Archive for June, 2010


Acrylic & Paint Marker on Longboard • Private Collection

In my classroom, the teacher vandalizes the students’ belongings.

Brooke Hoffman • The Philadelphia Examiner • June, 2010

Along with teaching middle school art and being a family man, Todd Marrone is an artist. He relates more to graphic or comic book artists, but still appreciates more traditionally known painters like Picasso. His work is very pop-culture based and is influenced by Keith Herring and John Burgerman. Marrone feels his artistic style helps create a connection between the art world and his students. It appeals to them and gives them a sense that they too can become artists. As a teacher, he has been very supportive of his students; recently he and a former student, now a senior in high school, have collaborated on a series of paintings that can be currently seen at MilkBoy, Bryn Mawr entitled the “Colabyrinth.” Another student, who is currently a sophomore at Drexel, started the Formation Skateboard Company and has worked with Marrone on about twelve different board designs. (more…)



Acrylic & Paint Marker on Acoustic Guitar • Private Collection

Another day, another custom painted student acoustic guitar.



Acrylic & Paint Marker on Longboard • Private Collection

What’s black and white and ridden all over?

This month’s Socrates Café question:

“How is one’s sense of self or identity determined?”

Who are you? Who, who, who, who?

Brooke Hoffman • The Philadelphia Examiner • June, 2010

Wanted: Willy Wonka is looking for his Charlie to lead philosophy/discussion group in coffee house setting once a month. Required skills include a love of art, new ideas, and an appreciation for stimulating conversation.

Local artist, Todd Marrone has been organizing Socrates Cafe for about three years and is currently looking for a partner in crime to help lead discussions and meetings. The concept of this discussion series stems from the book of the same name by Christopher Phillips who was a professor of philosophy. Phillips had become disgruntled about the state of how philosophy was being taught; he felt academic students were trained to regurgitate old ideas instead of developing new concepts of thought. He decided to travel across the country holding “Socrates Cafes” where people could come together and hold discussions. He went everywhere including bingo halls and prisons. The conversation’s jumping point would be an abstract question and everyone in attendance was welcomed comment. (more…)


Acrylic & Paint Marker on Canvas • 24″ x 24″ • Private Collection

Fiction is stranger than truth.


Ink on Yearbook • Private Collection

Mr. Marrone, inexplicably adding unclassifiable creatures to middle school yearbooks since 1997.



Acrylic & Paint Marker on Notebooks • Private Collection

Semi-professional doodles increase the value of a notebook or binder by 11%.



Acrylic & Paint Marker on Acoustic Guitar • Private Collection

7th Grade Student: “Mr. Marrone, will you paint the guitar that I’m going to use in the talent show?”

Me: “You bet your elbow I will.”