What is Vivid Fury?
Self Portrait
Vivid Fury is the explosive collision of images, color, line, light, shadow, blood, sweat and tears in the mind’s eye of artist
Lawrence Reynolds.
The first ripples of that explosion could be felt as far back age three. “I can still remember drawing Superman on anything resembling a clean sheet of paper. I can’t tell you if it actually looked like Superman, but I was convinced. By the time I was in kindergarten, I noticed my crayon scribbles were a little different than the other kids’ Crayola masterpieces. I was the Crayon Master of pre-school—quite a feat for a five year old.”
“The next year I was introduced to two things that would change my life forever; the #2 pencil and Star Wars. Like every kid in the late 70’s, I was completely blown away by the whole experience. Soon, the red towel that tucked into my t-shirt collar during playtime was replaced by a blue broomstick complete with a duct-taped handgrip.
It's Me & Chewie
I imagined my improvised Lightsaber shining brightly as I dispatched justice jedi-style on the armies of evil and the kids down the block. Sorry about the bruises, fellas—boys will be boys. It wasn’t long before Luke Skywalker, Darth Vader and the like joined Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman in the margins of my homework assignments—a habit (which I still have) that would entertain and annoy my teachers for years to come.”
After high school, Lawrence was accepted into the Industrial Design program at the Center for Creative Studies: College of Art and Design in Detroit Michigan in the fall of 1989. “That first year was the single most challenging, frustrating and enlightening year of my life. Being in an environment with so many amazingly talented people really helped me grow as an artist. It was like learning to see in a whole different way—it was amazing. After my first year, I transferred into the Graphic Communication program and eventually majored in Art direction. It’s funny, because even in art school, I stood out as the art director who knew how to draw.”
Me & Carrie Fisher
Upon graduating in 1994, Lawrence began his career as an Art director working on numerous national accounts doing print and television work. “Okay, so I sold out—but not completely. In my heart, I’m still a Fan-Boy. Even after getting a “real job” (and working in the ad biz barely qualifies) I would go to comic conventions with my brother and marvel at all the great artists doing what they truly loved—what they had probably loved since they were old enough to hold a crayon. They were still riding the waves of that first explosion of creative expression after all this time. They still loved to create images of heroes, villains an everything in-between.”
“And so do I. That’s why you’re reading this now. That’s why you’re hopefully enjoying the work presented on this website. Who knows, maybe one day some of my art will be in your collection. Or we’ll meet at a convention. That would be cool.”
“Not as cool as Princess Leia and Chewie digging your work and signing it—but still kinda cool.