Made in Tampa Bay: Larger-than-life 3D sculptures

TAMPA (FOX 13) - Artists and art lovers know the Bay Area can fulfill their needs for inspiration and intrigue. Jason Hullfish has been providing both, creating and inspiring larger-than-life art in Tampa for years.

Hullfish has worked with athletes and influencers on custom-painted athletic shoes, appeared on an episode of the TV show “Bar Rescue,” and helped rehab pieces of Tampa history after they were vandalized.

He’s not doing it all on his own. Hullfish owns and operates an entire studio of artists; sculptors, fabricators, painters, and designers who create unique pieces for brands, businesses, and individuals.

Hullfish took us on a tour of Grand Theming Studios.

“We take their basic concepts and make them into these magical art pieces,” he said.

A roughly 4-foot-tall velociraptor is the studio mascot, inspired by his childhood love for dinosaurs.

Hullfish said they ship their creations all over the country. Walking around Grand Theming Studio, you’ll see 3-foot-tall sculptures of the Hulk, Joker, Iron Man, Deadpool, Darth Vader, plus a horse-sized football.

A partnership with Bucs’ Kwon Alexander resulted in a six-foot-tall, so-called li-ti-rilla, Alexander’s alter ego, which Hullfish explained is a mix between a lion, a tiger, and a gorilla.

Another standout piece in the studio is a sign for the non-profit Eunoia Collective, which features a rainbow of colors over gold flake, making up a earth shaped like a large heart.

The pieces are made mostly from foam, fiberglass, and wood. Some parts are shaped, cut, shaved, and painted by hand. Others are loaded onto large machines that can etch out intricate designs in a relatively short time.

Hullfish said his company is always looking for the best creative minds to join his team.

“If you’re a creative person in this area and you want to come here and see if you can work with us, we would love to have you,” he said.