Killer Bootlegs (Peter Goral)

Born in the mid-80's, Peter Goral's childhood was saturated by toys, cartoons and classic movies. Masters of the Universe, G.I. Joe and Star Wars all were favorites of Peter's. His father, David, showed Peter a bootleg copy of The Empire Strikes Back when he was four. Little did Dave Goral know that this would start Peter on the path to being at the forefront of the bootleg art toy movement. Always artistic, Peter had an innate ability to draw and create. He was also an avid collector of all things, especially toys.. As he became an adult, his artistic ability and his obsession with toys were intertwined through a series of paintings with his favorite characters as subjects. Unsatisfied with working in two dimensions, Peter began by kitbashing toys to make new creations. This led to him learning how to make molds and casting his own toys. Today, Peter's art is highly sought after by collectors and his contemporaries. He's shown his art and toys on both coasts and been commissioned to make art for clients worldwide. Peter's work is highly influenced by the same cartoons and movies he grew up watching. Incorporating toys and figures from many different movies and cartoons, each figure is a nod to the past re-imagined into a new piece of nostalgia that multiple generations can appreciate. With his wife and two children, Peter works and resides in Rockford, Illinois. What started as a hobby collecting toys has grown into a full time career for Peter, letting him do what he loves best every day, play with toys.