I met Eric in New York. It's quite an amazing story as I have never thought that my trip to this famous and unique city would result in such interesting knowledge and bitter truth about people. It was not 'my' trip, unfortunately, and now I know that the time and effort I have sacrificed for someone else, I should make use of everything and benefit only for myself...or I should have consider my company better. But I can not regret now as one day I was in the right place, at the right time and asked for a lighter the right person!

That man, so handsome and well-dressed, with an amazing business card from which it all began..

Internet today is a godsend, and the fastest verifier who we're dealing with.
TONZOLA, as it turns out, is an excellent graphic designer, illustrator, artist, warm and intelligent man, with whom I had pleasure spent some really nice time, smoking a funny joint and talking about art!


I felt so charmed when I saw his art, exactly the same as that time when he handed me his business card.. Therefore I decided to tell him something about my passion, what I do, about my website CzytajNiePytaj.pl, that I love to write about artists and that I have to necessarily write about him. Apologies Eric I should do it much sooner. Among hundreds of artists who I searched for, I did not find Tonzola!

This is the most valuable part of my trip to NY. I do feel this is going to be a long, pleasant and fruitful acquaintance!

I would like to introduce you Eric Tonzola, his fabulous art, and recommend you to read my interview with this great and interesting personality.

Eric, please tell us at the very beginning a little bit about where do you come from and what it's like. I feel that your background has a sygnificant impact on your artistic personality.

Well I grew up in Lancaster Pa in a little town name Leola with my Mother, Father, two sisters, and brother. Everyone in my family was always quite creative. My mother was a painter and my father was a musician. I feel like this had a great impact on my passion for art and music. My siblings are all very musical and artistic in their own individual way. So living in this kind of atmosphere I guess I was bound to find my little creative outlet and that was through drawing and painting.

What do you like? How do you feel about your work and how this passion began? You are a young man and I wonder if Art in the form of illustrations, graphics, has always accompanied you? What have you been doing as a student, teenager ..

Before I ever seriously begun pursuing art as a carreer I was always fascinated by art and loved it. When I was a student in high school I had always had little sketch books and would doodle on my homework. I got in trouble a lot for that. But eventually I began taking courses in graphic design and it soon became my passion. After a while I decided that I should try to exhibit some of the art that I had created personally, starting with just sketches and drawings but eventually I began working with inks and paints. I was always influenced by Ralph Steadman and Jean Michelle Basquiat and you can see that in my early work. Eventually I had my own unique style of creating my art and it has and will always be evolving.

I think you 're hiding your work a little, reducing it's reception only to people who know you personally and have this chance to learn about your talent. You do not have a profile on Behance, do not have a website yet, but on your account have already many successes and quite impressive portfolio. Do you feel satisfied as an artist? Or maybe it's just a beginning of your path?

Well I definitely see this time of my life being the beginning of my path. I plan to make art for as long as I can and when I can until I am dead and ash. I think that I may have been hiding a little from getting my work out of my area and out into the world. But now after the trip to New York and seeing all the great opportunities there and the people that showed so much interest in my work there is no reason to hide anymore. I was not familiar with Behance until now so I will need to sign up and get my portfolio on there. Also yes a website is due too be finished before the end of the year.

Your art has a distinctive, characteristic style. I do not think I have previously seen similar work. Your images are different from your graphic designs. Tell me what inspires you when yo do your illustration, and what inspires graphics.. Is there a difference?

Be it through graphic design, paint, ink, or print, my art is a representation of my environment filtered through my imagination. Science fiction and fantasy serve as the vehicle for my inspiration when I am working on the computer but when illustrating by hand I often wonder, then seek to illustrate portions of my environment and how it would be represented in an alternate universe. Harsh lines, atmospheric pollution, and awkward perspectives transcend the viewer through space to a parallel but twisted world. Most importantly, the physical anatomy of the inhabitants are exaggerated and skewed in comedic positions. So both species are at almost opposite spectrums but my passion for both over the years has helped tune into both styles.

Is there anything you want to achieve? Any artistic challenge or personal dreams? What thoughts Eric Tonzola looking to the future?

Immortality and Evil. Thats just a joke haha. In the future I hope that I can be fully supported by my art and music. To be able to show internationally and all through out the United States would be a real accomplishment and I hope to some day achieve this goal.

What's happening in your head when you are sitting down with a peace of white paper or in front of your computer? What kind of music do you listen to while you create, and under what conditions you like to work best?

Most of the music I listen to while creating is very abstract and eccentric. Omar Rodriguez Lopez is one of my favorite musicians. I have created a lot of art while listening to his electric psychedelic guitar sounds and free form jazz influenced music. Weird music isn't all I listen to though. Blues, Rock n' Roll, and Electronic music are also types of music I love. Bands like The Mars Volta, White Stripes, and Wolfmother have been favorites of mine for years.

Do you have any association with someone from Poland?

I am honestly not too familiar with Poland. I have never traveled there but hope to someday.

One important sentence in my life ...

This is a quote by one of my favorite others that I always found very interesting and true.

The greatest tragedy in mankind's entire history may be the hijacking of morality by religion.
Arhut C. Clark

Two decisions that I regret ...

1. I regret not traveling more in my early 20's, but there is always my early 30's.
2. Not seeing some of my favorite bands live before they broke up or sold out.

Three people that I personally would like to know ...

Ralph Steadman
Johnny Depp
Jack White

Four things I have not done yet …

Exhibited my art work internationally.
Traveled to Europe.
Taken Peyote.
Been to a strip club.

Five things that I most like to do...
Well obviously one of my top things is my art. Whether I am drawing painting or doing something weird in photoshop. I love playing guitar and jamming with friends when I can find time. I have a couple old music projects with some buddies. Going out to the pubs with friends, co workers and roommates is up in that list. I have always enjoyed cooking and going along with that is number 5. Smoking funny joints.

What do you think about CzytajNiePytaj ( in English - Read, do not ask)?

I love the site. Almost every other day I check out the site and always seem to find some new and interesting art work that is very eclectic and inspirational.

Eric Tonzola and I - Brooklyn Fashion Week - October 5, 2013