DESIGN HEAVY: SAM CULKINS OF CULK INK. SAN FRANCISCO

Self-made man Samuel Culkins resides in the Avenues of fog beach town San Francisco where out of his 23rd and Cabrillo garage the Bay Area via Rhode Island designer wields his craft. Bent on 80’s surf and skate imagery, Culk’s boyish tendencies lend themselves to compelling combinations of vintage playboy mag imagery and Dionysian ideals of California mythology. His minimalistic visions — sometimes non-sensical, other times over-the-top — strike best with geometric precision and non-contemporary methods of graphic reproduction. Take his most recent innovation: show posters screenprinted to fabric for your non-wrinkled and unmarred pleasure. 

Interview with yours truly Sam Culk, by Sky Madden. † † †

Decades Magazine:  Is there an image or a certain type of graphic that continues to inspire your work?

Sam Culk: Any non-overlapping two color image that makes good use of negative space really makes my panties wet.

DM: Your screenprinting garage is located in the Avenues of San Francisco. What’s the best part about living and working on that side of town?

SC: Feeling anonymous. Its so foggy, quiet, and boring. I think the loneliness of the environment increases my productivity.

DM: What was the first record you bought? The last?

SC: Neil Young Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere. Pure X Pleasure. 

DM: What’s the difference between a street vendor and a Safeway cart pusher?

SC: Very little, aside from a somewhat respectable bank account.

DM: Top five places to lose your head in San Francisco?

SC: Culk Ink. HQ (my garage) 5 beers shallow, Market and Drumm (where I sell tees) sunburnt and seconds away from pooing my pants, skating through golden gate park whilst ogling spandex derrieres, the Ferry Building (being there makes me feel weird and introspective), and El Grande Produce #1 (being surrounded by a shit ton of fruits and veggies makes me space the fuck out).

Check out Culk’s custom poster art for tomorrow’s party with Positive Destruction below. A limited run of 50 screenprinted to fabric renditions are currently hanging from trees and boarded up store fronts in the Mission. If ya see one- go ahead and rip it off. That’s the idea.  ▲ 

∞Posted on May 18, 2012

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