EtsyBro Profiles: Rich DeSimone aka Lucky Bunny

etsybrook:

(Special Edition Grenade Bunny Vinyl Sculpture by Rich De Simone aka Lucky Bunny)

Back in 2003, when little EtsyBrook was but a glimmer in her momma’s eye, I wrote a series of articles about rock concert poster art for an independent study project at good ol’ Boston University.  These articles turned out to be the launch point for an obsession with poster art and illustration that is running almost a decade strong, and has led both to my infatuation with the process of screenprinting (and eventually, all things handmade), as well as my love of comic books, which now runs deep as a Jersey Shore girl’s cosmetic bag.  Rich DeSimone, creator of Lucky Bunny Visual Communications, was the very first person I interviewed for those articles.  Seven years later, I would interview him again, and wouldn’t you know it, after bonding over our shared love of art and culture and our occasionally caustic senses of humor, we became friends.

(Litter Bunny Screenprint by Rich DeSimone aka Lucky Bunny)

Rich has been hailed as one of the masters of screenprinting by many in the rock poster community, and in addition to his expert craftsmanship, he is also clever as hell.  Whether he’s turning cute little bunnies into grenades or alluding to the September 11th attacks within the confines of a giant barcode, Rich is never at a loss for ideas that bite.  He has always been a master at combining bold, graphic imagery with sly, subtle messaging.  His advertising background ensures his message instantly resonates with his audience, and his ever-replenishing creativity ensures he will always throw his punch from a different direction.

(“10 Years” Limited Edition Silkscreen by Lucky Bunny)

In the past few years, Rich has mostly left the poster world behind to focus on his fine art career (though he does still sell some of his prints and Ts on his website and on Etsy), and I have never seen anybody accomplish his/her goals so quickly.  In addition to being a prolific artist, Rich also happens to be a major proponent of self-help books (which clearly work for him).  And on a totally unrelated note, Rich is gluten intolerant and will occasionally eat an entire box of donuts just because he feels like it.  A fucking rebel, I tell you.

(“Sweet Dreams” Mixed Media on Canvas by Rich DeSimone aka Lucky Bunny)

This year, Rich also tried his hand at stand-up comedy, which made total sense to me, as he has always embodied that I-don’t-give-a-shit-what-you-think posture required to be a successful comedian.  He also happens to be pretty funny.  I asked Rich to run through the EtsyBrook site as the finale to the EtsyBro profiles this week, and below he takes us through a little retrospective of our picks and posts thus far, all filtered through his hilarious, no-bullshit lens:

Read More