AVS Q&A with… Opey (@mikegravia)
There are so many passionate people in the herp, vivarium, and tropical plant hobbies, so I decided to start doing a Q&A with some prominent figures who I think are positive influences in those hobbies. I think it’s important to spotlight individuals who inspire me and so many others. I’m really excited to dig in and find out more about these fascinating individuals.
Our first guest is Opey, who makes absolutely incredible custom backgrounds/inserts for vivaria and terraria. His realistic backgrounds/inserts are really pushing the boundaries, and I think he is truly an artist. So, here we go!!!
Tell me your background/origin story. How did you get into herps and vivaria?
I guess my interest in herps began as a kid in the early 90s where I was obsessed with the Jurassic Park movie. Being born and raised in England, there wasn't much access to exotic type pets so my dad drove me 3 hours to a reptile convention in Manchester, England where he bought me my first lizard, Buddy the leopard gecko. He ended up living for 17 years! Over the years I had animals such as tree frogs and bearded dragons but took a break from keeping any animals when I moved to Texas from the UK in 2011. My wife and I bought our first house here in Houston in 2022, and that’s when I took an interest in keeping animals of some sort again. There was a perfect nook right next to our fireplace in our living room that was crying out for a tank of some sort! Initially I did research on saltwater fish but was quickly distracted when I came across Troy Goldberg on YouTube, and his videos really inspired me to step into the PDF hobby and I haven’t really looked back since.
What species do you currently work with, and what is your primary focus?
Currently I keep a group (fairly confident it’s a 2.2) of ‘Orange Blackfoot’ Terribilis (Phyllobates terribilis), and I also have a pair of Auratus, Costa Rican green and blacks, which have produced 12 healthy froglets so far! It was my first time breeding anything so this was super exciting! I have space for one more tank that I am building for myself which I will use to house some Vanessas.
Your custom backgrounds/inserts are absolutely stunning! You're an artist. I've noticed on your Instagram that you share photos and videos of your construction process. Can you briefly describe your workflow? What do you think is the most challenging aspect of your background/insert building? Have you standardized your workflow or do you approach each build differently as far as construction is concerned?
I appreciate that! It’s something I just picked up doing in October of last year, and I’m just trying to continue to improve. I am pretty happy with my workflow process now after being fortunate to have about 11 clients so far who’ve asked for slightly different pieces so it’s helped me expand my techniques. But, my general flow is to get a feeling for what the client is looking for and most cases even request a reference picture to work off of. I am always in constant communication with updates on the build as I want to make sure each client feels part of the design process. Next is the part where I work with foam to create a generic structure or shape before carving it. Initially I started with cement but have switched to using Polygem Zoopoxy , which has allowed me to take my detailing to the next level. The painting part really makes each piece come alive, and it’s one of my favorite parts. I have a 7-step process that is working for me, and I have that nailed down now. I am definitely in need of improving my final display pictures and videos though!
Who are some of your influences? You've certainly inspired me to step up my background game!
As mentioned earlier, Troy was the first person I came across on Youtube and always creates beautiful scapes. He really got me started just by watching his videos, and it’s funny how life works out as we became friends a couple years later. When I first started building my display tank back in 2022, I reached out to Brandon (@lost.vivariums) for some tips as he was local to me in Houston. I also got a lot of help from Shareef (@abunchoftanks) in my early days in the PDF hobby and now both Brandon and Shareef I consider friends. I think that’s been my favorite part of entering the hobby. I have made some great friends that I talk to regularly now not only about frogs but life too!
What's next? Are you working on anything new and exciting that you'd like to share with the readers?
Yes! I am about to build my final 18x18x24” which I hope to have done in a few weeks. Other than that, I am available for commissions if any readers are interested in having their own background or insert created!
Our hobby is always evolving. What are some aspects of our hobby that you think can be improved?
I still feel like a newbie in the hobby, but thankfully I feel that I have gotten connected with the right people to help me improve my knowledge and husbandry. I have been lucky with this, but I know others have not and I believe people sharing knowledge is a powerful tool to improve all aspects of the hobby, including building backgrounds etc. I am more than happy to give people advice if they reach out.
Finally, tell everyone how they can find you online.
For now, I am only reachable via direct message on Instagram, @mikegravia
Awesome! Y’all cruise over to Instagram to give Opey some love! Stay tuned for the next Q&A!