Q: What do Robots and Donuts have in common?
A: San Francisco Artist Eric Joyner

Pool Party by Eric Joyner

I was wandering in and out of the many open art studios along the waterfront at Hunters Point Shipyard in San Francisco when I detected a familiar sweet smell, a Donutty-sweet smell coming from the end of a long corridor. I followed my nose. There were a lot of people blocking the entrance, but I slipped through a hole.

Holey DonutHoles! Dozens of D O N U T S everywhere!
Donuts as tall as skyscrapers, donuts as small as peas, donuts as wide as mountains, crumbling donuts, muddy donuts, flying donuts, poolside donuts, space-bound donuts, snow-covered donuts, topiary donuts, soggy donuts.

And intermingled with the donuts? R O B O T S
Fighting robots, sleeping robots, sumo robots, golfing robots, protesting robots, surfing robots, domestic robots, bowling robots, smoking robots, space robots, jungle robots, diving robots, daydreaming robots.

Robots & Donuts as far as my glazed eyes could see…

Robot R & R

Every colorful art piece was emblazoned with Robots and Donuts. Those Robots were alive! And they were out there doing whatever they damn well pleased. Robots adventuring in the deep jungle alongside pack elephants piled high with giant Donuts.

Robots surfin’ the big waves at twilight, Robots dukin’ it out in the boxing ring. Robots deep sea diving for treasure chests filled with Donuts. Towering Robots having fun playing in the streets of San Francisco throwing Donuts atop the TransAmerica Pyramid like horseshoes. (That’s how I always view the Pyramid now – encrusted with a giant Donut dangling from the point.)

Jungle Trek

Welcome to Artist Eric Joyner’s studio

Eric Joyner and his painting “The Usual Suspects” Can you spot the Donut?

The studio was packed with people. So who? and where? was this Robot Donut artist named Eric Joyner.  Ah, surrounded by fans he is. I strode right thru them all. I think Eric was a bit taken aback by my enthusiasm.  And with my glazed-over eyes I told him about my Donut obsession, and that I also had fighting vintage Rock ‘em Sock ‘em Robots on display in my front garden. (Ah! you knocked my block off.)

I found the Donut

“Ah! you knocked my block off”. I told Eric I had Robots in my front yard.

He offered me a Donut…a real, glazed Donut. I thought I was a special case, but he had giant pink boxes filled with “Dynamo” Donuts for all his guests. I knew we’d meet again. I needed to discuss Robots and Donuts in detail with no interruptions, preferably while eating Donuts.

Eric uses oil colors and acrylics. He’s never alone when he paints. His Robots are always watching him.

I emailed Eric and told him I wanted to write about him and his Robot and Donut art. We met at his studio, and I saw his process firsthand, and then we met at a Donut Shop, his favorite Donut shop. Dynamo Donuts in The Mission on 24th Street (established in 2008 by Local SF pastry chef Sarah Spearin).

I arrived a bit early and directed myself to the back patio. I grabbed some Donut Literature from their magazine rack, and passed by one of Eric’s framed Robot & Donut prints hanging in the hallway. (Eric trades his prints for the Dynamo Donuts he passes out at his Open Studio event). It was an overcast gloomy day in San Francisco, but not in this little hole of Donut Heaven.  

The back patio at Dynamo Donuts. A little slice of Donut Heaven.

Away from the busy street, the small, quiet patio was enveloped in climbing flowers. I sat in a comfortable Adirondack chair and started reading Donut Literature while I waited for the Robot Donut artist. I read a book called “Donuts – The Hole Story” (by David Miles), about Donuts escaping from a Donut shop so as not to be eaten. They all escaped down a hole leaving an empty Donut case behind.

Enjoying the sunny patio at Dynamo Donuts

Upon Eric Joyner’s arrival I recited some Donut poetry, “If I could be a Doughnut” before we ordered Donuts and espresso. Lemon Poppy Seed, Chocolate Spice, Vegan Lemon Raspberry, and Passionfruit. They were just right. Not too big, not too small. Good sized hole.  And tasted exactly as they were named. Pretty much perfect.

Lemon Poppy Seed, Chocolate Spice, Vegan Lemon Raspberry, and Passionfruit at Dynamo Donut

While we nibbled, we talked about… Robots and Donuts and Life.

Why Robots and Donuts?

Eric Joyner grew up here in the Bay Area and has lived in various neighborhoods in San Francisco. He now resides in sunny Bay View in close proximity to his studio in Hunters Point. Eric’s mad art skills were evident when he was in first grade. He honed his skills at the Academy of Art in San Francisco, and proceeded to land a series of lucrative illustrating and animating jobs, and won some art awards as well.

It was the year 2000 and Eric had become increasingly disenchanted with his employment situation. He had to make a paradigm shift. He felt unfulfilled working for “The Man”.  Not to get all DoNutty on you…but aren’t we all trying to fill that empty donut hole of ours? He quit his job and left that stable income behind. He did not want to paint other people’s pictures. His mantra became, “I’m only going to paint things I like”. And that he did.

Bad Cat

He focused on four subjects at first, Japanese vintage tin toy Robots, old cartoon characters, San Francisco urbanscapes, and Mexican masks. The tin Robots became his favorite subject. He brought his large collection of actual tin Robots in his studio to life.

The Donut pairing with the Robots came shortly thereafter in 2002, having been inspired by the artist Wayne Thiebaud’s ‘Pastries’ piece, and the movie ‘Pleasantville’ wherein Jeff Daniel’s character paints a still life with Donuts. Times were tough for Eric without a steady income. But his persistence ‘paid’ off. His first Robot and Donut piece “Glazed” was in a show in Hollywood called “Everything but the Kitchen Sink”. It sold immediately. He’s been making dough with Robots and Donuts ever since.

His first Robot and Donut piece “Glazed” sold immediately

George Lucas and Director J.J. Abrams own his paintings. His paintings can be seen on the set of The Big Bang Theory TV sitcom, John Oliver’s Late Night Talk Show showcased a piece of Eric’s art, and of course, Dunkin’ Donuts contacted Eric about creating art for their shops in South Korea, his Robot chucking a donut atop the SF Pyramid was on the cover of the Chronicle Datebook, musician Ben Folds used his art for an album cover, and Eric created a cover for ‘Mad Magazine’, one of his favorite comic books growing up.

Mad Magazine Cover by Eric Joyner.

His painting skills are obvious. But the real talent is Eric’s imagination.  And the fact that the vision he creates inside his head, can then be created outside his head for all the world to see?

North Beach

 I know, it’s not that far-fetched, this is what Artists do, but Eric does it extraordinarily well. The Robot Donut ‘constraint’ he has placed on himself (currently) has led to unconstrained, unlimited, unabashed Robot and Donut art.

Charity

Our 4 Donuts were now gone. I was filled. And also filled with inspiration. We left the warm sunny space at Dynamo Donuts and we walked back to the 24th Street Bart Station from whence I came. Eric extended his hand but I gave him a hug.

Where my Robot at? (Glazed Donut courtesy of Happy Donuts on Columbus Ave. in North Beach)

Purchase Eric’s Art from his website: ericjoyner.com and from the Corey Helford Gallery Printshop chgprints.com

Eric’s art books are available on Amazon
Robots and Donuts: The Art of Eric Joyner

Robotic Existentialism: The Art of Eric Joyner

Eric has a booth at Comic-con in San Diego July 20 – July 23 comic-con.org

Visit Open Art Studios at Hunters Point Shipyard October 21-22
shipyardartists.com
Eric Joyner: Building: 101 – Studio 2206

Dynamo Donuts: 2760 24th Street in The Mission. Hop on Bart. Get off at the 24th Bart Station. There is also a Donut kiosk on the SF Bay Trail in The Marina. Dynamo Donuts celebrates 15 years this year! dynamodonut.com

Just a 12-minute walk from the 24th and Mission Bart Station

Eric trades his Robot and Donut prints for Dynamo Donuts

The Dynamo Donut restroom has a great selection of Donut photography.

The “Artist You Should Know” series highlights artists before they exhibit their work somewhere awesome or while they are doing so. It’s our way of supporting the creative community and helping to keep San Francisco a strange and wonderful place.