“Celery Man”
This amazing artist is a fairly new discovery for me. He is one of the best (in my opinion) exemplars of current digital artists that relies on time-tested techniques and “rules” to produce his pieces. He is quite active in the social media arena, with a RedBubble storefront for his tamer SFW pieces, in addition to Patreon, Twitter, and other forums (full list here). I am blown away by his skill at telling engaging stories with each and every piece he makes.
If you desire gorgeous men presented in complex, silly, or tender scenes, with a full story embedded in each piece … then Celery Man is your artist! I have yet to see him release a series of images that is not fully thought-out, presented in an entirely believable scene, and filled with recognizable motifs to draw the viewer into his tales. They are jaw-dropping.
“Eddie : Sailboat” : 2023
This is the latest in a series of scenes showcasing one of CM’s original characters. Eddie is an Irish ginger from the Boston area that enjoys both solitary pursuits and group activities with select friends. This “sailboat” image is one of many variations where Eddie is in various states of undress. The following is just one of the many observations I shared with CM during an email exchange:
“the way you've captured the light allows the viewer to decide whether it's early morning or late in the day; I prefer to imagine Eddie finishing up a day of brisk sailing by celebrating his "form" ... bc I can't imagine being that brave before even having a morning coffee ... too damn cold, regardless of where one is sailing”
Eddie is the epitome of what I find attractive in a man.
“Seamus in the Gym” : 2023
Seamus and Eddie are roommates. Celery has always been very clear about letting his characters define themselves, so, when Seamus or Eddie says “just roommates”, that’s exactly what they mean. I greatly appreciate that CM creates stories with clearly defined boundaries for his cast of characters. He doesn’t let them be defined by the viewer—a practice that is often missed in the wider arena of “original character” design.
While Eddie, Seamus, and Tusky are exactly who they present themselves to be, they are also in complete control (via CM) of who they present themselves to be. I’ve never asked CM whether this dichotomy is intentional, but I see it as an interesting twist on the “personal v. private” in social media conversation. CM is another artist that tells fully realized stories with his art.
One would think there’s a pattern to those artist that I’ve been inspired by …
“Eddie & Seamus” : 2023
“What could be more wholesome-looking than two good friends relaxing on their front porch?” Those of us lucky enough to be familiar with CM’s characters know that ‘wholesome’ is a very relative term—not one that would generally be applied to this crew.
It’s the little details in this piece that begin to fill in the gaps: the muscle car rendered to the finest detail, the Jameson whiskey, the disposable cups, the two-floor walk-up that is their home, and the overall look of their neighborhood. Eddie and Seamus live there because they choose to; something about this ‘hood feels comfortable to them. Could they afford an upscale condo? Very likely. But, this is their home. They are family to each other—as shown in the ease of their closeness.
For me, this piece evokes everything one would expect from a “Norman Rockwell” in a language that is relevant to me. This piece speaks to family of choice rather than blood.
(I sometimes wonder if CM is even aware of the effect that his creations have had on me…)
“Seamus & Tusky” : 2021
Seamus and Tusky are good friends even though they are, obviously, very different men. You may have noticed that Tusky isn’t “human” in the traditional sense—he’s an Orc(?). However, he’s very un-Orc-ish in his preferences. Where other men in his tribe value fighting prowess, Tusky prefers making friends; where Orcs tend towards “dominance”, Tusky embraces “submission”; Tusky would rather please his friends than antagonize them.
As you can imagine, there are many images of Tusky being very pleasant with many male friends. You’ll have to subscribe to CM’s Patreon to find out how 😉