Jeremy Fish

Fish was born in Albany, New York. He lived in upstate New York in Saratoga Springs, until he moved to San Francisco in 1994 to attend art school.^[2] He received his BFA degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from the San Francisco Art Institute (SFAI) in 1997.^[3][4][5] After graduating he took a job screen printing for the skateboard industry.^[2]

In 2006, Nike Skateboarding released a version of the Air Classic shoe with artwork designed by Fish which they later recalled because Nike was not satisfied with the embossing.^[6]

Fish has collaborated with Aesop Rock since the latter's move to San Francisco in 2005. In the fall of 2006, the pair created a book entitled The Next Best Thing, which also included a 7-inch picture disk.^[7] Fish later created the artwork for Aesop Rock's fifth studio album None Shall Pass, released by Definitive Jux.^[8] In 2009, they again teamed up to release Ghosts of the Barbary Coast on Definitive Jux.^[9]

In 2008, DRAGO staged Rome-antic Delusions, an exhibition of Fish's paintings, drawings and screen prints. The exhibition was held in Rome, and much of the art was created there as well.^[10]

His Silly Pink Bunnies (2011) sculpture and mural was at the corner of Haight Street and Laguna Street in San Francisco, featuring a large, pink rabbit head widely opening its mouth to reveal a skull. Silly Pink Bunnies was removed in 2013 due to construction.^[4] A Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign was started and raised over $50,000 to erect a permanent bronze bunny near the same location in the future.^[4][11] The sculpture eventually found a home at the Haight Street Art Center.^[12]

In 2013 he worked on creating a custom pinball machine for a project called "Bring Back The Arcade" with Tilt Warning Customs.^[13]

In 2015, Fish was named San Francisco City Hall’s first Artist-in Residence and an opening O Glorious City was held in November 2015.^[14] Additionally an exhibition book of his work, "O Glorious City: A Love Letter to San Francisco" was published.^[1]

In 2020, Anchor Steam Brewery partnered with Fish during the COVID shut down to create "Stay Strong, San Francisco^[15]" signs and tee-shirts to benefit the Bartender Emergency Assistance Program.

Much of Fish's work has been conducted on a barter system.^[1] Exchanging artwork and murals for meals at restaurants and for an art studio, but remaining adaptive and moving his art studio based on the building vacancy.^[1] He has lived in many alternative spaces to save money, including in a closet.^[1]

In late 2014, Fish suffered a brain aneurysm that required surgery.^[16]

He was previously married to artist, Jayde Fish (née Cardinalli).^[17] The couple divorced in 2019 in Los Angeles, California.^[18]