Business
WHIMSICAL REALITY
Photos by Anarchivist Digital Photography
All adults are guilty of wanting to be children again at one time or another, but pastimes such as watching cartoons, reading comics and playing games are often now geared towards adults just as much as children. These mediums are a comforting and welcome escape from the harsh world of adult life and responsibility. Luckily for Mike Graves, drawing cartoons and childhood-inspired illustrations is his adult job, making his version of the real world a lot more like an episode of Adventure Time.
“[My art is], more character-based and character-driven, a little bit whimsical,” Graves told CULTURE. “I think I’ve tried to simplify it as much as I can over the years to make sure the characters have a little more feeling in them.”
“I feel like the cannabis industry has really helped. People are coming in and have made more money, are buying more art, and it seems to be noticeable a lot in Denver, so I think that’s helping a ton.”
Mike has been drawing since he was little, always finding refuge in cartoon art. “I got started when I was really young—I’d say probably in third or fourth grade, when I started skating,” he told CULTURE. “I would copy skate graphics and I would just draw everything in sight; comics, skate graphics, anything I had that had drawings on it I would just redraw.”
What started as a passion to draw constantly has manifested itself as a way to spread his cheerful view of the world across Denver. Graves gets commissions to do murals and paint walls all over the city, and many of the projects he works on are aimed towards children and on buildings that children frequent. Because of this, Graves doesn’t work cannabis into his art as a theme, in order to keep things age appropriate. However, he is a major advocate of legalization and the good that cannabis has done for Denver. Unlike some natives who are weary of the change, he applauds the influx of transplants and new businesses to the metro area.
“I would say the main thing that [legalization] has affected is the extra influx of money and people being more supportive of arts,” he explained. “I feel like the cannabis industry has really helped. People are coming in and have made more money, are buying more art, and it seems to be noticeable a lot in Denver, so I think that’s helping a ton. I grew up here and was born here, and I think it’s a good thing. The people who move here mainly, I’d say 90 percent, do so for a good reason. It’s mostly people who support it for the right reason and want to support art and that lifestyle, and that brings a little more to the culture that there should be. It supports art and music, and a little more expression. I’m happy that it has happened and that Colorado is in the forefront of it and that we can kind of lead this. It would be nice if other states copied it, and I think every state should legalize. I think our model has worked pretty well, so other states would be smart to do the same.”
