denika

was born in Tucson, AZ and raised in Annapolis, MD from the age of 7. She dropped out of high school at the age of 17 and moved to Philadelphia a year later to pursue Design studies. After receiving her Associate Degree from The Art Institute of Philadelphia she moved on to the women's art college, Moore College of Art and Design, also in Philadelphia. In 2005 she received her BFA and promptly moved to Arizona with her fiance Dennis Hansbury.

Despite enjoying her time getting to know her long-lost younger brother she was unsatisfied with her life in Arizona. She pestered Dennis until he applied for a job promotion to the new Orlando IKEA. Currently residing in Florida, she designs school books for Houghton Mifflin Harcourt School Publishers and fills her nights with various craft projects including sewing, crochet and accessory design.


dennis

was born and raised in southern New Jersey. He was kicked out of the Hussian School of Art in 1995 and started at The Art Institute of Philadelphia two years later. After graduating with an Associate degree in Computer Animation in 1998 he worked at the college as a computer tech for almost 6 years. He quit AIPH and left for Arizona in May 2005 with Denika Robbins and found an new career with IKEA Tempe. During those arid fun times he picked up crochet and has since created an army of wounded woodland creatures, viscious zombunnies, stuffed zombies and other macabre and odd plushies.

He now resides in Orlando, Florida and is the Graphic Communication Specialist for IKEA Orlando. He is a vegetarian, rides his bike to work daily and fills his nights by crafting the undead and trying to make Orlando a greener place.

He isn't quite sure why he wrote this in the 3rd person.

to watermark or not

I never put a watermark over the pictures I take of products or scans I do of my art. I will put one in the corner, but not disrupting the image.

A little while ago I had buyer who had misunderstood a shipping refund get angry and tell me they didn't need the zombie bookmarks because they had "printed their own".

Tonight I get a cool email from a guy who wants to use my zomboy illustration for his bass drum and emailed me to ask for permission (he will so get the artwork).

BUT

Are there people out there that may be taking my artwork and I'll never know? I'm sure every artist has these feelings but it's only lately that I realize that there aren't many people doing the same thing as me and it's possible that it could be getting downloaded or printed without my consent or knowledge.

For some that may not seem like a big deal, but Denika and I are trying to get our crafting business going and I need to make my artwork visible to the public...but I want to be able to control it's release. I don't know how I'd feel if I saw a car drive by with a self-made sticker of my art. Or worse, some website using our images (or digital scrapbookers).

I want to be open and honest. I love the feedback I'm getting on all my work. I want people to be able to enjoy it, own it, use it, give it as gifts, whatever. I just hope that somewhere, someone doesn't care and just takes what they want without even the consideration to ask.

I so can't wait to see pics of my zomboy on a big ass drum! It's almost like I'm in the band...but not :(

7.19.08 - dennis

nature prevails

While doing some field research on a small population of zombies, we witnessed a peculiar yet recognizable relationship had formed between living animals and the undead.

It appears that the birds in the area realized that the zombies were an almost unending supply of food. They would feed on the maggots and other insects that would dwell in the zombies.

Much like the mutualistic relationship between pilot fish and sharks, these birds clear the zombies of parasites, while the zombies provide a home and food source for the birds.

These stickers represent not only nature's wonderful adaptations but Denika's and my crafting relationship, one cute, one...not so cute.

I also have some nice, higher detailed skulls now available. I'll be posting some new paintings soon. Aside from crafts, I have some side projects for the Nerdcore community and a zombie couples portrait to work on.

7.17.08 - dennis

all content © Denika Robbins, Dennis Hansbury 2008