Q&A With Double Decker Poster Artist Thomas Grosskopf

Thomas Grosskopf

Abbeville painter’s design to be unveiled in February

Anticipation grows in the early part of each year as folks want to know what the music lineup for the Double Decker Arts Festival, presented by C Spire Wireless, will be. As the festival hits its 10th anniversary this April 26 and 27, another now time-honored bit of information has become the design of the festival’s official poster. Framed Double Decker posters from over the years have become coveted mementos on the walls of those with ties to Oxford.

The Double Decker team promises a sneak peek at the 2013 poster design in February. In the meantime, here’s a peek at the artist selected to design it—and a look at one of his other paintings, “I Am the Batman,” a fantasy-fueled portrait of Morgan Freeman.

Thomas Grosskopf is a professional artist living in Abbeville whose work varies from portraiture and illustration to sculpture and abstracts. He received his BFA in painting from the University of Mississippi in 2010.

HT: What artists are your greatest inspiration?

Grosskopf: I take influence from illustrators of the mid-20th century, such as Andrew Loomis and Frank Frazetta. Those guys could draw anything.

HT: Are there any subjects you like painting more than others?

Grosskopf: As far as subjects go, I like drawing anything with people. My main interest is illustration. I love creating images that are pure fantasy.

HT: What inspired you for what you designed for the Double Decker poster?

Grosskopf: My Double Decker poster was influenced by commercial posters of the Art Nouveau period. They were great for catching the eye of the passerby.

“I Am the Batman” by Thomas Grosskopf