The Raging Battle of Brian Profilio

The Hunter ~ Brian Profilio

I'm lucky to be surrounded by a number of talented artist friends of different walks, and today I have the distinct pleasure of highlighting one of those people who is not only dear to me, but also very deserving of attention. Many fans know Brian Profilio as the long-time drummer for the genre-twisting, dark-side-luring, Budos Band. What you may not know, is that Brian is also a gifted fine artist. Having known him for several years now, I have watched him pass tedious tour hours sketching detailed illustrations in the back of a van, and I have seen his enormous aptitude for drawings, paintings, and other creations. Thus, I was particularly excited when, recently, he held an art show in his hometown of Staten Island,where he finally shared with the world many of his nefarious and highly skillful works of art.

Wight Night ~ Brian Profilio   

            The Budos Band ~ 2011 Tour of the South

You might have seen some of Brian's mythic and dastardly creatures without knowing it. Wight Night, above, was a tour poster for The Budos Band's tour of the south last year. And as a matter of fact, many other Budos Band posters, t-shirts, and collector's items were painstakingly drawn by him. Here are just a few.

The Budos Band with Pablo @ Bowery Ballroom, 2010

The Budos Band @ SF and LA, 2011

The Budos Band with Charles Bradley @ Music Hall of Williamsburg, 2011

Brian's bent for the grave and rotten is readily apparent. Like in his music, there is a veil of beastliness that shrouds all of his works. However, the complexity of each piece reveals a story that is far richer than what you might simply call "evil." Can't you sense the raging battle being wrestled in the eyes of the notorious characters below? The portraits are so well crafted they practically seem like photographs from a sinful tale in motion.

Captain Ahab

 Dracula

Captain Ahab

You may not be as attracted to the morbidity of humanity as Brian is, but it's hard to deny his utter capacity to render his wild imagination. When I saw The Groundskeeper (below) at his Enter the Summoner's Circle Art Show, I was floored by his ability to work with light. The photo doesn't do the actual piece justice. When you see it in the flesh, seeing every infinitesimal nuance sends shivers up your spine. 

The Groundskeeper

Grave in the Tree

Cthulu

Brian has a huge body of work that is not yet floating around in the public eye. Personally, I was sucked in by a painting of an icy landscape illuminated by a cold moon that was at this show, but that I haven't seen since. However, you can keep up with him best on his blog, which he seems to be updating, or, of course, on The Budos Band Facebook page which gets constant updates.  

Brian Profilio, photo by Kisha Bari

Have any thoughts to add about Brian Profilio's artwork? Share them here!

*All photos were taken from Brian Profilio's blog and The Budos Band's Facebook Page, except for the final photograph which was taken by Kisha Bari.