Despite having turned 52 recently, Dave "PEPE" Petko is still very much a kid at heart, making art and finding play in everything that he does.
A renowned Whistler tattoo artist, muralist, and sculptor, Dave's main passion is painting and recently he created 14 new paintings for his second solo exhibit of 2022 at the B1 Gallery in Vancouver, BC. Earlier this year, Dave showcased 31 paintings at a successful solo exhibition at the Arts Centre in Whistler, B.C.
Over the decades, Dave's artistic style has evolved dramatically from abstract expressionism to pop-art-inspired bold, bright and playful colour combinations with imaginative caricatures; to dark, edgy and apocalyptic graphic-inspired themes and more caricatures; to colourful graphic landscapes reminiscent of Whistler; to adorable genetically modified land, sea and air critters that splash, dance and float across the page.
Never the type of artist to take the easy way out, Dave continually challenges his mind’s eye and expands his creative vision with the curiosity and excitement of a kid in a candy store.
Dave is the long-time owner and operator of Black Ohm Tattoos in Whistler, where he custom designs one-of-a-kind bold and colourful tattoos for those lucky enough to get inked by the man himself.
When Dave is not tattooing, he is often found travelling and making large-scale art installations as a resident artist for the Guild Art Collective, such as for the Tortuga Music Festival in Fort Lauderdale; Pemberton Music Festival in Pemberton; Lost Lands Music Festival in Ohio; and Bass Coast Music Festival in Merritt, British Columbia.
Learn more about Dave:
- www.davepetko.com
- Instagram: @davepetko
- Dave's "critter" page on Instagram: @113critters
- Black Ohm Tattoo on Instagram: @blackohm
