Steve Teeple (better known as Teeps) is a digital artist currently based in the culturally rich town of Oakland, CA where he dedicates his time to conceptualizing and bringing to life incredibly captivating 3D realms and otherworldly lifeforms. An adept in the use of Tilt Brush, as well as the Occulus Medium + Touch Controllers, his work as a professional artist has him frequently exploring, in-depth, the latest in virtual reality hardware and software, and seeing just how far the boundaries of digital artwork can be pushed.
Formerly, Teeps held the position of Senior Web Producer at Betabrand where he assisted in the creative direction, design, manufacture and daily release of new products frequently covered by publications including The New York Times, CNN, Wired, GQ and The Washington Post, but recently resigned from this position to explore new opportunities in the vein of digital artwork and virtual technology. He is now a part of the future-arts collective and production company, Teaching Machine where he has done custom design work for some of today’s biggest artists such as Flying Lotus, the Weeknd, Future and more. Additionally, TIMEWHEEL space-fusion/prog-rock group Remanon purchased the rights to Teeps’ creation titled ‘Forest Watcher‘ to be used as the album artwork for their record Guardian (below).
On a recent journey that we took to Oakland for MAPS’ Psychedelic Science Conference 2017, we had an opportunity to spend our first afternoon in town with Teeps in his corner of the globe. After a pretty smooth landing and picking up some medical supplies, my partner and I settled into our quaint Airbnb where Teeps scooped us up to show us a day in the life and give us a small taste of the local scene.
The first spot we hit was his home and work space where Teeps was kind enough to give us a little demonstration of him working on one of his current projects. We were also immediately distracted upon entry by his impressive collection of trinkets and memorabilia that he has acquired along his path as an artist. What was the most impressive of all (for myself at least) has to have been the incredible rig with which Teeps creates his surreal 3D illustrations and video renderings. Sparing you the details, let’s just say that the water-cooled, 3-way SLI beast was a force to be reckoned with, making quick work of every seemingly demanding task we watched him throw at it. It is also imperative to mention that while we were inspecting his collection of interesting things, we happened upon a physical copy of the late J Dilla’s last album released during his lifetime, Donuts – a relic in the vein of hip-hop and music history in general.
After a sneak peak at a bit of his creative process, Teeps took us on a walk to one of his favorite local eateries, a small deli of sorts by the name of Home Grown. You can think of this place as super-food central, serving up anything from juices, smoothies, sandwiches, breakfast, brunch and, most notably, their deliciously massive ‘energy’ bowls. Having tried the Ranchero Bowl, which consisted of brown rice, black beans, mixed greens, avocado, soft-cooked eggs, salsa verde, herb crema and more, we were impressed to say the least and have had a craving for the cleansing deliciousness ever since our visit. I personally have gone as far as to attempt recreating our dish to the best of my ability. A valiant attempt, but that’s a story for another time. This place is a must-visit if you find yourself in the bay area.
Filled to the brim and in need of a place to hang, we snagged a couple of yerba matés and took a ride with Teeps up to the peak of one of Oakland’s many gorgeous hillsides where we were met with a breathtaking view of the San Francisco Bay and the city’s magnificent skyline. While spending a good while soaking in the verdure, the true beauty of the Golden State began to reveal itself to us; the sky painted with pastel hues of the setting sun’s waning rays as they cascaded over the bay’s shimmering surface and through towering timber line. It was a truly unforgettable sight and a powerful source of creative inspiration, not to mention a perfect way to kick start a weekend in the beautiful town of Oakland, CA. After our afternoon with Teeps, it had become abundantly clear the reason as to why he has chosen to call this place home.
If you are not already familiar with the work of Steve Teeple, scroll down to check out a selection of some of the immersive, mind bending creations that await within his portfolio. To see his full collection of works, or to learn a bit more about the man behind the art, check him out on:
SteveTeeps.com | facebook | instagram | artstation
