Pete Fowler (born 1969 in Cardiff) is a Welsh artist best known for his artwork for the Welsh band Super Furry Animals. He is a freelance illustrator and “monster creator” inspired by Japanese art, folklore, myths, psychedelia and super nature. He has also done a number of other projects in the UK and Japan, such as television advertisements (Kia Picanto), as well as having art exhibitions all over the world. Fowler works in a variety of media, including drawing, painting, animation, and sculpture.
Fowler’s art is done in a postmodern cartoon style. His work revolves around a central narrative and features a recurring set of characters. The “monsters” Fowler creates all reside on “Monsterism Island.” Fowler invents extensive back-stories for his characters; each has its own specific traits and levels of “monsterism.” Fowler is most known for his designer toys of his characters, which he himself manufactures with his own company.
A CD called The Sounds of Monsterism Island was released in 2005 by Heavenly Records. According to the press release “The record is a compilation album that works as a soundtrack to the world of Monsterism…The album features psychedelic music from the ’60s through to today, much of it unearthed and put on CD for the first time.” In 2006, Fowler created a set of comics about Monsterism Island which have been featured in Vice Magazine. Fowler’s website features short Flash animations of his characters, and Fowler has stated that he is preparing a set of animated films.
The second soundtrack to Monsterism Island will be released by Lo recordings in early 2009 and features mostly new compositions by a host of contemporary musicians.
