Rabbit Run Studios Brings Geeky Gifts to GeekCraft Expo RDU

Have you RSVPed for GeekCraft Expo RDU's Holiday Market December 16? It's the perfect place for you to find all the geeky gifts you need for everyone on your list in one place, for just one day!

Make sure to stop by Rabbit Run Studios, maker of original custom resin cast sculpts, silkscreened prints and apparel, paintings, drawings, and more. We chatted with Tim Lee about his geeky loves and what he's bringing to the Durham Armory this year!

GeekCraft Expo: ​What​ ​inspired​ ​you​ ​to​ ​start​ ​creating​ ​art? Tim Lee: As​ ​a​ ​teen​ ​I​ ​started​ ​drawing​ ​motorcycles​ ​because​ ​I​ ​was​ ​obsessed​ ​with​ ​them,​ ​and somehow​ ​I​ ​ended up​ ​at​ ​art​ ​school​ ​and​ ​in​ ​this​ ​business.​ ​By​ ​the​ ​way,​ ​I​ ​gave​ ​up​ ​on​ ​the​ ​motorcycle​ ​dream​ ​as​ ​a means​ ​of​ ​self​ ​preservation.

GCE: ​What​ ​are​ ​your​ ​influences? TL: Folk​ ​art,​ ​mysterious​ ​musicians​ ​and​ ​their​ ​vices,​ ​vintage​ ​dusty​ ​and​ ​rusty​ ​relics,​ ​fantasy,​ ​sci-fi, concept​ ​art,​ ​tattoos,​ ​and​ ​really​ ​good​ ​design. GCE: ​What​ ​are​ ​your​ ​best-selling​ ​items? TL: Edition​ ​prints​ ​of​ ​my​ ​oil​ ​and​ ​digital​ ​paintings​ ​seem​ ​to​ ​be​ ​popular​, ​as​ ​well​ ​my​ ​small​ ​batch​ ​screen printed​ ​items. GCE: ​What​ ​makes​ ​a​ ​piece​ ​of​ ​art​ ​or​ ​a​ ​shirt​ ​from​ ​Rabbit​ ​Run​ ​Studios​ ​a​ ​great​ ​gift? TL: You​ ​can​ ​give​ ​a​ ​piece​ ​of​ ​my​ ​art​ ​brain​ ​to​ ​a​ ​friend​ ​and​ ​no​ ​one​ ​gets​ ​hurt.​ ​I​ ​try​ ​to​ ​create​ ​small​ ​stories in​ ​my​ ​art​ ​that​ ​people​ ​can​ ​use​ ​as​ ​a​ ​starting​ ​point​ ​to​ ​dream​ ​up​ ​their​ ​own​ ​stories​ ​about​ ​the​ ​image. Hopefully​ ​that​ ​will​ ​take​ ​them​ ​someplace​ ​else​ ​for​ ​a​ ​small​ ​piece​ ​of​ ​their​ ​day.

GCE: ​I​ ​read​ ​that​ ​you're​ ​also​ ​a​ ​musician!​ ​Can​ ​you​ ​tell​ ​us​ ​about​ ​that? TL: I​ ​play​ ​the​ ​mandolin​ ​as​ ​a​ ​creative​ ​outlet.​ ​I​ ​need​ ​to​ ​be​ ​around​ ​people,​ ​and​ ​music​ ​gets​ ​me​ ​out​ ​of the​ ​studio,​ ​so​ ​it's​ ​a​ ​great​ ​way​ ​for​ ​me​ ​to​ ​stop​ ​thinking​ ​about​ ​art​ ​and​ ​enjoy​ ​the​ ​moment. I​ ​played​ ​in​ ​a​ ​local​ ​bluegrass​ ​band​ ​for​ ​the​ ​last​ eight​ ​years​ ​until​ ​a​ ​month​ ​ago,​ ​when​ ​I​ ​realized​ ​it​ ​was time​ ​to​ ​take​ ​a​ ​break​ ​and​ ​focus​ ​my​ ​weekends​ ​on​ ​this​ ​crazy​ ​craft​ ​show​ ​carnival​ ​lifestyle​ ​we​ ​do. I'm​ ​sure​ ​I'll​ ​be​ ​in​ ​another​ ​band​ ​sooner​ ​or​ ​later. GCE: ​​What​ ​are​ ​your​ ​personal​ ​favorite​ ​geeky​ ​characters? TL: I​ ​joke​ ​that​ ​I'll​ ​read​ ​any​ ​book​ ​or​ ​watch​ ​any​ ​movie​ ​if​ ​there​ ​is​ ​an​ ​elf​ ​or​ ​a​ ​dwarf​ ​in​ ​it.​ ​(Oddly​ ​I​ ​don't illustrate​ ​them​ ​very​ ​much.)​ ​I​ ​like​ ​Doctor​ ​Who​ ​(only​ ​Matt​ ​Smith​ ​or​ ​David​ ​Tennant​ ​because bowties​ ​and​ ​Chucks​ ​are​ ​cool),​ ​Gimli​ ​because​ ​I​ ​prefer​ ​LOTR​ ​over​ ​The​ ​Hobbit,​ ​and​ ​of​ ​course Bruenor​ ​Battlehammer. GCE: ​​What​ ​are​ ​you​ ​bringing​ ​to​ ​GeekCraft​ ​Expo​ ​RDU​ ​this​ ​year? TL: I'll​ ​be​ ​bringing​ ​some​ ​of​ ​my​ ​custom​ ​resin​ ​cast​ ​pieces​ ​made​ ​from​ ​wood​ ​carvings,​ ​edition​ ​prints, silkscreen​ ​printed​ ​posters,​ ​tees,​ ​and​ ​a​ ​few​ ​smaller​ ​oil​ ​paintings.

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