone work in Cat Atomic's oeuvre as he gains in confidence and skill as a sculptor.