Extreme images have shaped Monte Wolverton's life. As son of legendary illustrator Basil Wolverton, Monte assimilated a rich graphic diet throughout his early years in the Portland, Oregon area. During college in the creatively fertile Southern California of the late 1960s, he launched his career by working in a small design group. He gained additional training at Pasadena's Art Center College of Design, and studied editorial photography with Look magazine's Earl Theison. Later, in the Seattle and Portland areas, Wolverton ran an innovative graphic design business, producing corporate image, advertising, publication design, illustration and comic art. His clients included the US Forest Service, Peterson publishing and numerous local clients.

In the late 1980s Wolverton returned to Southern California as design director for Plain Truth, a large, faith-based publishing concern, leading a group of over 20 art directors, illustrators and photographers in producing three magazines and other publications and promotional materials. In 1994 he earned an interdisciplinary MA in creativity studies and management from Vermont's Goddard College.

 

In the late 1990s his humorous illustrations were featured regularly in MAD magazine.

One of the most widely syndicated editorial cartoonists in the world, Monte Wolverton has produced his ascerbic visual political commentary for nearly 15 years. He is syndicated by Caglecartoons to over 850 publications weekly, and appears weekly in the LA Daily News.

In recent years Wolverton has ventured into fine art, synthesizing a unique vision rooted in the distinctive style he shares with his late father.

"I try to create works that are at once fun, entertaining and mind-expanding – works that draw the viewer into a vortex of shape, color and texture. I like to imagine I've opened a visual portal into an alternative universe populated by forms, structures, devices, manifestations and luminescent beings far beyond our temporal experience."

Wolverton and his wife Kayte reside deep in the forest near Battle Ground, Washington with their two American Rat Terriers, Meg and Kirby. All four are active in the Rat Terrier Club of America, in which Monte serves as president.

MUSIC for this site is perfomed by the inimitable San Francisco composer Clasher Von Sin -- who created works specifically for each piece of art.

All images and text on this website © 2010 Monte Wolverton. All music © 2010 Clasher Von Sin