Art & Life with Kenny Calderon

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kenny Calderon.

Kenny, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
I’m a native New Yorker from Far Rockaway, Queens. Born to Puerto Rican parents. For as long as I’ve been able to hold a pencil, I’ve always been drawing or doodling on something. Books, walls, doors, nothing was safe! lol I grew up very shy and introverted but my imagination was too big to contain. And that reflected in the things I’d draw as early as kindergarten. Drawing had been a family trait. My mom used to tell me stories of she loved drawing growing up. I remember she used to draw doodles of flowers on scrap pieces of paper when her mind would wander. My dad was an auto mechanic, but on occasion would sit and draw pictures of cars with me when he had time.

Growing up in NY, art was everywhere. I used to copy the funnies from the newspaper, or draw characters from the Saturday morning cartoons. As I got older I was exposed to different art forms that even today influence my art style. Elementary was cartoons, middle school was graffiti, by the time I hit high school, it was anime and comic books.
I moved to south Florida back in August of 2002.

Can you give our readers some background on your art?
I am a published Comic book artist and cover illustrator. Since high school, I’ve been fascinated with the comic medium. I believe my first comic was an old Steve Ditko Amazing Spiderman story. However what left the biggest impression on me all around was Frank Miller’s run on Daredevil: Man Without Fear.

My work is an amalgam of 3 of my biggest influences growing up. Anime and Manga, street art, and some of the greats (in my opinion), Todd McFarlane, Marc Silvestri, and George Perez.

What I’d like for my audience to take away from my work is, my being the result of determination. I’m am self-taught. All that I know artistically, came on the heels of experimenting outside of my comfort zone and challenging myself.

I’m proud to say that all that I’ve achieved thus far has been through hard work and tenacity. A lot of networking, constantly striving to improve, and being open to constructive criticism.

What would you recommend to an artist new to the city, or to art, in terms of meeting and connecting with other artists and creatives?
Social media is a great way to connect with artists in your area. I found and recruited one of the artists that operate under my brand, “Wild Inx Studioz” via Instagram. After connecting with him, it turned out we were from the same neighborhood in Queens, and knew a lot of the same people.

Shout out to Ricky Hollywoodz! He’s been working with me now going on 4 years, I’m proud to say.

What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
I have lots of work on my social media. I have an online portfolio on DeviantArt, under the handle: wild-inx.

Aside from that, I frequent all of the Florida comic and pop culture conventions. If not under my banner of Wild Inx Studioz, as a guest with one of the 3 publishers I work extensively with.

Most recently, you can find my work on the variant covers to Creature Entertainment’s “TOMMY”, “Bubba the Redneck Werewolf”, and “RAVENOUS” titles. I will be illustrating their upcoming act mini-series called “I.M.PA.C.T.”

I am the official artist for “The Grace Flynn Chronicles” written by Phil McCall, published by Cathal Entertainment.

At my studio in Hialeah FL, I have original framed works hanging on the walls for purchase. Anyone can come in and commission anything but not limited to, sketch cover comics, pin-ups, logos, murals, etc.

Anyone in the south Florida area is more than welcome to stop by in person, or reach out to me via anyone of my social platforms.

Contact Info:

• Address: 54 East 5th Street
  Hialeah, FL 33010
• Website: http://wildinx.com
• Phone: 305.993.8635
• Email: info.wildinx@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wild_inx_studioz/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WildInxProductionz/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/wild_inx
• Other: https://www.instagram.com/wild_inx_ken/

Image Credit:
Kenny Calderon

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