The Robots of Alabama: Jeff Deroche’s Retro-Futurist Universe
By Michael A. Vallone, Founder of Goodson Gallery
When I traveled to Alabama to host a private screening of my film Zodiac Crush, I expected a quiet night with friends and film lovers. What I didn’t expect was to meet one of the most fascinating artists I’ve ever encountered—Jeff Deroche.
While in town, I had the chance to tour Jeff’s downtown art studio. What I found wasn’t just a workspace—it was a fully realized, lived-in creative world filled with robots, ray guns, antique parts, and ideas from another timeline. That visit is now available on YouTube as a short documentary on Goodson Gallery’s channel, offering a rare inside look at a Southern artist driven by imagination and obsession.
From Alabama Scrap to Sci-Fi Sculpture
Jeff Deroche has been building handmade robot sculptures and ray guns since the early 2000s. He scours junkyards, antique malls, flea markets, and backroad salvage yards across the South, hunting for old electronics, machine parts, and vintage tools. Then he turns them into something entirely new.
Each piece he creates feels like a relic from another reality—half Southern folk art, half space-age museum object. He doesn’t build from kits or templates. Every sculpture is created by hand, from scratch, using found materials. It’s a deeply personal process and a lifelong pursuit.
Inside the Studio
Jeff’s downtown Alabama studio is more than a workshop—it’s a universe. There are labeled drawers filled with gears and gauges, walls lined with ray gun prototypes, and robot figures standing in every corner. It’s creative chaos, but extremely well organized.
In addition to sculpture, Jeff is also a respected tattoo artist and handmade jeweler. All of his creative tools—tattoo benches, welding tables, polishing stations—are set up under one roof. It’s a self-sufficient creative hub where he works with total freedom.
The Early Works: Raw, Real, and One-of-a-Kind
Jeff’s early works are particularly meaningful. Sculptures like “Ray Gun No. 1” and “Space Orbit” were built before he had a name or an audience—pieces made purely out of passion. They show the start of a style that would later evolve into something recognizable and deeply personal.
These works are not signed, but they are verified through documented video footage of their transfer from Jeff to Goodson Gallery. We believe in the importance of not just preserving the object, but also documenting the story behind it.
The Artist Scene in Alabama
Alabama is full of under-the-radar artists—builders, welders, illustrators, musicians, and sculptors working outside of major art markets. Jeff Deroche is part of that scene, but also stands apart. His work is hard to categorize. It’s outsider art, yes—but also sci-fi, industrial, nostalgic, and entirely his own.
You won’t find his pieces mass-produced. You won’t find them on shelves in trendy galleries. You’ll find them in studios like his, built from wire and wonder.
A Rare Glimpse Into the Artist’s Process
Our visit to Jeff’s studio was filmed in full and is available now on YouTube. You’ll see:
- Close-ups of his earliest robot and ray gun sculptures
- His creative layout across jewelry, tattooing, and sculpture
- Conversation about what drives his process and why he keeps creating
It’s not a slick promo—it’s a real look at a real artist, doing real work.
Goodson Gallery: Connecting the Story to the Collector
Goodson Gallery is proud to serve as the official contact for Jeff Deroche’s sculptural work. For those interested in acquiring one of his pieces or learning more about his archive, we’re here to help connect collectors with the story behind the art.
Whether you’re already familiar with Jeff’s work or just discovering him now, we invite you to explore his world. His sculptures aren’t just objects—they’re full of heart, history, and a sense of place that only the South could inspire.
E-Mail: info@goodsongallery.com
