A full-time artist and freelance designer since 2004, Ledbetter has created an incredible cast of creatures used to anthropomorphize the human condition. With crisp bold lines and a vibrant palette, he mixes irony, social criticism and mischief, making his work universal and unmistakable.
After earning a degree in Sociology from Humboldt State University in 2001, Ledbetter began his career as a graphic artist in the apparel industry by day and painting for underground art shows by night. Working his way up in the art world, he would quit his day job in 2004 to focus entirely on painting and designer toy projects, which eventually led to solo art exhibitions in 9 different countries, collaborating with top brands (Disney Parks, Mattel, IKEA, Nike Sportswear, Swatch Watch, DreamWorks, DC Collectibles, Sony Music, Kidrobot), exhibiting in museum shows (Andy Warhol Museum, MADRE Museum Italy, Bristol City Museum UK, Riverside Art Museum, Lancaster Museum of Art and History), having his work sell at auction at Christie’s in New York, and being featured in The Los Angeles Times, Architectural Digest, People Magazine, Juxtapoz Magazine and Hi-Fructose Magazine.
Ledbetter lives and works in his hometown of Los Angeles, CA.
Our company J.Led, LLC produces all kinds of exciting stuff from designer toys, pins, magnets, prints, apparel and even furniture with Joe’s unique style and sensibilities. We’re extremely proud of our products and are always looking for new wholesale opportunities. If you have a store please don’t hesitate to contact us for any wholesale inquiries.
In addition, we are open to both licensing opportunities and collaborations with other brands to develop new projects utilizing Joe’s signature style. Please contact us with any inquiries or ideas.
Born 1977 – Glendale, California
1996-2001 B.A. Humboldt State University (Cal Poly Humboldt) – Arcata, CA Sociology
2012 Creatures of the Night 2-artist show with Nathan Jurevicius. Cotton Candy Machine – Brooklyn, NY 2011 Innards Copro Gallery – Santa Monica, CA 2010 Magnus Maximus Corey Helford Gallery – Los Angeles, CA 2009 Shock & Awe London Miles Gallery – London, UK Arm & A Leg Outland Store & Gallery – Amsterdam Birds & Bees Artoyz Gallery – Paris, France Hearts & Minds Mondo Pop Gallery – Rome, Italy Sharks & Minnows Milk Gallery – Istanbul, Turkey Death and Taxes Copro Gallery – Santa Monica, CA 2008 Aerophobia Paradise Toy Land – Taipei, Taiwan Hunters and Gatherers M Modern Gallery – Palm Springs, CA Creature Comforts Stitch Gallery – Tokyo, Japan Unspeakable 2-artist show with Andrew Brandou Gallery 1988 – San Francisco, CA 2007 Love Songs for the Rejected M Modern Gallery, – Palm Springs, CA Ill Morphology 2-artist show with Anthony Ausgang Copro Gallery – Santa Monica, CA Fever Dream Gallery 1988 – Los Angeles, CA 2006 Flight of the Navigator 2-artist show with Greg “Craola” Simkins Gallery 1988 – Los Angeles, CA The Balancing Act Magic Pony Gallery – Toronto, Canada Superstitious M Modern Gallery – Palm Springs, CA Attack of the Mutant Bunnies Gallery 1988 – Los Angeles, CA 2005 Swallowed Alive Kidrobot – Santa Monica, CA Temporary Permanence Black Market boutique – Long Beach, CA 2004 Paintings n’ Stuff 2-artist show with Thomas Han Cannibal Flower – Los Angeles, CA 2003 Teargas Wasteland Underground Art Society – Altadena, CA
2016 Crime on Canvas Life is Beautiful Music and Art Festival – Las Vegas, NV Curated by M Modern Gallery 2015 Art of Toys: A Left Coast Retrospective of Designer Toys Museum of Art & History – Lancaster, CA 2012 Giant Robot Biennale 3 Japanese American National Museum – Los Angeles, CA 2010 Last Gasp Publishing – 40 Years 111 Minna Gallery – San Francisco, CA Art from the New World Bristol City Museum – Bristol, UK Sanrio 50th Anniversary Barker Hanger – Santa Monica, CA Vader Project Andy Warhol Museum – Pittsburgh, PA Back from Black MADRE Museum – Naples, Italy Manifest Equality Exhibition Los Angeles, CA 2009 Multi-Plane Corey Helford Gallery – Los Angeles, CA Urban Superstar Show MADRE Museum – Naples, Italy Custom Kaiju Show Stitch Gallery – Tokyo, Japan 2008 Gen Art Vangard Art Fair M Modern Gallery at Art Basel – Miami, FL Beyond Baby Tattooville Riverside Art Museum – Riverside, CA Clowns! Corey Helford Gallery – Los Angeles, CA 2007 Crazy 4 Cult Gallery 1988 – Los Angeles, CA 15 Year Anniversary Show Copro Gallery – Santa Monica, CA Literartistry Corey Helford Gallery – Los Angeles, CA ? the War Corey Helford Gallery – Los Angeles, CA 2006 Samhain Show Copro/Nason Gallery – Santa Monica, CA I Am 8-Bit V.2 Gallery 1988 – Los Angeles, CA 2005 The Kids are Alright M Modern Gallery – Palm Springs, CA Vivisect Playset (Round 2) Gallery 1988 – Los Angeles, CA Age of Aquarius Copro/Nason Gallery – Los Angeles, CA I Am 8-Bit Gallery 1988 – Los Angeles, CA 2004 Vivisect Playset Gallery 1988 – Los Angeles, CA 2003 Group Exhibitions Cannibal Flower – Los Angeles, CA
2013 Eat Dat! An Uglydoll Comic, Viz Media 2012 Hello Kitty Hello Art, Abrams Publishing Curated by Roger Gastman 2010 I Am Plastic Too, Abrams Publishing By Paul Budnitz 2009 Creatures of Habit: The Art of Joe Ledbetter, Last Gasp Press 2008 Joe Ledbetter’s Sketchbook, Nerdcore Publishing Hi-Fructose Collected Edition, Vol. 1, Last Gasp Press 2007 Copro/Nason Fine Art: 15 Year Anniversary, Last Gasp Press Toy Giants, Verlag für Moderne Kunst. by Daniel Fuchs, Geo Fuchs and Selim Varol 2006 I Am Plastic: The Designer Toy Explosion, Abrams Publishing By Paul Budnitz
2015 Architectural Digest, August 2015 LA Weekly, July 17-23 Los Angeles Times, July 12 2012 Men’s Health Singapore, February Issue 2009 People Magazine, May Issue 2006 Los Angeles Times, February 2 Juxtapoz Magazine, November Issue Playtimes Magazine, Cover Story, June Issue 2005 Hi-Fructose Magazine, Issue #2
2015 Art Auction XVI Long Beach Museum of Art – Long Beach, CA Coachella Snow Globe Design Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival – Indio, CA 2014 Hello Kitty 40th Anniversary Giclee Print JapanLA booth, Geffen Contemporary at MOCA – Los Angeles, CA. 2011 Swatch Watch Design Kidrobot for Swatch – Biel, Switzerland 2010 Motion City Soundtrack Album Cover Columbia Records – New York, NY Customized Darth Vader mask replica Freeman’s Auction House – Los Angeles, CA 2008 Christie’s “Pop Culture” art auction Mr. Bunny designer toy and painting Christie’s Auction House – New York, NY Nike Sportswear poster designs Promotion and live painting for flagship store – Mexico City, Mexico 2006 Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum Triennial Included in the Kidrobot installation – New York, NY Snowboard graphics Ride Snowboards – Seattle, WA
2014 Fire-Cat, edition of 400, produced by Joe Ledbetter Good Morning Sunshine Monkey, edition of 500, produced by Munky King Toys Chaos Bunnies: Chaos Minis, mini-figure series, produced by The Loyal Subjects 2012 Mr. Bunny, 10-inch Chaos Bunnies set, edition of 500, produced by The Loyal Subjects 2011 Chinese Zodiac Mini-Figure Series, produced by Play Imaginative 2010 Wrecks and Dazey, edition of 600, produced by Analog Playset Pico and Wilshire, edition of 415, produced by The Loyal Subjects 2009 Terror and Magnus, edition of 515, produced by The Loyal Subjects Slander, edition of 1000, produced by Play Imaginative 2008 Smash, edition of 1500, produced by Toy2r Hammerhead (teal edition), sofubi figure, edition of 300, produced by Intheyellow Gamerita (red edition), sofubi figure, edition of 300, produced by Wonderwall Unicornasaurus, edition of 1000, produced by Kidrobot 2007 Finders Keepers, mini-figure series, produced by Kidrobot Sluggonadon (green edition), sofubi figure, edition of 200, produced by Wonderwall Ledkins, collaboration with Greg “Craola” Simkins, edition of 500, produced by StrangeCo King of the Deadbeats, from Vivisect Playset mini-figure series, produced by StrangeCo 2006 Teeter, edition of 2800, produced by Kidrobot Ringo Bear, edition of 600, produced by Wheaty Wheat Studios 2005 Fire-Cat, edition of 400, produced by Wheaty Wheat Studios Mr. Bunny, edition of 400, produced by Wheaty Wheat Studios
Fun Fact / Joe loves his mom’s broccoli casserole.
