This is your chance to get an artist proof from the nearly sold out edition of Dumpster Fire prints! Orders will close on December 1st and be shipped soon after, arriving before the holidays.

Like many, I fell in love with Truck Torrence’s Dumpster Fire character as soon as I saw it. Even before 2020 and our current, collective flirtation with the end of world as we know it, the Dumpster Fire perfectly encapsulated the time. When Truck approached me to see if I’d be interested in shooting a production version of the toy, I jumped at the chance and carved out time in-between War Toys trips, thinking that I wouldn’t have another chance with everything I had planned for 2020. Sigh.

Setting up late at night, underneath strings of paper lanterns and among scurrying cockroaches, Truck and I had settled on a simple shot concept – the Dumpster Fire in its natural setting: dirty yet cute. I asked Truck to expand upon a newspaper design that appeared on his toy packaging, wanting to capture that same tongue-in-cheek message of disbelief that every news headline elicited, “Are you serious right now?” The prop newspaper was suspended on a rod, as if blowing through the scene. The lighting was a combination of actual fire from a small, die-cast dumpster stand-in (to make the light on the wall and ground appear accurate), ambient sources, and handheld flashlights. A bit of water was used to pick up reflections and add to the textured griminess. The various elements were all brought together and refined in postproduction.

It’s been a treat to collaborate with Truck, both on the shoot as well as the print release. A little shy of a year old, the photo feels just as timely now as when it was shot, if not more so, thanks to the prophetic perfection of the Dumpster Fire toy. I hope that his little smile and plastic flames warm your heart and give you a little solace in these especially troubled times.

• Printed by Static Medium on Moab Lasal Exhibition Luster using archival inks.

• 13x19"

• Signed and numbered artist proof from an edition of 40 (Regular edition was 160)

>> All prints will ship via USPS Priority Mail, so please do not choose any other shipping method at checkout. Also, please note that print orders will ship flat and separately from any other items you may also purchase.