Through Artcotic, I’ve been lucky enough to be “virtually” introduced to the artist known as M.Groves. Over the course of the last several months, we’ve had the chance to shoot the shit about women, music, video games, art, tattooing, well just about anything that us nerdy folks can talk about. Although we’ve never met in person, I gotta say, he’s a scholar and a gentleman. Mike G interview by Dave Styer for ARTCOTIC.

ARTCOTIC: Hey Mike, how are things down thar’ in Athens? A little bird told me that Fall is one of the better times to be sippin’ sweet tea down there? Is that true?

MG: It's hot as crap! Makes me happy I work indoors.  a couple years back the AC broke at the tattoo shop. There was not enough sweet tea in the world to make the situation okay.

Being so busy at the “shop” (Pain & Wonder Tattoo) how is it that you have time to create piece’s for art shows, Artcotic etc…?

I don't. Most of the time I feel like I'm behind schedule. I have to 'double dip' from time to time. I'll take some sketches from a tattoo idea and use it again for a painting or an art contest (or visa versa). I'm getting better about not taking on projects that I don't have time for.

ARTCOTIC: Now, looking through your art, as well as the pieces I’ve purchased, I wanna know, play video games much? Ha, let me rephrase the question, into nerdy shit much? I am, I’ve no personal qualms with that, but why don’t you elaborate a little bit on your “muse”, let the readers get a feel for the soft side of Mike Groves. What makes him tick and or tock.

MG: I love pop culture (no doubt) It's fun for me to take familiar images and show the world how I see them. I'm not making fun of Sesame Street when I use those characters. However, we have to face facts......the Count is a vampire. That's pretty strange.

ARTCOTIC: Follow up question. Star Wars or Star Trek? Now this may seem like a loaded question, it’s not. If you love both then, you love both.The majority of the self proclaimed “nerd purists” may put up a big stink, but you can take them any day.

MG: It was all about Star Wars for me. I have no problems with Star Trek at all......but for a kid who loves aliens and robots, there is no contest. I still love those original films....but I don't have blind devotion. You can take those prequels and shove em up your bacta tank.

ARTCOTIC: I seem to recall you telling me that you liked theme songs from video games. Which are your favorites and why? We really wanna know why…

MG: Haha! There are a lot of bands out there doing there own versions of classic video game themes. It's true...that makes me happy. Sometimes that stuff is great to have whenever you're painting Megaman villains. As for my favorites? Both the Half Life and Bioshock soundtracks are pretty damn good.

ARTCOTIC: Ok, I’ve asked this question a time or two in the past to other artists I’ve interviewed, sorry I just really like it, and the responses I get. If you had to choose, between a sexy robot gal and a sexy alien gal for one night of passion, which would you choose and why? Now, Princess Leia isn’t a robot or an alien, well at least in the green alien aspect of the word anyway. So she’s not allowed as an answer.

MG: When I imagine robots....I think of large, rusty, dirty things. I'm gonna have to say 'sexy alien' is my answer. Leeloo is an Alien right? geez, I hope so.

ARTCOTIC: I’ve heard that you don’t cuss. What the F$%K is that all about?

MG: I'm amused by folks that cuss ALL the time. They sound like smurfs...using the same couple of words to describe everything. For me, those words still have weight and meaning. If you hear them come out of me...you know I'm pissed (or I cut off a finger).

ARTCOTIC: The color pink plays a big role in your life, and art. Could you please take a moment to explain why pink of all the manly colors out there is your favorite? (Psssst…I love pink too!)

MG: I still dress like it's 1994 and I'm in Seattle. It's nice to throw some pink in there to spice things up. It's fun to wear some pink sunglasses with a Mastodon shirt. It screws with people and they can't figure out why. On the other hand, when I had a pink cell phone.....holy crap, I might as well have been wearing a prom dress. For some reason people would lose their minds when they saw it. I never understood that.

I actually don't use a ton of pink in my art. I go through large amounts of cadmium yellow though. Wow I love that color.

ARTCOTIC: Ahh, now I gotta admit I got a little bit of help on this interview, from a sweet girl who shall remain anonymous, however, Rob Zombie’s wife…tell us what you think of her. Was she better in House of a 1000 Corpses, or The Devils Rejects?

MG: mmmm....Mrs. Zombie. I know that 'Reject' is clearly the better film.....but I love her look in the first one. Baby is way more colorful and animated in that first movie. It's pretty hot. My favorite; however, is the cover to 'American Made Music to Strip By'. That's good stuff.

ARTCOTIC: I’m very excited to see you at the SLC Tattoo Convention. Why is it that you are scared of these conventions?

MG: I still get super excited and flattered when someone want me to tattoo some custom art on them. The local (south east) conventions are just boring pissing contests. I've got no interest in that. My coworkers have convinced me that SLC is not that way at all. They had a damn good time last year. Looks like you'll be seeing me in February (wearing pink sunglasses of course).

ARTCOTIC: I want you to tell us about your experiences as an artist, most exciting experiences, most embarrassing moments, your favorite pieces, mediums, how it is that you can talk a sorority girl into getting a tattoo of a skull of her “crotch”. Basically we wanna know all things Mike Groves.

MG: I understand that an artist's favorite piece is supposed to be the one he/she is currently working on. nevertheless, I'm still really proud of my 'Shaun of the Dead' hippos. Come on...they're so damn cute. Those two images I did in photoshop. I started messing around with computer art when I was living in an apartment and had no real room to paint. When I have the time (and space to make a mess) acrylic paint is my real joy. Recently I've started to combine the two.

How do I have so many female tattoo clients? I have no idea. My portfolio is full of robots and boobs......and the ladies love it! My first Hellboy tattoo is gonna be on a girl (I'm super excited).
   

As for my Jedi mind trick....I can't really explain that either. Once upon a time, this dude came in for a tribal arm band....He left with a tattoo of a beer drinking skeleton with darts stuck in it's skull. That guy couldn't have been happier. Maybe I was a car salesman in a past life.

ARTCOTIC: One last thing, list your top 10 favorite nerd pleasures.

MG: not in any particular order
   -Dragoncon
   -Carcassonne
   -Invader Zim cartoons
   -live They Might Be Giant shows
   -my rediculous Hellboy collection
   -Toyfare magazine

For more information on the art of Mike G please visit his website: Http://www.poopbird.com.