Wade and Tilt Warning Creating Pinball Games for FAILE

Posted on September 23, 2013 by Anna Newman

FAILE has hired Wade Krause and Dave Baach of Tilt Warning Customs to create pinball games for FAILE’s DeluxxeFluxx arcade showing at the giant Art Basel art show in Miami this year.

5 of 13 colors laid down on one of two different pinball backglasses…

FAILE is a collaboration between Brooklyn artists Patrick McNeil and Patrick Miller, and they are HUGE in the art world. Their recent work with the NYC Ballet helped re-introduce ballet to a new generation that might never have thought about ballet as cool.

I think Wade, Dave and FAILE can do the same thing for pinball.

Wade mixes ink for Faile’s backglass screen printing

Wade mixes by eye to Pantone precision.

In their newsletter, FAILE reports

We are working to bring DeluxxFluxx to ArtBasel in Miami this year. We have a new set of arcade games and will be showing pinball machines for the first time.

Wade inspects in-progress pinball backglass with one of Faile’s designs

Wade, Dave and I are documenting the creation of the backglass and other pinball elements at Wade’s Studio — Stay tuned for more images and info!

Film from a past project with KRK Ryden watches from a shelf in Wade’s studio

You can learn more about Wade and his work with pinball art in the DVD Wade Krause: Pinball Artist, available here.

PBDG at the Kickback Pinball Cafe

Posted on June 17, 2013 by Anna Newman

During my visit to the Pittsburgh Independent Film Festival for a screening of Pinball Donut Girl, I got to visit the newly opened Kickback PInball Cafe.

It’s in the Lawrenceville neighborhood in Pittsburgh, which seems like a pretty cool neighborhood, right by Arsenal Bowl.

The space is wonderful: giant murals with space girls and robots, including a light up floor mural that is like walking onto a playfield, tables that look like pop bumpers, and lots of games, including 3 customs!

Brian Holderman did all the art. Brian is also the graphic artist on Wade Krause: Pinball Artist and designed the DVD artwork for PBDG/WK:PA.

Two of the cafe’s custom games I had seen before at the PAPA warehouse: Luther’s Vendetta (Brian Holderman) and Freak Out (Mike Budai).

I hadn’t seen Silver Bullet in person yet. Super cool. I even bought a tee-shirt with the backglass detail.

Lots of folks visted the cafe, hung out, played the games and had (good) coffee and food. I had a great salad. I know, I know! but I’m from California, ok? and I can’t help myself. Plus I had to balance some huge meatball hoagies, etc.

So make your way to Pittsburgh and check out Kickback and Brian’s art — he has murals around town too. An arcade with more games is opening upstairs at Kickback soon.

And catch the Andy Warhol Museum while you are in town — it’s great. This was my second time and there was a ton new to see. Lurve that place.

PS: Brian and I are talking about a limited run print of the DVD art for Wade Krause: Pinball Artist. I’ll keep you posted about that project….

Pinball Invades Cinequest Film Festival!

Posted on March 7, 2013 by Anna Newman

Helping people see the beauty of pinball more clearly than ever, one of the Visible Pinball games from the Pacific Pinball Museum and six other vintage games were featured at the Cinequest Film Festival Opening Night Gala.