Diving in the Geek End

Collingswood natives Joey DeMarco and Ally Averell are turning heads with their pop-culture-inspired body paint calendar, '15 Shades of Geek.'

Joey DeMarco makes no apologies for being a geek. The Collingswood native loves comics, video games, sci-fi and, above all else, movies. As a child he wanted to be an animator; he even enrolled at Temple University as a film major. But it’s his latest work behind the lens that’s given DeMarco an opportunity to marry his artistic interests and his love of pop culture. In 2011, DeMarco saw some fan art that mashed up Star Wars characters and World War II recruitment posters. It was fun and funny, and he wondered why nobody had thought to do more of it; enough to make a calendar. And then he just decided to take on the project himself. “My girlfriend, Stacey [Bridgeman], was a huge push for that,” he said. “She always says my photos tell a …

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Mr L

12:40 pm on Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Very cool pictures and a great ideas for calendars. The Body paint and Photos rock!!   more ›

I Am Collingswood

I Am Collingswood: Ally Averell

Collingswood athlete-turned-artist Ally Averell brings to life comic and pop art, wildlife, and other flights of fancy in various media, including wood, murals, and body paint.

Collingswood native and artist Ally Averell works in variety of media for a variety of reasons. This week she tells Patch about how she uses her talents to fulfill commissions, celebrate the things she loves, and bring attention to a cause that's very close to her heart. Collingswood Patch: Did you go to school for art or are you self-taught? Ally Averell: A little bit of both. I've always painted and drawn ever since I was born. I copied Disney stuff, animal stuff, everything. In high school I was pretty good at art, but never serious about it. I was always a jock. I played soccer, so I thought sports were going to be my forte. But then I had a couple teachers for drawing who said, “You're really good at this. You have to do it more.” I …

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