(2017)

On August 7th, 2017, the legendary Haruo Nakajima - best known for being the original Godzilla suit actor - passed away. I unfortunately never had the honor and pleasure of meeting him, but through years of watching kaiju films and the wonderful kaiju fans I've come to know, I feel like I have in some way. This man did more than climb into a 200-lb rubber suit and terrorize miniature sets. He brought to life one of the most iconic film monsters ever, and then some. He made them scary. He made them a heroes. He helped fuel the wild imaginations of our inner children.

Upon completing, this was one of many pieces of art that was sent to pay their respects to his legacy at his memorial service. It was beautiful.

At G-Fest two years later, I had the honor of meeting his daughter, Sonoe. I presented her with both the original line art and a print of the colors. She even recognized it from the memorial service! But more than anything, I'm glad that the original sketch now belongs with his family.