Chicle is the Spanish word for gum. It is also the name of our hero. And while you may think it is the nom de guerre of the spectacularly behatted woman pictured here it is actually the name of the bubblegum colored fang toothed friend astride her hat. All name confusion aside this duo is a protector of innocence and youth.
Also, if you I told you that our side eyed friend here is also named Chicle would that absolutely flip your wig? Well, we all know two pieces of chicle are better than one!
For a deeper dive into this piece click here.
A guardian of the sea and all the lives within it.
12”x12” Acrylic and ink on canvas. Available for purchase. Email mark@marksarmel.com for more info.
Capo Cola is the best she is at what she does. And what she does is bust up bad guys! From ancient creatures of myth to futuristic foes Capo has beaten them all. And she has the earring collection to prove it.
Res is continually frustrating her believers for she prophesizes neither the beginning nor the end, but rather the middle.
12”x12” Acrylic and ink on canvas. Available for purchase. Email mark@marksarmel.com for more info.
Long has the mask passed from one wearer to the next. For some it has brought glorious purpose. For others it has been a terrible curse.
12x12 Acrylic and ink on canvas - Available for purchase. Email mark@marksarmel.com for more info.
Kishi Kaisei literally means “wake from death and return to life”. Kishi Kaisei is not a name, but a title given to one who is reborn. This Kishi wears a necklace of unknown origin that grants spectacular powers. It is said when a Kishi Kaisei is born, they will lead their people to a new land.
18”x24” - Acrylic, spray paint and gold leaf on canvas - Available for purchase. Email mark@marksarmel.com for more info.
Tthe Turquoise Queen takes her nickname from the turquoise her people mine and sell. As the bearer of the Seed of the Sunset, the pink turquoise stone set in her headpiece, she spreads hope and love to the people of her lands and furious vengeance upon those who wrong them.
16”x20” - Acrylic and gold leaf on canvas - Available for purchase. Email mark@marksarmel.com for more info.
Jefferson saved Parrish after a hurricane left the octopus stranded and blinded on dry land. As Jefferson nursed them back to health she quickly came to realize Parrish was no ordinary octopus. They could float and survive on dry land for extended periods and they were also highly intelligent. One night during a nightmare Parrish accidentally sprayed Jefferson with her hallucinogenic ink causing her to fall into a strange fever dream. Upon awakening, Jefferson gave her right eye to Parrish so they could see. They soon realized this exchange allowed them to see the world through the others eye! This formed an unbreakable bond between the two making them BFFs!
16”x20” - Acrylic on canvas - Available for purchase. Email mark@marksarmel.com for more info.
Left to the slums when her homelands were gentrified Rosa Aguilar worked in the Great Landfills of middle America to support herself and her family. One day while working she discovered a wounded eagle that had brilliant red feathers. This eagle blessed her with the Eagle Eye, a powerful artifact that grants her numerous powers. Taking the new name Aguila Roja she went on to be a great hero for her people and the world.
16”x20” - Acrylic and gold leaf on canvas - 12”x12”. Available for purchase. Email mark@marksarmel.com for more info.
A general in the Red Eye Rebels, Morada is as famous for her fighting exploits as she is for her purple hair. She is the bearer of the Third Eye Red Eye which grants powers of farsight and darksight.
16”x20” Acrylic and gold leaf on canvas - Available for purchase. Email mark@marksarmel.com for more info.
An alchemist, a scientist, a constructivist, she is many names and many things, but Ahote is above all a restless spirit in constant search for knowledge. Her cyclopean owl Mochni is her familiar and protector.
SOLD - 18”x24” - Acrylic, spray paint and gold leaf on canvas.
Venerated as the Red Queen, she is a warrior and takes her name from the red that is spilled on the field of battle. Her serpent headdress is an ancient symbol of power and warning to all those who would dare attack her people.
The Blood Mother is the first of the Blood Gods and the guardian of mothers, children, and families. Ensconced in a crown of halos and feathers, she blesses all children with a halo that defines their spirit. Her colored plumage represents the journey of all mothers, the blue for the water that breaks before birth and the blood that follows. As a mother she is a nurturing spirit and also a furious defender of her children.
SOLD - 12”x12” Acrylic and gold leaf on canvas
Produced for the “Seeing Red” show at Thinkspace Gallery curated by Booooooom
Angry Cloud is the leader of the Blue Clouds, a group of political dissidents fighting against the oppression of their culture and the occupation of their native lands. She is also a staunch ally to Paloma and Wuk Wuk.
16”x20” - Digital
One of the first gods, the goddess Ladia heralds the new dawn and is a symbol of life, growth and the passage of time. She is the Sister to the goddess La Noche, who brings the night.
16”x20” - digital
Tilde is a young hero and oracle for her people. Though young, she conveys a wisdom and compassion far beyond her years. To her people she is a hero. To her enemies she is a fearsome symbol that burns bright in the darkness.
16”x20” - Digital
Shakka Bal is the Head General of the Cerebus Guard. Tasked with guarding the Mezquites Clay Mines she is fearsome and brutal. Her familiars Nyu’k and Nyu’k were formed from Mezquites clay and given life through an unknown ritual. Her horns and her leadership of the Cerebus Guard have earned her the nickname the Horned Dog.
16”x20” - Digital - Ltd. Ed. print available in store.
Paloma is a tireless dissident. In an effort to silence her local gangs kidnapped her partner. Now she and Wuk Wuk scour the city in search of clues to find them. She is nicknamed the Matchstick for the matchsticks she carries. She uses these in her fight fo find her partner and to defend others who’ve been threatened by evildoers. It is said that if you are in need of help to light a matchstick and Paloma and Wuk Wuk will appear!
16”x20” - Digital - Ltd Ed. Print available in store.
There walks a man in the night. Soft footsteps silent and serene, he is bookended by two magical beings, alebrije. Where does he come from? Where does he go? Those who’ve followed him say he sinks into the shadows or bleeds into the fuzzy edges of the night. They call him the Nightwalker.
16”x20” Acrylic and gold leaf on canvas - Available for purchase. Email mark@marksarmel.com for more info.
Every year the people of the Navaronne celebrated the coming of the new harvest with a festival. To begin this festival the Bells of the Navaronne were rung three times. When the festival was interrupted by invaders and her father killed Clara Huerta took up the sacred bell ringer, escaped her families’ killers and fled with her brother. Over the next few years she began a guerrilla campaign to retake her lands and once more ring the bell of her people.
16”x20” - Digital - Ltd Ed. Print available in store.
Simetra is a hero, a goddess, a warrior and a mother. She is the guardian of women and takes as her sigil the hare, a symbol of fertility, rebirth and sustenance. In modern times she has taken as her credo “protect ya neck” a line from Wu-Tang Clan. This credo stands as a reminder to all women to be vigilant and take care of oneself before taking care of others. It can also be seen as a warning to those who choose to cross her.
16”x20” - Digital - Ltd Ed. Print available in store.
The Archangel Elena is one of the fabled 13 Archangels. They are prophecized to herald the end of the world, but when the world has ended many times over are they to be believed?
16”x20” - Digital - Ltd Ed Print available in store.
Long ago the explorer Señora Sable found a hidden land populated by an ancient undiscovered civilization. Taking her for their long prophecized hero they bestowed upon her many of their ancient accoutrements. With these objects of “magic” and her Alebrije Thorntrill she aids the people in their quest to free the spirits of their imprisoned elders.
16”x20” - Digital - Ltd Ed. Print available in store.
The Hellcat is the King of the Clan of Cats, a nation of four houses of cats - Lion, Tiger, Jaguar and Leopard. Together they occupy and protect the Great Forest of Flowing Wells. Recently, a mysterious building appeared and interlopers have been spotted walking the forest.
18”x24” - Acrylic, spray paint and gold leaf on canvas. Available for purchase. Email mark@marksarmel.com for info.
Boom Pop is the protector of a once thriving industrial land. Aided by her adjunct V-A, Boom Pop wields the Sonic Boom Stick, a powerful weapon that has been in her family for generations.
18”x24” acrylic and spray paint and gold leaf on canvas. Available for purchase. Email mark@marksarmel.com for info.
A skilled practitioner of voodoo, the woman whom many refer to as Mother Gullah prophecizes wealth and riches for some, suffering and death for others.
16”x20” - Acrylic, spray paint and gold leaf on canvas. Available for purchase. Email mark@marksarmel.com for info.
L’Kaiser is a notorious thief known throughout the land. Referred to sometimes as the Napoleon Thief because of her distinctive hat, she refers to her crimes as performance art. Often times she gives the spoils from her crimes to the poor. She carries with her numerous magical items that grant her strange and distinctive powers. Her dog Omar often assists her in her many “performances”.
SOLD. 18”x24” - Acrylic and spray paint on canvas.