We are the RUST BELT MONSTER COLLECTIVE
What began as a weekly art blog has turned into a colorful expression of civic pride for the Rust Belt Monster Collective. Tim Switalski, Ben Hale, Jim Giar, Randy Crider, Erin Schechtman and Craig Worrell are six accomplished illustrators who work together to create improvised, collaborative paintings, usually in a live setting.
Identified by their trademark work shirts and painting for hours at a time, they are quick to remind viewers of the hard work ethic that makes the rust belt special. Coming from diverse styles and backgrounds, each painting is comprised of six individual voices that harmonize into a distinct collaborative style. The resulting work of art is a lush animated narrative that captures the energy of the event where it was created and celebrates the people who attend.
As of March 2014, the RBMC has created fifteen live murals, most notably for the Cleveland Museum of Art, Great Lakes Brewing Company, Ingenuity Fest, Brite Winter, and BAYarts. The finished murals hang at various Cleveland locations. In 2013, the collective also came together to produce gallery work for a solo exhibition: The Reanimation Initiative at BAYArts.
Eager to spread the joys of artists working communally, RBMC founded the Cleveland chapter of The Drink And Draw Social Club and worked with children in Cleveland Schools and at BAYarts. With each interaction, the group is quick to encourage a life in the arts and a celebration of the regional art scene.