Cory a.k.a. “Mr.Oz” is an internationally acclaimed artist most known in automotive-related paint and large lettering projects. He’s been in the automotive paint industry for 17 years with great success nationally and internationally. Much of “Mr.Oz’s” work has landed on the pages of magazine publications worldwide such as Ol Skool Rodz, Street Rodder Magazine, Minitruckin, Drop Jaw, Easyriders, The Horse, Hot Bike Magazine, Ironhorse, Cyclesource,Gnarly Magazine, and Hot Rod Magazine.
He has won numerous paint awards worldwide with his most recent winnings in Abu Dhabi at Custom Emirates Show for Best Paint & AMD World Championship. Recently (2018-2019) appearing on Discovery channels hit tv show ‘American Chopper’ painting numerous projects for Orange County Choppers as well being awarded Cycle Source Magazines2018 Artist of the Year. From celebrities to normal everyday enthusiasts, Mr.Oz looks forward to working with new clients often & treats all with open arms & fair market prices. Pinstriping, signs, custom paint & more. He offers a wide variety of art you can obtain for yourself, no matter where you are located in the world.
How did you get into the pinstriping and hand-lettering signage world and how many years have you been at it?
I got into pinstriping and sign painting through a couple series of events as a kid, one being going to classic car shows and seeing pinstripers paint live at the shows, another going to old dirt track races and seeing guys letter or “number the cars”. Probably the most influential is when I was in little league baseball my dad managed the field & league and my brother and I would have to help him. Around the home run wall each year there were painted plywood business advertisements that an older sign painter named Red Steele would paint. Luckily I got to go with my dad to talk to Red and commission new ones each year. One year the entire town (Aurora, IN.) flooded, ruining all of them, so I was fortunate enough to go there a lot that year. I didn’t know I was hooked at the time but I’ll never forget it. For years after I’d ride my bike past his shop trying to look in to see if this mysterious old grumpy man was painting. I knew down deep I wanted to be just like Red.
Where do you find inspiration for your work?
I think the largest part of influence in my work comes from the “Americana” days & just history itself. The love of the craft in which people had passion in handmade things, and each stroke of the brush on a sign told a story, and you really felt it. To me it’s more than just a sign or a letter, it’s a story, it’s someone’s entire life translated into what most see as just a letter or a sign. You don’t get that through a computer printing out some cheap vinyl sign, it’s just not the same, the flaws aren’t the same and the details don’t mean as much. I largely think my inspiration comes from traveling and the pursuit of a simple sign telling you where to go next, a simple scroll on a car or horse drawn carriage telling you what lines should be accepted. It’s a story on history, culture, the poverty, the riches and the entire pursuit of life.
Can you give us an insight into your experience being a part of the Pinstripe and Signpainting community?
Being a part of the pinstriping & signpainting community has fulfilled my life in many ways; it has helped me connect to people all over the world, it’s allowed me to show art all over the world, and allowed me to hire other creatives from all over the world. It has broadened my mind and allowed me to see things from a much larger perspective in how we all communicate. It’s a very passionate driven industry that I’m proud to be apart of.
What are your favorite pieces to create and how long does it take?
My favorite pieces to create would probably be reverse glass gold leafing or large murals and that would probably be because in a large sense, it’s public art and anyone can go see it, there are no gallery hours or fees, you just go see it when you want but it’s a tight correlation with fine art which makes it more unique than either signs, murals or public art. It changes a town, it changes a business frontage and it has the ability to change a family’s livelihood for many generations if preserved.
For anyone interested in hand-lettering and pinstripe art, do you offer workshops?
Those interested in learning lettering or pinstriping, I offer online classes and in person classes on my website, I offer instructional posters there. I’ve also designed an international workshop called Brushmasters Getaway where you can learn from the world’s top artists and experience many cultures and backgrounds, not just through the view of a United States-based artist. We all have the opportunity to learn together at Brushmasters!
