Los Angeles may not be a natural terrain for lumberjacks, but that doesn’t stop California’s Chad Eaton from weaving them into his work. The self-taught artist and skateboarder – who works under the playful moniker Timber! – has spent the best part of a decade dropping axe-wielding beardies, feathered Native American chiefs, and beer-glugging bears into an expansive body of black-and-white work. It’s one giant adventure – straight to the heart of blue-collar Americana – and it just keeps on going.
Now, having teamed up again with longtime collaborator Element, Timber! is bringing his characters together in one giant piece, a ‘Last Supper’-like bar scene that took 400 hours to complete and has inspired a denim collection and line of graphic tees.
Packed full of woodsy workers and little side stories – raccoons who steal ‘Boot Beer’, skeletal villains peering creepily through windows, and blue-collar workers who form fake bands – the intricate narrative is just a tiny insight into Timber!’s wild mind.
“I can’t seem to draw anything without making a story out of it,” smiles the bearded artist, whose four groups of characters have inspired a cut-n-sew collection of denim jackets and jeans. “There’s The Bygones, they’re skeletons; The Fallers, who are lumberjacks and workers; The Traders, who are the bosses – kinda like the villains; and the there’s The Keeper, who’s a Big Foot character.”
Summing up the collection is a drawing of handshake that’s as solid as they come. “That’s meant to represent the workmans’ bond,” says Chad. “Everything I do pretty much leads to the next thing – my next group of projects will probably have a lot of hints from this drawing – so if you want to watch the story continue, stay tuned.”
Element x Timber! Boot Beer Tour
Now you have the chance enter Timber!’s offbeat world of hard-drinking lumberjacks and beer-swilling blue-collar workers on the Boot Beer Tour. Celebrate the launch the Fall 2014 Element x Timber! capsule collection by dressing as a workman and becoming part of Timber’s bar scene. You could win your favourite Element x Timber! garment and a Polaroid camera from Impossible Project.
Head over to Element to find out more about the Boot Beer Tour in your city.
Gent – Brooklyn Shop – Thursday 25th of September – 18:30h – 20:30h
Milan – Killer Kiccen – September 26th – 19:00h – 12:00h
Lyon – Element Shop – October 1st – 18:30h – 21:00h
Paris – Element Shop – October 3rd – 19:00h – 21:00h
Paris – Bestreet Weeknd, Grande Halle de la Villette – October 4-5th – including Timber! live painting and photobooth action in collaboration with impossible project.
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