THE JAMES BRAND + MONSTER CHILDREN + BLEACH PRODUCTIONS


Scratching the Itch.

Sometimes you must follow your heart, no matter what. For Jess Mudgett an abandoned building in the middle of the Nevada called to him for years. Driven past a million times, by a million people who never gave this structure a second thought, Jess saw something that they didn't: possibility.

The Humboldt Manifest is our first film project, done in partnership with our friends at Monster Children. The film was produced by Bleach Productions and was directed, shot and edited by Tyler Orton with photography by Mark Welsh.

41.5931° N, 18.5501° W


"Skaters by their very nature are urban guerillas: they make everyday use of the useless artifacts of the technological burden, and employ the handiwork of the government/corporate structure in a thousand ways that the original architects could never dream of." - Craig Stecyk

This classic quote from skateboard documentarian and spiritual leader Craig Stecyk puts into context the way that Jess sees the world. Skateboarders see things differently. Where others see wasteland, skaters see potential. And nothing stings like potential left untapped.

Artist Jess Mudgett preparing to paint a mural while getting supplies from his truck.
Artist Jess Mudgett holding a bucket of paint while staring at a blank wall with the desert mountains in the background.
Artist Jess Mudgett's paint supplies on the ground.

The crew camped in the desert for five days, baking in the heat and avoiding the rattlesnakes while Jess got to work. Jess often painted at night in an effort to tame the desert heat. Water becomes more valuable than money and sweat became an adversary to be managed. Food cooked on the tailgate becomes moment of joy, combined with the refreshment that only a sweaty beer in a bottle can provide in the harshness of the desert.

"The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it." - Oscar Wilde

Artist Jess Mudgett preparing to paint a mural.

Truck Life.

Artist Jess Mudgett painting a four eyed woman on a wall in the desert.

Jess Mudgett

An artist raised in the Colorado dirt, Jess has been influenced by the outdoors since day one. His work speaks for itself, gracing walls across North America; apparel and hard goods across multiple industries. Skateboarding in the summers and snowboarding in the winters, Jess fostered a love for the outdoors, chasing good times with friends through the changing seasons. This chase has led Jess to live a somewhat transient life that prioritizes spontaneity, novel experiences, good times and good people over the comfort of stability.

Artist Jess Mudgett painting a mural indoors.
Artist Jess Mudgett wearing his Mehlville keychain carabiner on his belt loop.
Artist Jess Mudgett opening a beer with his Chapter EDC folding pocket knife.
Artist Jess Mudgett cooking food on his tailgate with his Hell Gap fixed blade camping knife.

Truck-bed Sustenance

Artist Jess Mudgett preparing dinner with his Hell Gap fixed blade camping knife on a tailgate.

Minimal Accoutrements

Artist Jess Mudgett's complete desert mural.