Hipster Mythology

I painted Hipster Mythology for the Pabst Blue Ribbon Art competition while I was working for a beer distributor. Although our primary client was Anheuser-Busch, we also distributed PBR, and every year they invited artists to create work that incorporated the iconic blue ribbon. This painting earned second place in the local competition, and while it didn't advance to nationals, I did come home with a PBR longboard.

Growing up without much money taught me to be resourceful. I became an expert at stretching a dollar, finding the best deals, and discovering that a good life didn't have to be an expensive one. Back then, that mindset extended to my drinking and smoking habits. Pabst Blue Ribbon, Pall Mall cigarettes, and whatever inexpensive whiskey I could afford became part of my identity. I wore those choices like a badge of honor, convinced they made me authentic, rebellious, and somehow cooler than everyone else.

Looking back, I smile at how much of my identity was wrapped up in a beer label. I spent countless nights at places like Tony's, Benny's, and the Triple Nickel, chasing an image that felt meaningful at the time. In reality, I was a deeply traumatized alcoholic trying to outrun myself while slowly poisoning my body.

Today, this painting feels less like an advertisement and more like a time capsule. The unicorn's magic transforms an ordinary can of cheap beer into something whimsical and extraordinary, much the way memory transforms the past. It reminds me that even the chapters I'm no longer proud of have become part of my story, and that healing has given me the ability to look back with honesty, humor, and gratitude.