I’m thrilled to announce a new exclusive series for this site: The Story Behind. This weekly series will dive deep into the origins of my paintings, offering an intimate, behind-the-scenes look at how each piece came to life. These stories will uncover the inspiration, process, and unexpected twists that shaped the work—and sometimes, how the world responded to it.
To kick things off, the first painting was chosen at random, and it’s one that holds a wild and hilarious backstory. Let me reintroduce you to…
Backshots: The Wink
Part of the “Backshots” duo, The Wink is also tied to a secret series I started in 2020, featuring a close friend of mine. It began with a full-body commissioned painting of her, which quickly evolved into a series capturing various parts of her body. By the time this piece came to life, I’d already painted nearly all of her. Naturally, we joked about what was “left,” and she teased that her butthole was next. A little later, she actually sent me a reference photo—and it was too funny not to paint.
I didn’t think this piece would garner much attention. My audience, largely women, didn’t seem like the crowd for something as cheeky (pun intended) as The Wink. But art has a funny way of surprising you.
One morning, I woke up to a flood of notifications—hundreds of new followers and messages across all my socials. Confused but curious, I soon discovered the source: a host on Barstool Sports’ The Yak had mentioned my work during a segment. For entertainment’s sake, he massively oversold the “wildness” of my page, but that 5-minute shoutout caused an explosion of interest.
It completely changed the landscape of my following—from 96% women to 64%—and catapulted The Wink to become my most-loved painting. Its prints outsell anything else I’ve made, and I like to joke that it’s probably the only one of my works proudly displayed in homes across middle America.
So, there you have it—the unconventional, hilarious, and slightly scandalous story behind The Wink. Stay tuned for next week’s entry, where I’ll pull back the curtain on another piece.
What did you think of The Wink’s story? Let me know in the comments—I’d love to hear your thoughts!