It started with manga. When I was a teenager, a friend introduced me to the serialized storytelling of Shonen Jump and I was hooked. I spent that entire summer indoors reading through every issue I could get my hands on as I caught up with all the stories. I loved how dynamic the stories were, as characters constantly faced increasingly insurmountable odds—yet always evolved, adapted, and met the challenge.

These were stories that walked the razor’s edge of difficult decisions—between compassion and growth or cynicism. I often thought, if I were in their shoes, what would I choose?

Years later, my storytelling interests collided with the world of fine art. By chance, I encountered a stunning work of pop art in a New York City gallery. The bold colors felt like they were drawn directly from my childhood imagination. Before that moment, I never found a painting that had spoken to me.

With this painting, Romero Brito changed the course of my life, by combining art and storytelling in one stunning package.

I put a down payment on Brito’s work that day and spent the next year putting in monthly installments until it was mine. During that time, I learned as much about the world of pop art as possible.

When the pandemic hit, I rediscovered my love of storytelling by writing stories of my own. I soon realized it was not only artistic expression but therapy too. Wanting to bring them to life, I started working with animation studios, comic book studios, and other creators. In the comics industry, I saw how images alone can tell a story. My mentor guided me as I learned the art of storyboarding, arranging my 1/1 images in an order that conveyed emotion and narrative.

Soon enough, I was obsessively studying composition and sequencing, and developing my own style as a unique blend of storytelling and fine art.

All of this culminated when I returned to that gallery. I was struck by yet another painting: Flower Spectrum 1990 by Peter Max. Paying it off through another deposit, it felt better knowing this piece was #5/5 of prints. That limited number made it feel…real.

As I began learning to draw for myself in toon style, I kept returning to the same character over and over: KåiT HåiR•PNG. A Brooklyn native myself, his world incorporated many urban pop art themes and motifs. I realized this was a culmination of everything that had come before—

A story. A work of art. And a brand new method to incorporate pop art and toon style.

Thus, Toonsville was born.

Our team consists of:
Me, who tackles storyboarding and drawing of KåiT HåiR•PNG.
Aries, an artist who works on composition and assists in the drawing of KåiT HåiR•PNG.
C. Hermans, the head animator on Toonsville.
T. Gold, the mentor who guided me as I learned the art of storyboarding, and acts as an advisor to the project.
And—

due to Peter Max’s profound influence on the world of pop art, 10% of the five 1/1 NFT sales will be donated to The Alzheimer’s Foundation.