Episode 63 - Gareb Shamus

A new cultural movement is quietly taking hold in the art world, and I’m delighted to have gotten the scoop from Gareb Shamus, the visionary helping make it happen. 

Before I tell you what all the excitement is all about let me introduce Gareb to you. 

Over the past three decades, Gareb has become one of the most influential and accomplished leaders in the worlds of superheroes, comics, gaming, and character-based entertainment. His groundbreaking work helped transform fan culture into a global phenomenon while fostering relationships with an extraordinary community of artists, writers, toy designers, game developers, publishers, and celebrities.

Widely recognized for helping define live fan experiences, Gareb created and produced more than 200 Comic Cons attended by millions of people and reaching billions worldwide. 

He is also the founder of Wizard, ToyFare, and Anime Insider magazines, publications that collectively sold more than 100 million copies in over 75 countries.

Now his focus is on ArtPics Cards.

For generations, people have passionately collected baseball cards, Pokémon, Magic: The Gathering, comic books, and other cultural collectibles. Now, authenticated and encapsulated original works of art, small enough to fit in the palm of your hand, are becoming the next exciting category for art collectors.

This movement is driven by accessibility, portability, transparency, collectability, and, quite simply, the undeniable cool factor of owning original art in an entirely new format.

ArtPics Cards transform the collecting experience. Each authenticated art card offers the emotional impact of an original artwork while making collecting more approachable for both seasoned collectors and newcomers alike. 

Holding one in your hand feels surprisingly personal. Before long, you’ll find yourself wanting to own cards from every artist whose work speaks to you.
The newest collection of one-of-one original oil-painted ArtPics Cards perfectly captures this evolution. 

Beginning with nothing more than a blank canvas, each artist creates a unique work designed to spark an emotional connection, the same feeling inspired by a favorite song, an unforgettable meal, or a cherished memory. The difference is that this work of art can travel with you, tucked safely into your pocket, ready to be admired whenever inspiration strikes.

Among the latest releases are these remarkable original paintings by King Saladeen - 120k Instagram followers. This is from his world famous JP the Money Bear collection - The bear is a global symbol for motivation and perseverance

Beyond Gareb’s achievements as an entrepreneur and publisher, he is an accomplished professional artist whose paintings have been exhibited in galleries and art fairs around the world.

His work invites viewers to step beyond the traditional boundaries of the canvas, breaking the “fourth wall” by drawing them directly into each narrative. Themes of optimism, personal growth, imagination, and life’s journey run throughout his paintings, encouraging viewers to see themselves within the story.

Welcome Gareb to Art Lovers Forum.