At almost any thrift store, you can find a collection of old paintings. Usually, they're paint-by-numbers sorts of things, or the kind mass-produced for tourist shops.
But while the average thrift store shopper might simply pass them by, artist Dave Pollot sees potential.
And what do you do when something had potential, but needs a little pizzazz? Why, you give it a makeover, of course — like this shabby old dresser that got a seriously adorable upgrade.
Dave's upgrades to these secondhand paintings turn them from average scenes of mountains and forests into surreal, hilarious worlds where pop culture icons come alive.
The result is hilarious — and his art skills are pretty great, too. He's able to match the style of the paintings, so the additions blend in seamlessly.
Check out Dave's work below, and see if you can imagine one of these in your living room!
(h/t: My Modern Met)
Dave rakes thrift store paintings and adds in pop culture references that blend into the scenes.
He gets his ideas from TV, movies, video games, and more.
And even if you don't get all the references, the characters still make sense in the context of the paintings.
He also uses the composition and colors of the original paintings to give him ideas on how to improve it.
By using similar characters and a similar style, he's able to make the additions seem completely natural in their new settings.
His ability to blend these incongruous creatures into the paintings is pretty amazing.
Of course, he doesn't always want his additions to blend in.
Sometimes, he doesn't use a specific reference, but just adds something in — and sometimes it's a bit creepy!
But most of the time, the additions are hilarious. They turn the paintings into something completely new.
They also poke fun at the kitschy, bland nature of home decor, and turn it into something a little snarkier.
And in case you were concerned, it's unlikely that he's damaging someone's artistic expression.
These paintings were languishing in thrift shops, forgotten. Now, people are seeing them again!
