Alex Kittle loves the 1980s. And if you don’t already, you will too after finding her table at a Boston area art market and talking to her for two seconds.
“I’ve always been drawn to the visual aesthetic of ‘80s art, fashion, decor, films — It definitely relates to my love of maximalism,” she explained. “It’s also a time when a lot of women artists were starting to come more into the forefront of the culture more significantly. The ‘60s and ‘70s laid a path with some pioneering filmmakers and artists, and then in the ‘80s, they were able to break out in new ways. That’s something that’s always excited me about the period, seeing more women being their wacky artistic selves in both popular and underground culture. Also, synthesizers. Synths make everything better.”
Kittle proves her passion for pop culture under the moniker Pan + Scan Illustration with vibrant portraits and movie posters created through digital drawing and illustration. Her work casts a wide net, from a psychedelic portrait of Grace Jones applying lipstick and wearing Keith Haring’s iconic body paint, to a lush poster of David Lynch’s “Blue Velvet” where you can almost hear Isabella Rossellini singing. Inspiration from the 1970s is seen in a watercolor style portrait of hometown singer Donna Summer, or a whimsical scene of Madeline Kahn as Lili Von Shtupp in Mel Brooks’ “Blazing Saddles.” Kittle also loves a theme. “Rocky Horror” playing cards, the many faces of Tilda Swinton and for the last several years, 12-month calendars including Ladies of the ‘80s, The Nicolas Cage Zodiac, movie musicals, and this year, David Lynch.