Before we begin with this particular feature, we feel the need to apologize. This particular feature was due to be part of our Guide to The Muppets feature, but somehow it got lost in the shuffle. That said, we couldn’t let it get completely lost. Because as you’ll see, it’s a great feature full of art from a very talented artist named Josh Cicci. And since every week is Muppets Week in our hearts, we actually don’t see any problem running it late. We were still celebrating The Muppets, anyway. And now, on with some great Muppets art from Josh Cicci.
First, an explanation. When we asked Mr. Cicci to provide us some awesome Muppets art, we also asked him the most important question: what draws you to The Muppets? It is with his answer that we begin our journey:
Why am I so drawn to draw The Muppets? Well, first off, The Muppets were my first exposure to great comedy. It was a far smarter humor than anything I’d seen at that point- the first time I realized a joke could work on multiple levels. They are masters of double entendre and the absurd. They also provided my earliest exposure to the great human comedians. I’ve always had respect for actors, such as Steve Martin, who can work seamlessly with Muppet costars.
Aside from his comedic talents, I’ve always looked to Kermit as the archetype of how a person should be- a kindhearted dreamer, timid and humble, but no pushover. I regard Jim Henson in the same way, a man who just wanted to share his imagination with the world.
A lot of fond memories bring me back to The Muppets. When I was about 6 years-old, my mother bought me a Shrinky-Dinks set of the Muppet Theater and I explored it hours on end. As an artist, I’ve always been fascinated with how the characters can convey so much personality with such simple details. Their eyes are glued on and fixed, yet they display an impressive range of emotions. They inspired my earliest interests in art and comedy, and it’s for that reason that now, decades later, Kermit is still the common result of my absent mindedly putting pencil to paper.
And now, some art from Josh Cicci. Included along with the image at the top of the page — a collection of handpainted Muppets pegs — are these two items, one set of Dia de los Muppets coffins (sort of grim, but totally awesome) and a poster of The Muppets as The Three Amigos. Check them out below.
You can find more work from Josh Cicci at his website, joshcicci.com.