Erwin Papa

Erwin Papa is an illustrator, sculptor, and toy designer living in Lakewood, California. He studied and practiced art at Long Beach City College. His clients include Sideshow Collectibles, Super7, Just Toys International, Toyfinity, and ToyPizza. His sculpture work remains as part of the permanent collection at Copro Nason Gallery in Santa Monica, California. His mural work can be seen in San Diego. Erwin has been a part of organizing and curating art shows, as well as exhibiting work since 2011.

Erwin has illustrated comics for ToyPizza, Last Bastion Studios, James Groman, Lethal Comics, and Skinner. His creator-owned character, The Angriest Warrior, will be getting a short-run series written by Warrick Walker. Erwin is also currently illustrating Vile, also written by Warrick.

Erwin has created character design work for David Igo’s Monstors, Toyfinity, and ToyPizza, with sculptural work for the latter two. Along with Dope Pope and Erick Sosa, the three have formed Black Market Kaiju, where they have collaborated on figures that will be released as 3D prints, resin, and vinyl.

He is part of Hello Welcome, an independent art collective based in Long Beach, which has organized shows exhibiting local artists and musicians through murals, galleries, art competitions, and musical performances. These shows were supported by the Arts Council of Long Beach and have been featured in the Long Beach Post.

Along with his friends Joon Alvarado and Roshi, they have co-founded the drink and draw event known as Ink & Drink Long Beach since 2018. Their monthly in-person event encourages local artists to socialize in a creative space. Through the Ink & Drink Long Beach Discord, the art social has become an online group for artists not just from Long Beach, but with members across the world. While their weekly online events complement the in-person meet-ups, the Discord group has organized successful comic book crowdfund campaigns.

Exhibitions

2022

Line Attack II, Hive Gallery, Los Angeles

Traditions: 2nd Annual AAPI Group Show, Ewkuks Gallery, Los Angeles

2021

Couriers of Hope, Long Beach, CA

2019

ROOT CAUSE, Long Beach City College, Long Beach, CA

Red Lantern Red Light, Chewing Foil, Los Angeles, CA

Hello Welcome – Closing Show, The Icehouse, Long Beach, CA

Hello Welcome, The Icehouse, Long Beach, CA

2018

CREEPSHOW, Buckwild Gallery, Los Angeles, CA

Print Show, Public, Long Beach, CA

2017

Damn Dirty Ape, MF Gallery, Brooklyn, NY

2016

Star Wars Pilots, Pop Secret Gallery, Los Angeles, CA

Conjoined 666, Copro Nason Gallery, Santa Monica, CA

2015

Avengers Group Show, A Shop Called Quest, Claremont, CA

2014

Abound, Santa Monica, CA

Dream Sequence, The Colony, Gardena, CA

Art and Friends – Episode 4, Los Angeles, CA

Student Art Show, Long Beach City College, Long Beach, CA

Versus: The Fighting Game Art Show, Cookies and Cream, Pasadena, CA

Fluffy, Fuzzy, Cuddly Baddies, Cookies and Cream, Pasadena, CA

More Than a Side-kick, Cookies and Cream, Pasadena, CA

2013

Nagahama, Cultural Alliance – Long Beach, Long Beach, CA

Requiem Vol.3, The Colony, Gardena, CA

Requiem Vol.2, The Colony, Gardena, CA

Just in Cases, Long Beach City College, Long Beach, CA

Student Art Show, Long Beach City College, Long Beach, CA

A Sunday All Bent, Eat Drink Americano, Los Angeles, CA

Star Wars Themed Art Show, Los Angeles, CA

2012

Winter Student Show, Cultural Alliance – Long Beach, Long Beach, CA

Rotten Luck, 55 Degree Wine, Los Angeles, CA

Awfully Short Notice, Seeley Studios, Los Angeles, CA

Thinkture Festival, Gallery Expo, Long Beach, CA

Student Art Show, Long Beach City College, Long Beach, CA

2011

Student Art Show, Long Beach City College, Long Beach, CA

Member of the Following Organizations

Hello Welcome, Founding Member, 2018

Ink & Drink Long Beach, Founding Member, 2018