I'll Set Fire to the Sky

"I'll Set Fire to the Sky"
February 2009
48" X 24"
Spray Paint on Canvas

Bigger isn't always better...

That being said, at 4 feet tall, this piece of Buck 65 is the biggest I've done to date. The quote is from the song "50 Gallon Drum" off the album Talking Honky Blues. Dark and heavy piano notes, black-and-white photograph one-liners and minimal everything else, I believe this is Stinkin' Rich at his best.

The original picture is stolen from the internet. If I knew who it was by I would gladly credit him or her, but I unfortunately don't.

This has already been mentioned in a previous post, but click here to find out more about Buck 65. I personally believe he is an artist who will never be recognized aptly while in his prime but will have masses of fans catching up to his unique genius much later.

A special thanks goes out to the girl from the art store for lying to her boss for me and confirming incorrect pricing (which was full-on accurate) and allowing me to save 50% on this gigantic canvas... word up!

Cash

I have a new website!!

Please click this link to find more up to date work!

www.kevinmxdermott.com

Thank you!!

"Cash"

February 2009
24" X 12"
Spray Paint on Wood
SOLD

Truth be told, I was not a fan of Johnny Cash before seeing Walk the Line and I can't really say I am one now either. There are a few songs of his that I really enjoy but the majority of his work doesn't really speak to me. I like the idea of 'The Man in Black' and feel his weathered face exhibits someone who has been able to survive his own self-destruction.

Click here to find out more about Johnny Cash.

Survivor

"Survivor"

January 2009
12" X 36"
Canvas

Ross Campbell is a man I've never met personally, but he's nonetheless someone I find incredibly inspirational, and so should you.

Being a ski patroller for ten years, he has always been there to help ski and snowboard enthusiasts enjoy their favorite pass-time safely, but that was only the beginning. Later on, he and his team's mission was to seek and discover new areas to ride as well as make sure they were safe enough, so, in reality, he was risking his life to push the boundaries of the sport he loved.

In March 2007, disaster struck when he was crushed under what on-lookers described as "a wall of snow" and thrown off a 40-meter cliff. Miraculously alive, the multiple injuries he suffered included a cracked skull, a broken neck and ribs as well as many other less serious inflictions. Soon after being rescued by friends and rushed to the hospital, his slow and steady recovery began. His head secured by a metallic halo, he kept a positive attitude throughout and the love and support of friends and family helped him regain full physical capacity in time to walk down the aisle, barefooted, the following winter. This is more than remarkable for a man who, doctors have said, shouldn't have survived such an accident, let alone walk again.

The short, intense series of events this man has been through since that fateful winter day displays perfectly how fragile life is and yet, how incredibly strong and resilient human beings can be when faced with the unthinkable and surrounded by those close to them.

In order to share Ross' survival story, I've made a painting in his honor. It was unveiled for the first time on February 3rd, at Casa Del Popolo. The original picture was taken by Ross' brother in law and close friend of mine, Michael Berrigan.

Click here to be redirected to the original article from the Canmore Leader, dated April 4th, 2007.

Blanc Sablon

Blanc Sablon
January 2009
18" X 24"
Wood
SOLD

Honestly, I've had the immense privilege of having been surrounded by exceptional people for as long as I can remember. Growing up, day-to-day, you have no idea of how special your friends are until they show you (and what makes them so special is that they don't do it on purpose, it's a side-effect). Another (unfortunate) side-effect of being surrounded by these people is that they tend to want to change the world and that is not possible without them going away for extended periods.

Safia Genereux-Khali is one of these people. Having traveled to various third world countries in order to offer her own brand of assistance (read: love) as well as grow, herself, as a human being, Safia has never ceased to amaze me and has consistently had more stories to share with me than I've been able to imagine she's experienced.

In one of her latest ventures, she has had to face the cold, bare, isolated city of Blanc Sablon, in the east of Quebec. What makes this venture worth mention, though, is not what she was doing over there (truth be told, it's unclear to me what she went there for, I believe it was for a job opportunity) but the fact that her boyfriend Bahati Kiro, a dedicated Montreal musician, was willing uproot himself and move out there in support of her.

This is something I believe is amazing in itself since, instead of complaining that he was being removed from his comfort zone, he actually used the opportunity to isolate himself and work harder on his music while away from distractions. They are both back in Montreal now. This is a picture of them taken at arm's length by Safia and this is the painting I've made with it. This was my first attempt at stencilling directly on bare wood.

SkrambleLock

I have a new website!!

Please click this link to find more up to date work!

www.kevinmxdermott.com

Thank you!!

"SkrambleLock"January 200915" X 30"Canvas
SOLD

Marc Sakalauskas is a B-Boy who represents a seemingly dying breed: the lockers. For anyone in doubt, locking is the close, often overlooked brother of popping. Many people tend to put both styles together as popping and locking when they're describe what is actually only popping. Combining flexibility, creativity, uptempo explosiveness and funk, locking is still quite alive across the globe and Marc is making Montreal, and Canada very proud. His sick demo reel can be seen here. This is the painting that I've made of him as a custom order. In the piece, ironically, he's pictured doing a freeze, which has nothing to do with locking at all...

Also worth mention: this piece was pictured in the January 29th edition of the Montreal Mirror announcing the Vernissage of February 3rd.

Marilyn

"Marilyn"
February 2009
20" X 16"
Spray Paint on Wood

An icon for reasons I've never been able to fully comprehend (mostly since I've only read about her and not lived in her era), Marilyn shook up the world and continues to do so via every young blond bombshell who uses her looks and charisma in order to get what she wants.

I can't say I agree with these tactics, but, having used my own charisma to obtain things and favors in the past (as well as the future), I can't really hate. It just seems much harder for men to get away with this... but this is a discussion for a whole other forum.

So in the spirit of getting to the point, here is, without further ado... The All-American girl who bagged Joe DiMaggio and played with Mickey Mantle's emotions: Marilyn Monroe.

I concede to you proactively that this is not the most original subject, but that it was done in a period of boredom and obviously not with revolutionary intentions.

Also, since most people know about Ms. Monroe already, I'd like to take this opportunity to suggest a Mickey Mantle biography written as a novel in a very clever and uncompromising manner. Any fan of baseball, of The Mick, of drinking and women and sex and made up details about other people's lives should read this book. If taken for what it is, a novel, it's a fun time.

Bukowski

"Bukowski"
February 2009
20" X 24"
Spray Paint on Canvas
RAFFLED

The first book I ever read by Charles Bukowski was Hollywood. In hindsight, it wasn't the best to start with when compared to Ham on Rye or Women or Post Office, but then again, the mere fact that it made me want to read much more made it a choice that was just fine in the end.

25+ books later, I guess it's now safe to say he's my favorite writer of all time but I'm still not sure how to explain why... so I won't.

I have been trying to think of a quote of his to add to this painting but haven't been able to find one. Actually, I have found many but haven't been able to decide on one. Maybe it will come to me later on but for now I have decided to leave this piece 99% done for now and move on.

Find out more about Charles Bukowski here.