Brian J. Hoffman

Brian J. Hoffman is a designer, illustrator, printmaker, and bass player in a punk rock band. He’s also the father to two young boys who he helps find poetic meaning in everyday life — through classic rock, timeless films, and tacos. 

Hoffman’s art is slightly surreal yet familiar because he likes to “screw with the beauty of things.” He describes his work as digital printmaking and the style as Low brow. Printmaking has taught him that imperfections can make all the difference in a piece. “You can have scratches and splotches and plate mistakes. It’s the imperfections that give the finished piece its character.” 

Most of his pieces are infused with humor and sarcasm. Images are mixed and manipulated to tell a story and illicit a reaction. Expectations are turned on their heads or heads are actually switched. While he doesn’t intend to be political, Hoffman does want to be provocative. “I want to get people feeling intrigued and reacting.” That’s why his pieces often take the viewer back to a time and place they may remember fondly. His work often incorporates vintage cartoon characters and iconic photographs. But the work isn’t meant to simply give viewers the warm and fuzzies. “I like to twist in some edgy piece of reality, a hint of darkness —a wink of subversive realism,” he explains. 

Statement

My work is often a direct response to the craziness of everyday life. Ideas come to me from everywhere because I’m bombarded by a daily stream of media words and images that seep into my thoughts and come out in my work — both consciously and unconsciously. My art is inspired by sexuality, society, and the macabre. While it can be infused with pretty heavy topics at times, I try to keep it fun while still being a bit subversive.