Meet Bili Kribbs | Artist – Illustrator – Creative

We had the good fortune of connecting with Bili Kribbs and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Bili, as a parent, what do you feel is the most meaningful thing you’ve done for them?
Listen and observe. I have 2 very young sons. Often as a creative, I am chasing the child-like freedom to just create and tune out all of the overthinking and critical voices in my head. My kids know how to play.
In our house any toy, craft or basically anything non-lethal or potentially dangerous is not off limits. I have seen them use things in imaginative and unconventional ways. Toys are utilized but not always in their prescribed manner. It’s important to us as parents to encourage creative problem solving and untraditional ideas to make something new. They are constantly surprising me, and it reminds me to teach them that life will throw lots of surprises at them. This is why practicing creativity is necessary.
It sure does make for some messes to clean up though. But I bite my tongue and remind myself that while I am doing my best to teach kindness, responsibility, generosity, empathy and safety, they are teaching me to be resourceful, creative and joyful.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
The Extravaganza of Strange (the art of Bili Kribbs) is serving you the surreal visual acid trip of psycho primates, tentacled monsters and other colorful madness. These are the results of when an over-active imagination mixes with an aggressive creative impulse. Follow the white rabbit, take the red pill and get lost in the realm of The Extravaganza of Strange’s paintings, sculptures and other imagery.

I love to tell stories. Everything has a story. Sure there are interesting images and I am flattered when people connect with my work on just aesthetics, but to know where they came from and how I came to create them is sometimes where the real art is. I love sharing my imagination and process. Waking up the viewer to look at things differently is where I get real gratification.

I am most proud of sharing and teaching creativity and how it is a super-power for problem solving, healing meditation, or emotional expression, not just making pretty pictures. The world is changing all the time. More and more creativity is needed in all fields and in many aspects of life. My existence and efforts serve as a reminder to be resourceful and adaptable.

I have made it this far by making a conscious effort to have a sharing, courteous and collaborative attitude toward everyone. It has made all the difference.

Sometimes it’s cake. Sometimes it’s a game of ‘the floor is lava’. But setbacks are just opportunities to flex that creative muscle whether that’s trying something a little scary or just changing my perspective when things don’t turn out as expected.

A big lesson I have learned is to be open. The more honest I am with myself and with others the better. Whether that’s about my process, where and how I get new ideas or just being transparent about my motivation behind the choices I make. I have noticed that it serves me better to be my true self rather than to broadcast a constructed in-authentic persona.
Also, I have learned to break unspoken rules. Sometimes it’s easy to fall into an unconscious routine, or to comply with others’ expectations. Defy the laws of tradition, move along the Z axis when things are only on an X and Y axis.

I call my work The Extravaganza of Strange because some of my favorite things are a good party, a celebration, and I like new experiences, learning about things that are foreign to me. Strange things. There is an abundance of worldviews, ideas, cultures, oddities and everything that I’ve yet to experience.
The healthiest diet is variety. The best collaborators have a diversity of skills.
I want to welcome and celebrate the outsiders, the odd, the strange. Through my art, I hope to teach this positive outlook on weirdness, as well as communicate how important being creative is.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Cleveland has 18 Metroparks. 8 of them on the water! Lake Erie is fascinating to me. I love being on the Waterfront downtown. I love the art scene. Here in Cleveland repurposed building for art showing, art making and events are everywhere. 78th St Studios, the Screw Factory in Lakewood, Lake Affect Studios on E 25th, the Brownhoist, Graffiti HeArt on Superior, The list goes on and on. there is no shortage of creative exploits here and They’re always an interesting experience.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Andy Hopp is an award-winning illustrator, writer, and game designer with dozens of credits. He is a publisher of books and games and manager of events (Con on the Cob and the Oddmall series). I have participated in many of Andy’s Oddmall and Con on the Cob events and its executed beautifully. Andy is not only a creative, but has the skills to organized, promote and pull-off these wonderfully diverse and unique events. He’s also the proprietor of Oddmall Outpost: Assembly of Odd, a wondrous celebration of art and oddity in Green, Ohio. He’s a true-blue weirdo, but everyone’s friend.

Dave Willett is a friend and proprietor of several businesses including The Edge: an Artisan Fair in Cleveland. We’ve collaborated on an event called Sip & Sculpt where participants can learn my sculpting craft while having some adult beverages. Which we plan on doing again. We’ve had some conversation about doing future collaborations on other art related events and I am very excited to see where his business experience and my creativity will take us.

Website: kribbs.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/extravaganzaofstrange

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/extravaganzaofstrange/

Other: Tiktok @extravaganzaofstrange