Corvallis Fall Festival

Turbo-charged art

CORVALLIS — The recent illustrations of Betty Turbo (a.k.a. Corvallis artist Agnes Barton-Sabo) star pro-wrestlers such as Ricky Steamboat and Macho Man Randy Savage. They also feature cupcakes, tarts and popsicles.

That strange combination came about after a friend commissioned a piece for her husband featuring pro-wrestler Ric Flair and a giant squid – a few of his favorite things.

Viewed through the the lens of Betty Turbo’s dessert-colored glasses the illustration unfolded with WCW world heavyweight champion Ric Flair taking on a horrific sea creature to win, not a prize belt, but the last piece of delicious cake.

Intrigued, Barton-Sabo took that strange juxtaposition and adapted it into a series of her own, combining wrestling with sweets and typography from cookbooks.

Next came an illustration of Jake the Snake Roberts (replacing the snake with cupcakes) and went from there.

“I’m very familiar with the wrestling section of the Corvallis library,” she laughed on a recent afternoon in her home studio in northwest Corvallis.

Barton-Sabo wasn’t a wrestling fan herself when she started the project, but said that she did her time as a theater nerd growing up and found the theatrics of it interesting. After all, she goes by a pseudonom herself.

When asked who buys the work, she said: “Thanks to the Internet, there are a lot more people that share an interest in wrestling AND baking.”

Barton-Sabo started her Esty site in 2007 ( bettyturbo.etsy.com ). She sells prints ranging from $2 to $24. Her work can also be found online on Facebook and Flickr.

She also sells her paper goods at a variety of shops around the country, including Tender Loving Empire and ZimZim in Portland; Scout Dry Goods in Omaha, Neb.; Young Blood Gallery & Boutique in Atlanta, Ga.; and Pinecone + Chickadee in Portland, Maine.

Barton-Sabo, 30, has only been in Corvallis for about nine months. “I needed someplace new and my mom lives here,” she said by way of explanation. “This climate suits me much better.”

She spends her days working on random freelance projects, for instance creating hand-lettered typography for wedding invitations, posters for Portland events, or designs for T-shirts. (She and her boyfriend, an expert screenprinter, collaborate for another online shop at mixedspecies.etsy.com ).

“I don’t fuss too much over the originals,” she said. “I’m cheap about hoarding my drawing paper and I usually draw on both sides.

Corvallis Fall Festival (35159) - Corvallis, OR - Exhibitor Report

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