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Meet Steve Casino, the man who turns peanuts into people

You’d be forgiven for thinking Steve Casino is a bit nutty.

While snacking on a bag of delicious peanuts in his Cincinnati workplace, he discovered that the peanut shell looked an awful lot like a person.

Stuck on the idea and keen to convince skeptics, the Kentucky father of two decided to draw himself on one.

Steve Casino - The Painter of Nuts. Photo: Supplied
Steve Casino - The Painter of Nuts. Photo: Supplied

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Photo: Steve Casino
Photo: Steve Casino
Steve's Edward Scissorhands
Steve's Edward Scissorhands

“I doodled myself to make the point and my friends thought it was hilarious,” he said.

Once he proved the theory, the punk rock fan paid homage to his favourite Ramone, Joey, by turning him into a peanut.

This creation would be the first of hundreds of peanut portraits that Steve would go on to make.

“I started making them for myself… the response was overwhelmingly positive, followed by many requests to buy them,” he said.

“Once people found out I would make custom ones it really took off”.

Steve slowly worked his way through a list of people who inspired him,
turning each into a nut work of art.

“There’s lots of musicians on there like The Beatles and Nirvana and artists like (Salvador) Dali and (Vincent) van Gogh,” he said.

Snoopy by Steve Casino.
Snoopy by Steve Casino.


The 49-year-old toy inventor by trade has worked with peanuts as an art form for three years.

And it’s not even his wackiest role so far.

“I had many crazy jobs while struggling as a young man in New York City, like making fake food for TV commercials and writing humourous tshirt slogans,” he said.

“But I never actually made art for art’s sake until I discovered the peanut thing”.

While his delicious art works aren’t easy to make, they’re certainly rewarding.

“I work really hard to make them look good,” he said.

“While most people are sleeping, I’m repainting some celebrity’s nose for the 3rd time because I’m not happy with it,” he said.

Using raw (uncooked) peanuts, Steve handpicks the nuts based on the subject.

“I sift through a huge tub of peanuts to find one that reminds me of them in shape and posture, I crack it open, remove the nuts, seal the inside with clear acrylic, and glue it back together,” he said.

The process. Steve working on a Garfield.
The process. Steve working on a Garfield.
The final product. Photo: Steve Casino.
The final product. Photo: Steve Casino.

“Then I add limbs and filler to make a smooth painting surface.

“I then paint it and add accessories like hair and props like guitars”.

And the time it takes to get a nut portrait right could send some people a bit nutty.

Steve said he sometimes spends 20 hours working on getting a piece perfect.

But his dedication is worth the reward, some of Steve’s work has sold for up to $2000 – although in his eyes they’re priceless.

“The problem is that since they’re so small and made from something that is basically tossed away, some people can’t wrap their head around how much they cost,” he said.

While they may seem goofy to some, it’s all part of the appeal – Steve said his aim was to make people smile with his art.


The joy must be contagious as more and more people are asking to see themselves in peanut form.

Steve’s also not shy of unusual requests; if you’ve ever wanted to see your cat, dog, child or great grandfather in peanut form, he’s the man that can make it happen.

“I’ve had lot of practice so none are really harder than others. But it’s tricky when you’re dealing with emotional events like weddings,” he said.

“Lately I’ve been getting a lot of pet requests which I enjoy working on.

“Earlier this summer I made a couple dressed as Iron Man and Pepper Potts for their anniversary. It was actually pretty fun and they were super nice”.

Batman by Steve Casino.
Batman by Steve Casino.
Dancing Elvis by Steve Casino.
Dancing Elvis by Steve Casino.

As for his ultimate peanut portrait – it’s Jimi Hendrix.

“He came out perfect in my book because the peanut was bulbous on one end with a tiny bottom that became his body,” he said.

“Skinny little legs and an afro completed the overall look.

“Making it actually turned me into a huge fan of his music”.

His work has also put him in touch with celebrities who enjoyed seeing themselves in peanut form.

Breaking Bad’s Aaron Paul liked his nut portrait so much that he gave Steve a shout-out on Instagram praising the likeness of Walter White and Jesse.

Despite having to disappear for days on end to meet his nutty deadlines, Steve said his family was incredibly supportive of his craft.

“It’s been a pretty positive response, except the times that I get no sleep from Friday to Sunday trying to meet deadlines,” he said.

“I have a lovely wife and two daughters. We have fun hanging out, taking walks and watch a lot of Dr. Who”.

Iron Man by Steve Casino.
Iron Man by Steve Casino.
The Mad Hatter by Steve Casino.
The Mad Hatter by Steve Casino.

And while he works with peanuts almost daily, he says he still hasn’t gotten sick of them.

“I wouldn’t have discovered this if I hadn’t been eating them,” he said.

“I’m from a peanut family. My happy childhood memories include sitting around the kitchen table, cracking peanuts, talking and eating,” he said.

He also credits the humble peanut for sparking a new creative confidence in him.

“Peanut art gave me the confidence to try other things,” he said.

If you’d like to see yourself in nut form, contact Steve Casino on Facebook/PainterOfNuts or check out his work on Instagram @stevecasino.