Customer Reviews

Workshop of Filthy Creation: The Art of Johnny Ace and Kali Verra

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Workshop of Filthy Creation: The Art of Johnny Ace and Kali Verra

I have loved cars since I was 4 years old. I remember drawing dragsters with crayons on the kitchen table. Johnny and Kali's art bring me back to a time of hang ten t-shirts,the Archies on 8 track, and Big Daddy Ed Roth's rat fink art. I have enjoyed reading it cover to cover. There is just so much there that each time I go back to look at it I find things I missed. Put this book on your coffee table and it's sure to start a conversation or two! The book is very fun and I highly recommend it!
K vick - 30roadster on the HAMB

Finally after what seems like, and may have been years It's here! These two are the most underated artists out there. No one comes close to matching the authentic feel of Monster art. The vibrant colors are a trademark of the thing with two heads that is Johnny Ace and Kali Vera. There's lotsa people doin Monster art out there but very few are doin it right. Ace and Kali are up there with Basil Gogos in my Book and if ya only buy one book this year make sure this is the one! Like The Pizz said, "Big Daddy Roth would be proud." And I'm proud to call these two friends! Buy it!

Having grown up during the 1960s and 70s, and enjoyed building monster model kits, reading Famous Monsters of Filmland magazine, watching Creature Features on TV, drooling over any Big Daddy Roth and Rat Fink item, and so on, then spending the last 30 years playing in Punk ROck and Roll bands (The Thing, Electric Frankenstein, The Kung Fu Killers), this amazing book covers Pop Culture life in America with the kind of imagery that only Johnny Ace and Kali Vera can do, thanks to their long time experience in the scene and rich art skills.
Every page is exciting and grabs you immediately. Full rich vibrant color, drooling beasts, this is the closest anyone will get to vein of gold that Big Daddy Roth mined. But, this books also goes beyond simple homage to their roots, and shows the historical development of their unique American made style over the years.

Not only do you get a book full of cool poster art, but also you get a chance to see the many other projects that they have worked on so well.

Within the pages of this book, Johnny Ace and Kali Vera prove that they deserve a much higher profile and are due much more recognition than some of the more well known people in this field.

AND, in this age of laziness and instant crap, they actually do their own hand made drawings instead of using a tracing box! Imagine that!

You can't go wrong by getting this book!!!!

At last, it's HERE!!! As a long time Fan of Johnny Ace & Kali Verra's artwork, I have been anxiously awaiting the release of their book, Workshop of Filthy Creation. I had pre-ordered several copies so long ago that Amazon had canceled the order. I then reordered! When I received an e-mail that they were shipping and would arrive in a week, I ordered another copy with 2 day shipping. I just couldn't wait any longer. The first one arrived today and I was NOT disappointed!
In fact, I was pleasantly surprised. From the colorful hard cover to the kool forward by The Pizz to the neat vellum pages separating the various sections to the variety of ghoulish art by two of the most underrated "Kustom Kulture" artists today. One of the facts brought out in the book is that Johnny & Kali were "Kustom Kulture" before it WAS a "Kulture!" They aren't jumping on the "Rat Rod" bandwagon, they were mentored by Rat Fink's creator, Ed "Big Daddy" Roth.
Reading this book and seeing the vast volume of their work, it's easy to see why "Big Daddy" held them in such high esteem. They did, and continue to, carry the torch.
If you have any interest in Rat Fink or ghoulish art, I guarantee that you will enjoy this book. I'm ordering several more. Christmas is just around the corner.......

If you are a fink fan, you have to own this book. Where do I begin? Ace and Kali have been part of the Fink culture for decades, working with "Big Daddy" Roth - learning Fink art and pinstriping from the masters. This book captures fink art in all forms - posters, pinstriping, body art - you name it. Some people call this 'low brow' art - I call it the awesome ability to mix man, machine, and a little wackiness to create an art category all of its own.

Ace and Kali provide great full color pages of their own art, of which they are masters, and have been trained by the masters. This is by far the best book I have on this type of art...and I can study their work for days...going back to the book time and again.

If you appreciate the crafstmanship and wackiness that go into Fink art, you will LOVE this book. It is high quality, glossy color and full of "Finkness" I give it 5 stars all the way!

Casey (Fink Fan)

Great book at a very resonable price, has some great history on Lowbrow arts god parents Ace and Kali. Lots of good reference material for pinstriping, monsters, pinups, etc... I could look at this book over and over!

My life was turned around in the summer of 1963 ...at the age of 13 I saw my first Rat Fink ...been a FINKSTER ever since. I have seen Johnny Ace's work for quite a few years and he is one of the best FINK artists around. I bought this book to read more about him and see more of his art. It "hit the spot" for me ...and if you like RAT FINK stuff ...it'll hit yours too!

Weldon (weldonmc)

I OWN GASOLINE GALLERY IN EL SEGUNDO CALIFORNIA & WE LITERALLY RE-ORDER THIS BOOK ONCE A MONTH BECAUSE OF IT SELLING OUT!! IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN THE HISTORY BEHIND THIS LIL' SCENE KNOWN AS KUSTOM KULTURE, THIS BOOK IS A MUST!! JOHNNY & KALI WERE TAUGHT BY THE BEST... BIG DADDY HIMSELF & IT SHOWS IN ALL OF THEIR ARTWORK.
AMAZING ARTISTS, OUTSTANDING BOOK. WHY ARE YOU STILL READIN' THIS? GO BUY THE BOOK!!!

How often after making a purchase do you really feel like you've gotten your money's worth ? I'm happy to say that this book is worth every penny......and more. Not only is the book itself of high quality but the insider look and fantastic artwork are a showcase for the many talents of Johnny Ace and Kali Verra.

Taking a gander through the pages one might get the impression that their bristles, airbrushes and other tools have a life of their own. One possessed of magic and obsession , the result of which is exhilaration for any who stumble upon it.

As an owner of numerous works of art by Ace and Kali, some of which are shown in this book, I can personally testify to their amazing talent and dedication to their craft. Not only is the Kustom Kulture a better place because of their presence, so is the art world itself. But it's not "just" posters and cars and motorcycles, sneakers and t-shirts they've subjected to their mastery....it's sculpture too ! And what fantastic figures they are ! Creatures reminiscent of the 60's and 70's featured on stickers and comics, model kits and posters, come to life in wondrous 3-D form begging to be mass produced and unleashed on the world....

A real joy to pick up and peruse again and again, you will not be disappointed by an insider look at amazing artists.

Big Daddy shall not die! (buy this book and see for yourself!)

Before his death, Big Daddy must have instinctively realized he needed to pass the Rat Fink torch to a new generation.

Wise move.

The husband-wife team of Johnny Ace and Kali Verra have the unique distinction of having been blessed (or cursed, depending on your point of view), and officially sanctioned, to work with Ed "Big Daddy" Roth. Credit Roth's ability to seek, find, and anoint those talented few who 'got' him.

Ace and Kali not only picked up the Rat Fink torch, but held it high, igniting and channeling the crazy-classic sixties Roth Studios sensibility.

This book is a full-color tour-de-force, chockablock with monster gig music posters, album covers, hand-sculpted monsters, kustom airbrushed monster shirts, sick tattoos, and perverse pinstriping. Most appreciated is the interview with Ace and Kali, recounting their history with Roth, as well as influences, and even a list of their artistic tools! Oh yeah, I almost forgot to mention the sexy sexy photos of Kali in various states of undress! Do we envy Johnny Ace? Yes we do.

Ace and Kali are already moving above and beyond the fly-specked shadow cast by Ed Roth, cementing their own well-earned reputation as kustom kraftsmen of the highest kaliber. See for yourself.

Speaking as a monster kid and artist who grew up loving Big Daddy and all things Finkoid, this book will sear your retina's and turn your brain to green Jell-O. In a good way. Buy an extra copy for the bathroom!