Wilhelm Scream at Pershing Square

This is me, in front of The Wilhelm Scream, my first public art ever back around 2014. It was hanging in Pershing Square in the historic core of downtown Los Angeles, around two blocks from my studio. This public square is a magnet for protest groups and all kinds of gatherings, including our winter skating rink and various festivals. My art neighbor Darrell took this photo of me. I’m so proud.

The original art is only about 10 x 10″, maybe smaller, acrylic on wood, and was sold a little bit after this photo was taken. I paid Fine Art Publishing in Highland Park to shoot it and make the most gigantic digital file I’ve ever seen.

The painting name came about because I googled “bird screaming” and up came a story about a sound designer who recognized a stock sound effect that originated from a 1951 film called The Charge at Feather River where a character Private Wilhelm is shot in the leg with an arrow. His horrible scream now the legendary “The Wilhelm Scream”. It’s been used a bazillion times in cinema. You’ve heard it before, I promise. Recently a person from “the industry” came into my studio and when I told him about it, he was able to emit EXACTLY that scream to the note.

I’d only had my studio for two years by this time, and I was working full time Monday through Friday in a job that really required MORE than a weekday commitment. Back then I was hellbent to train up everybody around me at the office to learn more and do more, and that was my way to free myself up to leave the office at a “normal” time so I could come down to my studio and make art. The Wilhelm Scream is one of many paintings born out of that time