“Wicked” Monkeys
Creating Winged Monkeys for
a Performing Arts Center Gala
If there has ever been a job where I was “in the zone,” this is it! For the Fox Cities Performing Art Center (PAC), I was commissioned to create 11 large-scale illustrations to fill some specific architectural areas: A few vertical spaces in the entrances, but primarily the restrooms! The final “art” would average 10 feet wide by 4 to 10 feet high — each. The occasion was the PAC’s Feb. 6, 2009 “Wonderfully Wicked” Gala, a charity benefit that included a full performance of the Wizard of Oz-themed musical “Wicked.” I was brought in quite late in the process and would have roughly 2 months. Having worked with large-format printing in the past, I suggested that the only way to produce more than 10 very large pieces would be to complete the original art at a manageable size in-studio (15 to 24 inches wide) and then scan VERY high-resolution and print to canvas or banner material at the desired size. My friends at Exhibit Resource near Green Bay printed the full-size Monkeys.
Large-format Wicked Monkeys at Performing Arts Center.
We would not be allowed to depict copyrighted “Wicked” imagery, yet needed to capture feel of the show. So it was winged monkeys, in the “steampunk” vintage feel of the show. The best part of this illustration project is this: When you’re inventing imaginary characters, creatures, or monsters, no one can tell you if you got them “correct” or not. The creative people involved get to say THIS is what a winged gorilla looks like, and THIS is how they dress. Also great: working in my preferred media of pen and ink, in my own studio. Some of the other artists’ large-scale pieces for the Gala were done in borrowed warehouse space.
Backstage with “Wicked” Company Manager Steve Quinn, and the Wizard.
I even got to meet “Galinda,” aka Katie Rose Price, in her dressing room and present her with a print of her “likeness”. Shortly after the show, the PAC decided to display the largest piece, the “Bookcase” Monkey, in the upper main lobby where it was even visible from the street for two full years.
Client: Fox Cities Performing Arts Center
Objective: Create large-format “Wicked”-themed artwork to fit specific architectural spaces.
The Monkeys were a big hit. Despite being displayed for only the one event at the PAC, I gained so much attention and p.r. afterwards. The PAC President and other staff purchased several of my originals, while encouraging me to retain rights to the images and sell prints. In fact, the PAC purchased a number of archival-quality prints of the Monkeys to award to members of the event’s organizing committee.
“Wicked” Company Manager Steve Quinn wanted to meet the Artist, and came to my home/studio to visit. I gifted the “Elphaba” original to him. Steve graciously penned an endorsement:
“Scott – After three years on the road of attending Wicked themed parties across the country, nothing quite caught my eye like your flying monkey pieces did at the Appleton gala of Wicked. The images captured a nice playfulness about our show, and immediately struck my eye as being reminiscent of some of the characters Maurice Sendak created in “Where the Wild Things Are.” Our entire company loved them! Keep up the good work!”
Steve Quinn
Company Manager, “Wicked” Tour
Monkey banner on display in the lobby of the PAC!
Katie Rose Price, who played Galinda, signed a print of "her" Monkey for me.
Select prints and merchandise
are available at
Fine Art America