by actress Roxanne Michaels

The future of erotic fantasy art is located in the Steel City. Two amazing artists both hailing from Pittsburgh are making waves in the fantasy/pin-up world. One, a fantasy artist that is not only prolific (he paints a new painting every two to three days), but has more talent than words can describe. The other is a pin-up artist that brings a unique twist to the genre with fetish themes, homage to b-movie posters, and a new female action hero, P.J. Savannah. Who is this dynamic duo? They are none other than Dorian Cleavenger and Dave Nestler, who together form Wicked City Studios. I met these two artists last year at Pittsburgh's Comicon and became an instant fan. This fall while modeling for Dorian and Dave, I took a break to ask them a few questions about themselves and what is in store for Wicked City Studios in1999.

Wicked City Studios began with Dave Nestler when he decided to make the move toward pin-up art. "I got into the whole pin-up market a few years ago. (In pin-up) Olivia and Soryama are the king and queen," states Nestler. "I didn't want to do the same thing that everyone else was doing. So, I decided to take it a step further. I went a little on the edge by doing the 'Blond and Gagged' series." He gave the pinup world a makeover by breaking away from the traditional cheesecake style and exploring fetish in his first collection of paintings "Blond and Gagged." These paintings show women in suggestive poses tied up in black ribbon or tape. Despite its risqué title, the paintings retain a tasteful quality to them. Nestler explains, "It implied bondage but not very much. (More importantly) what it did was it caught people's attention because it was so different. Both people who like classic pin up and the hard-core erotic art liked it because it was right on the edge." The series got noticed and gave Dave lots of exposure, including Scream Queens and Full Metal Femme covers, a pictorial in Marquis magazine, and an ongoing trading card series. "The notoriety I gained from the 'Blond and Gagged' is what is allowing me to further out into new projects," says Nestler.

Since "Blond and Gagged", Nestler has branched out into several comic covers of "Sheena Queen of the Jungle" for London Night studios and B-movie related jobs. "That is where P.J. Savannah comes in," states Nestler. P.J. Savannah started in affiliation with Femme Fatales, which contacted him to develop a female action character. Nestler created P.J. Savannah, who is sexy, campy and strong at the same time. Nestler used longtime friend and B-movie actress Lisa Ann Duvall to model for the character. Femme Fatales will be printing a series of PJ Savannah stories along with Nestler's paintings of the character starting in early spring. "PJ Savannah is a franchiseThere is going to be comics, more paintings, and later movies to follow," Nestler explains.

Nestler, who has seven years combined training at the University of Pittsburgh, the Art Institute of Pittsburgh, and the Art Center of Los Angeles, sites his influences from movie poster art of the 70's; such as Drew Stasen and Richard Amsel. "That is where I developed my style as far as painting people," adds Nestler. His love for old movie poster art has inspired his newest series. "I am paying homage to B-movie poster art of the mid-50's and early 60's," says Nestler. "Teenage exploitation flicks, sci-fi, and horror - all different genres. Each painting will consist of one main pin-up image with a lot of different things evolving around it. The painting will tell a whole story, but (I also will be) using a lot of camp, kitsch, and pop culture." He plans on including every imaginable classic and contemporary theme and image, even using lower hailed culture, such as trailers and lawn ornaments. "I'm going to throw in everything. I'm going to poke fun at all sorts of people and stereotypes. All this will be done in the avenue of a B-movie poster," elaborates Nestler.

Nestler's painting style evolves around the technical side of painting. "I like a lot of contrast as far as light," he states. He is also very methodical about the painting process, much as Hitchcock was with filmmaking. First he gets an idea in his head then goes to friend and photographer Joseph Joeb, who shoots the models for the paintings. "Whenever I do a painting I know what I want to get out of it before I even start shooting. Then the technical takes over," he says. The end result is a painting with a perfect impression of his mind's eye. The impression the pin-up world gets is that this in an artist with a definite idea of what he wants and where he's going with it. The second half of Wicked City Studios came about 3 years ago, when Dave Nestler received a call from the Art Institute of Pittsburgh. " Every once in a while they would send over a graduating student, who they felt was exceptional and have me review their portfolio. Well, into my studio walks Dorian. He opened his portfolio and I almost fell to the floor." Nestler knew instantly that Dorian was gifted. Telling Dave that he wanted to break into the fantasy market, Dave knew that Dorian was going to be a huge success.

In January of last year, Dorian joined Dave; thus completing Wicked City Studios. Dave Nestler comments on his relationship with Dorian, "The best part about Dorian is not only did I know he was going to make it big, but his work did not conflict with mine. I did pin-up art, which he had no interest n doing and I had no interest in breaking into fantasy art. We could work as a team without trying to compete in the same market. It works well for the both of us. We can feed off each other's popularity. Down the road, not only will both of our names be associated with good art, but if someone hears the name Wicked City Studios they will know that the studio produces some of the best girl art around. That was my original intent: that the studio is as famous as the artists under its roof."

Nestler told Dorian about his experiences doing art shows, and the two spent much of last year hitting the science fiction/horror/comic convention circuit. They have quickly made a name for themselves on the circuit and have become two of the most sought after artists in the pin-up and fantasy genres.

This second half of Wicked City Studios, Dorian Cleavenger, is a former commercial artist, who is now fulfilling his dream in the fantasy art world. Having already been compared to Boris Vallejo, his paintings grab your attention from across the room and beg for a second look. The fantasy art market has also noticed him, allowing Dorian to do in one year's time what it takes most artists to do in four to five years. With over 100 paintings completed in the last year, one wonders how he has time for convention appearances. Simple. He paints an average of 16 hours a day; thus completing a painting every two to three days.

This ambitious painter has already painted several comic covers for Razor, Razor/Crow, Vamperotica, Books of Lore, and Lady Pendragon. Other projects that this prolific artist competed in 1998 include a mini Tarot Deck put out by London Night Studios, a Scream Queens pictorial, a cover for the graphic novel Crimson Embrace IV and a cover/pictorial in Hustler Comix. He also has his first trading card set which is produced by Silver Star Productions. It is a series of paintings of adult stars and B-movie actresses; including Brinke Stevens, Melissa Wolf, Julie Strain, Nina Hartley, Sandra Scream and myself, Roxanne Michaels. He takes each woman and gives his interpretation of her in a fantasy setting.

Dorian sites his influences as the world around him. "Nature is my main inspiration," he says. "Everything that exists could be a factor in one of my paintings. Mythology is very interesting to me, too. You are dealing with a kind of realism because these things have stood the test of time and become almost non-fictional characters." As for artists he admires, Dorian sites traditional artists like DaVinci to turn of the century Victorian artist Alda Tadema and modern artists such as Frank Frazetta, Boris Vallejo, Soryama, and Olivia.

When asked where he gets the ideas for his paintings, Dorian says that he doesn't have any preconceived ideas about what he will paint before he starts. "I just space (out). I start with a line then things start to happen. An idea comes to me as I paint and then more ideas come as I continue to paint." He compares painting to a drug like experience. "I am not aware of anything but what is on the canvas," he explains.

Dorian paints both men and women, though he prefers to focus on the female form. Dorian comments, "I think the female body is one of the most beautiful objects in nature. Throughout time the female body has been the subject of paintings for one reason or another. Right now, there seems to be a resurgence in female models and painting and heroines. To me, a female can evoke a lot more emotion in her face than a male, which can be rigid." Dorian's representation of women is powerful yet sensuous, erotic, but not explicit, and realistic yet imaginative. When asked how he likes to represent women in his art he states, " I like to get into the soul of a person usually through their face or their eyes which is the most dominating subject on a female. Basically, I like to leave the interpretation up to the viewer. I am not going to be there to explain everything to them. I like to keep a certain generic aspect to it." That generic quality in his paintings allows for almost any audience to appreciate his works.

And appreciation is what he received when his painting of Julie Strain caught her eye and she passed the word to her husband, Heavy Metal publisher, Kevin Eastman. Dorian's upcoming exposure (cover and inside gallery) in the much-coveted Heavy Metal this summer will be the turning mark for him. Exposure in Heavy Metal means a lot of opportunities for a fantasy artist. "Image Comics wants to put out a 72 card trading card set as soon as the Heavy Metal comes out," Dorian explains. "Hopefully that will lead to calendars and art books where I can do more original stuff," he says. Dorian says that he wants to break from doing comic covers and portraiture. "I want to do my vision, not illustrating someone else's vision," says Dorian. "I am still developing my own style. I need to do more originals for that to happen."

It looks like 1999 will be the year that Wicked City Studios and its two artists, Dave Nestler and Dorian Cleavenger, break into the big time.

For information on ordering merchandise or convention appearances write:

Wicked City Studios
PO Box 42335
Pittsburgh, PA 15203

Or email [email protected]

2 images of females on white background - Copyright David Nestler 1998
Header Image and 2 horizontal images - Copyright Dorian Cleavenger 1998

Originally published in GC Magazine - Edited by Jon Keeyes.