From Play-Doh to Pop Culture Icon: A Retrospective of Brad Hill’s Sculptural Journey

Play-Doh, often relegated to childhood playtime, served as an unlikely springboard for Brad Hill’s artistic career. Years ago, a simple gift of the colorful modeling compound sparked a creative fire that has since propelled him to internet fame and a celebrated place in the pop culture art world. This week marks a significant milestone for Hill with a retrospective art show at the Bottleneck Gallery in Brooklyn, NY, showcasing his evolution from Play-Doh experiments to highly sought-after sculptures.

The show, opening May 9 from 6-8 p.m. ET, features not only brand new works but also pieces from throughout his still-developing career. To commemorate the event, io9 offers exclusive reveals and an interview with Hill, potentially his first formal interview, delving into the origins and inspirations behind his unique art.

Hill’s work is characterized by a striking blend of handmade craftsmanship, limited collectibility, and an undeniable sense of nostalgia and childlike wonder. His 1:1 art pieces are known to sell out instantly at art shows, while his smaller, more accessible sculptures, known as Peeks, have become coveted items in the pop culture art scene. He’s now introducing "Freeks," a hybrid of the two styles, further pushing his artistic boundaries.

Living in Pigeon, Michigan, the 37-year-old artist remains somewhat detached from the intense enthusiasm surrounding his creations. "I still have a hard time believing it," Hill admits. "I live in the middle of nowhere. I’m not really connected. I haven’t done cons. I haven’t done any of that stuff, so it’s very easy for me to just be like ‘Yeah, like this isn’t real.’"

However, the reality is undeniable. Hill has cultivated a loyal and passionate fanbase that eagerly collects and pays handsomely for his work. Germain Lussier of io9 admits to being one of those fans, having camped out for days to acquire one of Hill’s unique pop culture sculptures. The anticipation for Friday’s show is palpable, with a line already forming. The exhibit will feature nearly 20 new sculptures, 1/1 APs (artist’s proof) of every single Peek ever released (around 140 in total), and five brand new Freeks, among other surprises.

In an interview, Hill recounts his artistic beginnings, which involved not only Play-Doh but also the online platform Reddit, and reveals his surprising creative process.

Hill explains that he had always enjoyed drawing from a young age but never ventured into sculpting or took formal art classes. Around 2010, a friend gifted him a collection of Play-Doh containers as a thank you. Initially unsure what to do with it, Hill sculpted a small head as a gesture of gratitude. "I was like ‘Oh wait, that’s kind of fun’," he recalls. He began sculpting a head out of Play-Doh every day, but soon realized the material was not sustainable.

He transitioned to air-dry clay and then polymer clay. Around the same time, he discovered the art of Mike Mitchell and was inspired by his pop culture-themed wallpapers. He also learned about Gallery 1988 and the world of pop culture art.

Encouraged, Hill began posting his sculptures on Reddit. One of his creations, a S’more Puffed sculpture, went viral, reaching the top of the platform. This success fueled his motivation. He continued to create pop culture-themed sculptures and share them on Reddit. Eventually, someone from Slashfilm, likely Peter Sciretta, contacted Gallery 1988, suggesting a potential show for Hill. "I didn’t know that was a possibility. I never knew I could go into art galleries," Hill says. From there, his career snowballed, leading him to work with Bottleneck Gallery.

Hill elaborates on his artistic ability, explaining that he can visualize a project from start to finish before even beginning. "When I’m working on a project, before I’ve even started, I have to be able to visualize it in my head from start to finish. Otherwise, I don’t want to start, get lost halfway through, and just abandon it because I don’t know what I’m doing."

He emphasizes that his skills have developed over time. "Like putting a ball in the eye socket isn’t a complete process. But you gotta put the eyelids on. You gotta do this. And you know it’s been like 10 years. I’m still learning what works and what doesn’t."

Over the past 15 years, Hill’s style has evolved significantly. Early on, his characters were more block-headed in shape, but now they are more realistic. He admits to sometimes questioning his own style. "Well, there are still times now where I’m like ‘Do I have a style? What do other people think my style is?’ Because I’m just kind of making. I don’t know how to put that."

He explains that the blockhead style initially worked visually due to its simple structure, but as he incorporated more details, he realized he needed to evolve. He started adding noses to his sculpts.

Hill reveals his surprising choice of tools: toothpicks. He customizes them by sanding them down to create various shapes and sizes. He also uses a pen, X-Acto knife, and magnifying goggles.

He describes the origins of his Peeks series, explaining that he was living with his parents and found amusement in placing small sculpted figures behind the window of decorative birdhouses. He created a block of wood with a hole in it and a lid, which became the basis for the Peeks design. He sold a few on Etsy to gauge the reaction, and they were a success.

Peeks also offered a way for Hill to make his art more accessible to a wider audience. "People would go ‘I wish I could get it,’ but I don’t know how to do prints. I’m not a photographer. I can’t do pictures of my work. So Peeks were another way of getting more of my work out there. Giving more people the opportunity."

Hill meticulously crafts two Peeks each month, making 18 of each. The process takes about three weeks, from sculpting and molding to casting and painting. He also handcrafts the boxes, using poplar wood from Home Depot.

Regarding the new sculptures featured in the show, Hill explains that they are designed to resemble toys in a box. He was inspired by artists like Readful Things and Dano Brown, who create plastic clam shells and cardboard backers. He wanted to create his own version, using wooden shadow boxes with fake toy backers.

He enjoys incorporating inside jokes and references into the packaging. "It’s almost like a cheat sometimes because if I’m unsure of a likeness, like I’m trying my best to nail it, I know I can take comfort in being like I can just write that name right on there. [laughs] There’s no questioning it, especially with an accessory."

The "Everything Everywhere All at Once" piece was a turning point, where he decided to merge two pieces from different multiverses into one. He also plans to add lights and sounds to future pieces. For example, the Matt Damon from Team America sculpture actually says "Matt Damon."

Hill says the new sculptures offer more creative freedom compared to the Peeks. He doesn’t have to adhere to specific size constraints.

He also discusses the Freeks series, explaining that the idea evolved from his April Fool’s posts, where he would repaint existing sculptures as different characters. The Freeks in the show are reimaginings of old sculpts, transforming them into new characters. There are five different Freeks in the show, with four of each.

Reflecting on his success, Hill remains grounded. "I still have a hard time believing it. Like when I see those listings on eBay where they go for a thousand bucks I’m like, ‘What? How did this happen?’ Like, ‘Why?’ I don’t know. It’s still surreal. Probably because I live in the middle of nowhere. I’m not really connected. I haven’t done cons. I haven’t done any of that stuff. So it’s very easy for me to just be like ‘Yeah, this isn’t real.’" He is excited to see his work displayed together at the show.