Los Angeles-based artist Josh Mayhem has forged a remarkable path, converting mass produced designer toys into stunning contemporary sculptures. With his iconic Blown Away series, he immortalizes the fleeting essence of movement transforming static vinyl and resin figures into vibrant embodiments of motion, as though caught in a sudden gust of wind.
Mayhem began his journey by customizing small designer toys, driven by a lifelong passion for childhood collectibles. What started as playful tinkering eventually propelled him to experiment with resin and acrylic, pushing boundaries far beyond the toy aisle. A pivotal commission to repair a botched resin figure sparked what would become his signature technique: layering resin and paint to create dynamic, gravity-defying drips.
That chance encounter evolved into the Blown Away aesthetic pieces so alive they seem mid-deconstruction by a strong gust. His work is now exhibited globally and featured in major art fairs and collections.
Turning up the volume on the radio, I kept driving for another hour. It was going to be sunset soon, and I had to get there before that to capture the golden hour.
When I finally arrived on the scene, I insisted we move to the lake area so we could capture the beauty of the last rays of sunshine. As I instructed her to turn her back to the lake, she squinted into the sun and put her hand up to keep the rays from her eyes. It was then I took out my camera and took the first photo.
I told her and moved around to get the perfect shadow and light on her face. Within a few more minutes of moving around, we managed to end this photo shoot on a high note.
As exhausting it had all been, it probably had been the most fun I had had in a long time. The pressure of taking the best photo and the running around had me fueled with adrenaline the entire day. Was it worth it? Of course, it was!