Art is not About the Artist

Open Call III

2012-01-22T11:44:00.011-05:00

Open Call III
[Now in IMAX 3D]

Hello all you wonderful internet people!

It's 2012 and it's time to start fresh once more... before the world ends in December... yeah...
I don't really believe in the world ending this but I think it's more fun to think about that rather than the world continuing further down this spiral we've been leisurely riding...

Ok! Enough of that!
Let's get positive!
Let's get cooperative!
Let's get interactive!

It's time for a fresh start... and so I'm starting off 2012 with a good old Open Call!

So!
Photographers!
Disposable point & clickers!
Scanners of the ol' family albums!
Hispstomatic Instagrammers!

Get at me with some pictures you'd like to see become original paintings! The idea here, for newcomers... is that the picture you send me doesn't have to be a "good picture," it only needs to have "that little something."

The rules are simple:

1- Find your image
2- Email it to me at P.Summind@gmail.com
3- Make yourself a cup of coffee
4- Don't take it personal if your image doesn't make the cut this time... I've used images 2 years after having found them... it's a process...
5- Keep an eye on the blog to see what comes out of this Open Call

Please see here some of the stuff that has come out of past Open Calls [Jan 2010 & Oct 2010]:

Les Freaks d'Helene:

Les Velos de Guillaume:

Rachel's Marie-Anne:

I look forward, once more, to receiving your images and am convinced something very cool will come of this... Share this with your friends... Blog this... Tell your grandma!

For those who are concerned with "rights" and stuff... Feel free to let me know how you feel... But you may be missing the point... This is all for fun and for the sake of making this art thing interactive!

As a side note:
I can't believe how many regular hits this Ryan Gosling post/piece has been getting... It's been all over the blogs and tumblr's without me doing anything and for that I'm super psyched... I didn't even know such a thing could happen! Keep sharing! Keep up the interactivity!

Peace!
Love!
Coffee!

[...]

Expo @ Entre le Cafe et la Plume

2011-12-06T20:13:00.007-05:00

Expo @ Entre le Cafe et la Plume

December 2011 - January 2012
123 Av. Mont Royal Ouest, Montreal, QC H2T 2S9

My friends at Entre le Cafe et la Plume were gracious enough to offer me their walls for this month of December going into early January.

Coffee lovers...
Readers...
Writers...
Etc'ers...

Here's a cool new spot at the foot of the mountain that has exactly what you're looking for...
Plus they are the only brewers of Verve coffee in town!
They've been open since the end of the summer and things are booming!
I was lucky enough to be called upon to design their logo and now I've got my creations on their walls... Couldn't be more grateful!

Take a stroll over and say hi!

It's really too bad the law prevents this little one from hanging out in the shop...
She's a heart melter...

[...]

Untitled Skateboard

2011-10-22T13:01:00.004-04:00

Untitled
On Skateboard
23" X 8"
October 2011

What's the visual arts' equivalent to writer's block?
I don't know.
But the way to overcome it is simple enough:

Keep doing stuff...
Even if some of the stuff doesn't really make any sense...
Don't worry... someone else can make sense of what you're doing for you...

Enjoy!

[...]

Alaclair Ensemble

2011-10-18T11:27:00.006-04:00

Alaclair Ensemble
24" X 48"
Spray Paint Stencil'd on Canvas
Done live at Repentigny Festival of Arts

Alaclair Ensemble is a crew of Quebec hip hop all-stars if I've ever seen one. Equipped with a sense of not taking themselves seriously while remaining extremely serious in their work ethic they bring a much needed new sound to the Quebec hip hop scene.

After creating a huge amount of buzz over the past year with participation in various festivals and playing shows all over the province, they come to us now with a Triple Album... think it's too much? Well... they've thought of that too... It's Free!

Get them all by clicking here.

Bump it loud and bump it often... PIU PIU!!

[...]

Blu & Exile

2011-09-30T18:37:00.004-04:00

Blu & Exile
16" X 7"
Spray paint on cardboard
September 2011
Not available - Given to Blu & Exile

To show my appreciation for their Below the Heavens album [2007] I made portraits of Blu & Exile and gave them to them after their recent Montreal appearance. Actually, in a haze of post show Belmont darkness I handed them both to Exile [didn't really get a chance to explain what they were either] and have no possible way to know if:

1- Blu actually got his...
2- Exile kept his...
3- They thought I was creepy...
4- They know I've just made a list about them...

A good deed is its own reward... or something like that...

[...]

Batman!

2011-09-30T17:03:00.007-04:00

Batman!
Mixed Medium on Recycled Canvas
48" X 24"
July 2011

I used to hate Batman...
Now he's my favorite.
The recent movies had nothing to do with it...
Things change dude.

[...]

Reservoir Dogs

2011-09-07T13:37:00.007-04:00

Reservoir Dogs
Mixed Medium on Canvas
24" X 30"
July 2011

In 1994, a friend of mine, Tone, and his best friend were in France after a trip to Amsterdam and had some time to kill before their flight home. With them, was a friend whom they brought along from Amsterdam - Mr. Brown - who couldn't make the flight home with them. So they took Mr. Brown for a quick walk to give him a proper send off and then they were off to the movies. They decided to check out a movie from an up and coming American director who had been making a lot of noise in film festivals around the world with his first full length effort: Reservoir Dogs.

Still buzzing from their farewell to Mr.Brown, they sat down and enjoyed the now-classic opening scene for the first time. Immediately after the breakfast discussion about Madonna and tipping and such, once the title came up, Tone's best friend got up, disoriented, and said: "Wow! That was amazing... I definitely got my money's worth with that movie." It was only after Tone explained to him that it had only been 5-10 minutes and that the movie hadn't really started that he sat back down to actually watch the movie.

*********

This brief anecdote, I think, is a great testament to the writor/director work of Quentin Tarantino and his complete mastery of natural dialogue. Anyone who may have tried their hand at writing will agree that natural dialogue is one of the most difficult things to simulate... and Tarantino makes it look easy.

This is my tribute to this classic film.

COLD CUTS

2011-08-02T16:35:00.009-04:00

Cinema du Parc proudly presents:

COLD CUTS
The Stencil Art of Kevin McDermott

I couldn't be more exicted that Cinema du Parc, the best place to see independent cinema in Montreal will also be, for the month of August, showcasing my most recent work. I've also thrown in some old gems because this is a very big venue!

Here's a link to the facebook event page: http://tinyurl.com/3gx5odo

I've been a fan of Cinema du Parc since back before it was closed down and re-opened. My most vivid memory of this place is when myself and 2 friends went to watch David Lynch's Inland Empire... We haven't been the same ever since!

There will be a vernissage in the second half of the month... Stay tuned for more info!

Mark it Zero!

2011-07-18T14:16:00.008-04:00

Mark it Zero!
Spray paint stencil'd on Skateboard
July 2011
Commissioned
Sold

It's the sale that keeps on selling!

A few years ago I sold a Mickey Mantle skateboard to a complete stranger...
Then...
This stranger's girlfriend commissioned me for a soccer player on a skateboard...
Then...
I was contacted by his best friend to make a Big Lebowski skateboard...

I don't think I've seen John Goodman in anything but Roseanne and The Big Lebowski...
I loved him in both and am honored to have been asked to paint him as this amazing character... Amazing scene to boot!

**************

The next time it rains in your time zone you should watch The Big Lebowski...

[...]

Stephen's Run

2011-07-04T23:37:00.011-04:00

Stephen's Run
Spray Paint Stencil'd on Cardboard
[plus other stuff]
12.5" X 12.5"
July 2011

Since I was asked to participate in the Mascara & Popcorn festival's art show, I decided to make a quick B-movie related piece... I like a lot of B-movies myself, but asked around for suggestions of movies to draw inspiration from. The standout choice, for some reason, was Logan's Run, a 1975 Sci-Fi flick. I'm not 100% sure if it qualifies as a B-movie in the classic sense, but I liked the idea enough to run with it. I watched it this afternoon while making this simple stencil of our beloved [read: not beloved] PM Stephen Harper. Then I proceeded to poke a hole through his hand so that I could install his Lifeclock.

Here's a 7 second video to give you the full Stephen's Run experience:

[The more astute viewers will have noticed that I accidentally - for real - included the halfnaked dancer from the party...]

For those of you who have seen Logan's Run, well, you know what happens next when the Lifeclock starts blinking. For those of you who haven't, well, instead of explaining, I think I'm just going to suggest you watch the movie and then you'll get the full extent what I'm trying to say here... I'm sorry... teach a man to fish!

***DISCLAIMER:

If you can't see the humor in this you may have stumbled onto the wrong blog...
Maybe you were looking for this.

The art show tonight was overall amazing! Great company. Great encounters. Great times. It's up until next Sunday the 11th at 129 rue de la Commune Est on the 4th floor. It's a week long silent auction so if anything you see here tickles your fancy then you can actually go and place a bid. Please contact the Mascara & Popcorn people for more info... I will not be able to answer your questions.

So without further ado, here are, in no particular order, pictures of my favorite pieces. These all deserve an "in person" look in my opinion...

Melissa Del Pinto's "Wanderlust" birds:
[just the frames are worth a look on their own]

Marie-Eve Proteau's custom TV set with canvas stretched over screen:

Cedric Taillon live painting & commission piece:

Mixed medium Superheroes by Siro:
[These things are 6+ feet tall and have custom metal stand up frames]

Once more thanks to Danika Bass and Florence for setting up the show and letting me throw my 2 cents in... Much appreciated!

Until next time boys and girls!

[...]

Mascara & Popcorn

2011-07-04T10:37:00.011-04:00

Mascara & Popcorn Festival

It's such an honor to have been asked to be in this group show!
I dropped off my paintings and was blown away by the other stuff that was already there...

HOLY TIT-FUCKING TALENT BATMAN!
[sorry mom]

How I can be considered in the same category as such amazing artists is beyond me [I am my worst critic!] and I feel flattered and honored to be on the bill.
I was unfortunately not able, time-wise, to make new stuff happen for the show so I've given them some older, cinema-related pieces... But you should 110% for sure come up the steps to Loft 4e and pop your head in the door to see what everyone else has created!

Big thanks to Danika Bass and her partner in crime Florence!

**********************

Here's the trailer for the festival:

**********************

Here's a copy/paste version of the facebook event page:

MASCARA AND POPCORN launches its festival with an Art Exhibit at Loft Le 4ème with local artists!

On Monday July 4th 2011, Mascara & Popcorn is proud to kick off its festival with an event at the renowned Loft Le 4ème that has become a cornerstone for art and culture in Montreal, marking the launch of the festival with hyperrealism, post modern horror, marrying abstract expressionism with a pop art sensibility. Beautiful, strange, troubling, obscure, deviant yet fragile. Mascara & Popcorn is a unique cultural happening that encourages experimental, thought-provoking, subversive art.

Come admire our talented artists, an event that will undoubtedly capture the spirit of the festival. Mascara & Popcorn through the eyes of:

KEVIN MCDERMOTT, XAVIER LANDRY, MELISSA DEL PINTO, ERIC BRAUN, PATRICIA KLIMOV, CÉDRIC TAILLON, JACQUIE TREMBLAY, STÉPHANE PEDNO, EMMANUEL LAFLAMME, CLIO HONIG, DANIELLE BÉDARD, M-JAY, MARIE-EVE PROTEAU, LULU CABARETTA.

Mascara & Popcorn embraces the power of art where reality and fiction collide. Drawings, paintings, collages, photography, objects, love, sadness and beauty. A sentimental journey through multidisciplinary art.

Vernissage et début de l’encan silencieux /
Expo-vernissage and beginning of silent auction

Musique live acoustique par / Acoustic live music by
Martin Saint

Rachel Bonneau Trio: Normand Guilbeault, contrebasse & Sylvain Provost, guitare

Prestation exclusive par / Exclusive performance by
Natalie D. Lovely (Hot Club Cabaret)

Portes ouvrent à 17hres / Doors open at 5pm

Hors d’oeuvres gracieuseté du El Zaziummm / Appetizers courtesy of El Zaziummm

Popcorn gracieuseté de Kernels / Popcorn courtesy of Kernels

Bière gracieuseté de Boris / Beer courtesy of Boris

Entrée gratuite / Free entrance

**5pm - 11pm **

Press contact: Danielle Bédard
MASCARA AND POPCORN FESTIVAL
mascarapopcornfestival@gmail.com
514-619-4403
http://www.mascara-popcorn.com/

The Kid gets a New Home

2011-06-28T23:29:00.017-04:00

The Kid gets a New Home
[or "How I went to breakfast with Buck 65 & his wife, Emily"]

SHORT "facts only" VERSION:

I read on Buck 65's website that he's been super down because his hero, Gary Carter, is very sick.
I emailed him to offer my painting of Gary Carter in an attempt to lift his spirits.
On June 26th, I went to his Jazz Fest show at Club Soda.
The next morning I had breakfast with him and his wife.
She gave me a huge Schwartz's brisket.
I gave them my painting of Gary Carter.
We talked about baseball and other stuff.
Then my bike had a flat tire so I walked home.

LONG "overly dramatic" VERSION:

A few weeks ago, in the beginning of June, I was up late because I couldn't sleep. I grabbed my laptop and sat in the yard catching up on some updates from my favorite websites. In my half sleep I stumbled around the web and eventually navigated onto Buck 65's website, that, these days, seems to be predominantly of a personal blog with bonus info. There was a new post entitled 'Broken Shoulders' and this got my attention right away. "What's wrong with Buck?" I thought.

The post [link] spoke to me in a very personal way since I've been, and continue to be a huge baseball fan. It's a sport filled with little things: Superstition, strategy, secret codes, unwritten rules, smells, sounds, etc. So when Rich writes: "I am so deeply invested in baseball as a fan that when my favorite team or player loses or performs badly, it fills me with an honest-to-goodness despair that sometimes I have a hard time shaking" I understand 100% what he's talking about.

But here's what really got me:

He writes: "My next problem is that I found out last week that my childhood hero, Gary Carter is gravely ill. [...] I really love this man and this news troubles me in a profound way. It’s hard to express what Gary Carter has meant to me in my life. He’s my hero! I met him when I was 12 years old and he was the greatest guy you could imagine."

This got me thinking about my own relationship with baseball, with my own heroes, and how it feels when one of my heroes is facing his own mortality. Then I thought about the painting of Gary Carter that I made in March of 2009. That painting, old as it may be, remains one of my favorite and is probably the one that got me the most attention a few years ago when I was just starting. I have received so many comments about it and it has sparked so many impromptu Expos conversations that I have to believe that it's something special. In some way, I may not be where I am today had I not painted him then.

[Above: Me in March 2009... No idea where this is going to take me in 2011]

Being born in 1979, though, I never had the chance to experience Gary in his prime while he played in Montreal. By the time I was 9 and started to play ball, he was already with the New York Mets. Keeping that in mind, it remains impossible to be blind what he meant , and still means to the city of Montreal. So because I was too young, I never could really consider him a hero, but I do recognize him as a staple in Expos history and that's why, when I wanted to paint a tribute to the team, he's the first guy who came to mind.

Since then, the painting has been sitting in my office with a bunch of others and has been gathering dust for the past little while. So I figured I would seize this opportunity try to give it a new home and do something good at the same time.

In the relationship between fan and artist, it's usually very one-sided [excluding live shows, maybe]. The artist gives all and the fans take all. What I saw here was an opportunity to create a role reversal. Many times in the past, when I've been down in the dumps, I've referred back to Buck 65's vast music catalog in order to find some light get through a rough patch. I thought that if I offered him my painting of his hero, Gary, maybe this could help shine some light for him in his time of need. So I emailed him via his website and crossed my fingers.

A few days went by and I eventually got an answer from a very flattered Rich and, to my great pleasure, he was super excited to get his hands on the painting. In an email, he writes, "I just got your message and saw your painting. I can't believe it. It's so great. And if you want it to be rescued from collecting dust, I'd sure be happy to hang it on my wall [...] I look forward to shaking your hand." I can't really explain how psyched that made me. One of my favorite artists of all time was looking forward to shaking my hand... what? Long story short, we planned to meet at some point around the time he was scheduled to come play Montreal's Jazz Fest in the end of June.

The show was excellent. It's hard to describe but these pictures display pretty much what was going on: A very animated Buck on one side of the stage and a very calm, elegant Marnie on the other. In fact, there were times where it looked like they had some sort of bet where Rich would act silly and try to make her laugh while she sang her parts...

After the show I introduced myself to Emily, Rich's wife. The first thing she said to me is: "That's so cool, our cat's name is Kevin!" Can't say I expected that one. Only after she realized I was "the emailing man who had the Gary Carter painting" did we make arrangements to have breakfast the next day. I didn't have a chance to speak with Rich the night of the show.

So the next morning I biked over to their hotel and waited for them in the lobby. I don't really know what I was expecting when they first appeared from the elevator... but to have Emily open with, "Do you like brisket?" was definitely not a scenario that had crossed my mind. After clarifying for me, at my request, that brisket is a piece of uncut smoked meat, I answered "Yes, of course I like brisket." So she handed me a huge piece of meat from Schwartz's that a guy had given them the previous night. It seems they couldn't keep it with them due to having no portable refrigeration possibilities. Surprised? Confused? Grateful? All of the above and an overall good start...

Se we proceeded to go for breakfast across the street. Now, what do you talk about with someone who you've heard on record for almost 10 years and have of always wanted to talk to? You talk about baseball. You talk about trying to make it in this world as an artist. You talk about cats. You tell stories. You talk. Period. I learned a lot about him and gained perspective about myself as an artist as we discussed re-establishing the parameters of successes and failures over eggs and fruit.

The best moment was when I told him that my girlfriend's mother had rolled Gary Carter's perm back in the early 80's. The man in front of me, who has been responsible for many of my favorite moments ever in music, reduced in age to 12 years old and couldn't say anything but, "No! No! That's incredible!" Jaw dropped and eyes bulging. Good times.

After breakfast, we exchanged a few more pleasantries and each went our separate ways. He was off to film a live performance of "Final Approach" with Quebec's own Marie-Pierre Arthur for a local TV station and I had to go home to finish a graphic design contract. It was upon returning to my bike that I discovered I had a flat tire. That morning, I had had a thought about that before leaving... it went something like this: "Whatever, I'm going to meet Buck 65... I don't need the pump and spare tube I never leave home without... it's going to be fine."

So I walked all the way home...
But I must say, it didn't bother me all that much...

*****************

Rich and his wife are truly amazing people because of how simple they are. I feel privileged to have had the opportunity to share a meal and to hang out with them, if only for a little while. It's not given to everyone to have a chance to meet one of their favorite artists and for that I am truly grateful. I am even more grateful that Rich happened to be so approachable that not even 2 minutes into talking with him did I forget what he is and what he represents to better discover who he actually is. Not to mention, it's pretty cool that one of my paintings will now hang in his house... and that I've been able to provide him with a one of a kind tribute to his childhood hero.

So I guess the lesson here is to never stop reaching out to people... cause in the end, that's just what they are... people.

Take care friends... The best is yet to come.

P.S.: I'm sorry if this post is a little on the looooooooong side. In order to make it up a little bit... Here's some "making of" shots from 2009...

[...]

Zoe

2011-06-15T11:46:00.004-04:00

Zoe
Spray Paint Stencil'd on Canvas
24" X 24"
May 2011
[custom order]
SOLD

This is Zoe.

A colleague from my old work place got in touch with me and asked me to paint her daughter. She sent me a few pictures of her and after a little back and forth to establish the right size as hammer out budget details I was able to put this together for her.

I'm super psyched that she's told me it looks perfect in the spot she had prepared for it in her house. If this gives anyone ideas for gifts and such, of course, feel free to contact me at my regular email address P.Summind@gmail.com.

I look forward to hearing about your great project ideas.
Take care and have some fun on hump day!

[...]

Marie-Anne

2011-06-13T19:37:00.017-04:00

Marie-Anne
Mixed Medium on Skateboard
32" X 8"
May 2011
SOLD

I was sent a few pictures from around the world by my amazing friend Rachel in my last Open Call and I finally got around to using one of them. I've been meaning to for the longest time since she's been one of my very first supporters. The picture I've used was taken while she was living in Montreal a few years ago.

For this piece, I started with a blank deck that was originally stained yellow by the manufacturer. I cut out a shallow groove to create the illusion of a rectangular frame and then sanded the surrounding area down to its original wood grain color. Once this was done I painted inside the frame and stained outside of it. It was my first time ever using wood stain [it's never too late!] and I'm psyched to incorporate it in my work in the future.

I hope you all enjoy it. It's currently hanging at Studio Bizz Iberville at 2488 Mont-Royal East until the end of the month and then it's being shipped out to Rachel who's decided she had to have it as soon as she saw it.

Of course, in the future, or present, if you'd like to send me your pictures you may continue to do so at any time at P.Summind@gmail.com. As usual, there's not guarantee I will use them but I'm always happy to receive random images from people and see what can be done. Thanks in advance for playing along!

On that note, take care of yourselves and loved ones and have yourselves a wonderful week. Don't be shy to share this blog with your friends & leave comments on the posts.

[...]

Les Eaux

2011-06-12T12:46:00.013-04:00

Les Eaux
Spray Paint on Re-Used Canvas
20" X 28"
May 2011

There's something about some urban structures that just sticks to your eyeballs and it's hard to understand why that is. For example, sitting in the Mile End hood of Montreal, there's this old, abandoned looking building with a huge water reservoir on it. I wasn't able to find any information about this particular building but I did find dozens and dozens of user uploaded pictures of it which leads me to believe that I'm not the only one who's interested in it. It "looks" abandoned but honestly, whenever I used to walk/jog/bike by there, I always had the impression that there might still be some buzzing in the beehive.

I used to live 2 minutes away from this spot and also used to bring my dog Umaa to a secret dog park right by it on a regular basis [Plateau & Mile End residents know it as the bridge burner spot]. So I, myself, also have an abundance of pictures of this building and had always wanted to paint it properly. And now here we are.

****** BONUS ROUND ******

Once again, without further ado, here's the abridged version of the "making of" for those cats out there who dig the process!

Re-use of an old Obama painting I had made in November 2008 [My friend's 1 of 2 copy of this piece has now become 1 of 1!]:

He's a tough guy... just won't go away without a fight:

Sky colors:

Doesn't look like much yet... I agree:

Let's stick a building in there:

More steps, more cutting:

Starting to look like something:

How about a fire hydrant in there:

[some steps missing]
And then one last layer of black to make it all come together:

So here we are!

This painting as well as all of my most recent, unreleased work can be seen for the whole month of June at Studio Bizz Iberville [2488 Mont-Royal Est]. Keep your eyes and ears open for a mid-month vernissage or maybe even a
"taking down the art show" event!
Who knows!

It's a gloomy day in Montreal but that doesn't mean that nothing can be done... It's a perfect day for making coffee and revisiting a novel you've already read or have been meaning to read. I would suggest something by Kafka, Welsh or Orwell.

If you're not in the reading mood then I would suggest watching "La Haine." I will leave you with the trailer and hope you enjoy the rest of this Sunday!

P.S.: When I was 18 or so, Vincent Cassel from La Haine was my doppelganger! Random!

Take care and go make some love today.

[...]

Escorting Superman

2011-06-06T12:44:00.015-04:00

Escorting Superman
Silkscreen on Cardboard
10.5" X 18.5"
April 2011

I've started this blog post 4 times and have erased what I'd written each time...

It's very difficult, nearing impossible for me to talk about this silkscreen poster. I can't find words that do justice to how it felt for me to watch over the person who watched over me my whole life in his last hours. The ultimate role reversal.

So I'll use an old literary device: show rather tell.

Naturally, I don't think this piece can speak to anyone quite as much as it does to me. But it's possible that some people will recognize themselves in this one... So I share this with you.

*******

Plus que des Barbeaux

This piece is part of a poster expo called "Plus que des Barbeaux." It's currently up in Lachine at 2901 St-Joseph. The place is open for visitors on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. I went by yesterday and must say, if you're into silkscreen stuff... it's worth a visit. It's on until June 19th.

There are 34 different, original posters [6-7 copies of each have been made for the show], all of which can be purchased for 20$. For the copies that will not have been purchased during the show, you may contact me [for mine - above] or the individual artists since we are all being given the remaining copies post-expo.

All the posters were designed by the individual artists are then silkscreen'd by the good people at Moniker Designs.

Here are, in no particular order, some of my favorites from the show:

Clio Honig:

Jason Wasserman:

Earthcrusher:

Bez:

Sniper:

Jimmy Baptiste [co-organizer]:

As usual, I hope this finds you well.

Don't forget people, father's day is coming up.
If you still have your dad... call him, visit him, hang out with him...
It means the world to him.

[...]

Coin de Bullion [feat. The Making Of...]

2011-06-02T11:51:00.018-04:00

Coin de Bullion

Mixed Medium on Recycled Canvas
36" X 36"
May 2011

What is recycled canvas? Simply put, a canvas that was once something else... and now is something new. A few years ago, I was asked to participate in a friend's photo shoot for school in which I portrayed Jesus Christ... I know! Some of the photos came out pretty sick and I had decided to make a piece with one of them. The canvas was plastered with torn out bible pages that created an interesting background but the idea never really came together visually in the end so the piece was never shown to anyone except close friends of mine who came to my place. Since then it's been sitting under a bed sheet waiting, waiting.

Of late, I've been tightening my budget belt a lot more than usual and, as luck would have it, I'm recently REALLY into the concept of re-using old canvases that have been gathering dust in my studio space [how convenient, right? Right.].

I've also been asked by people to show a bit more of what goes into making one of my pieces and I figured this one would be as good as any to show you! So without any further ado... I present to you:

"The making of Coin de Bullion"
[The semi-abridged version]

Here's the original picture I took while out on a dog walk [pretty random, I'd say!]:

So here we go!

I ripped off as much of the bible paper as possible but since it was glued on there something wicked I couldn't get it all off and so there are still some "good book" remains lingering. I sanded it down to give if a nice smooth feel so that I wouldn't be too lumpy.

Then the actual painting could begin! Rollers and acrylics first.

Followed by some spray paint fade for the sky.

Skip ahead a step [creation of the main background beige-ish layer] and right into the second layer stencil which will be used for the white highlights [ironically done first!].

Before:

After:

Next I created 2 new stencils for the following 2 shades of brown [only the first of these 2 layers is shown below]:

It's all in the details. Notice the cross-walk sign is the only thing that's not blue or brown...
Why?
Why not?

And finally one layer of black [some pictures missing]:

And... the final unveiling:

So there you have it!

A step-by-step view into what makes one of my paintings come to life... I hope you've enjoyed the ride and will share with your friends and family.

This painting as well as all of my most recent, unreleased work can be seen for the whole month of June at Studio Bizz Iberville [2488 Mont-Royal Est]. Keep your eyes and ears open for a mid-month vernissage or maybe even a
"taking down the art show" event!
Who knows!

So as usual, thanks for playing along and I wish you all a great, great time.
Until we meet again!

[...]

Tam Tam Limited Series [9]

2011-04-11T11:36:00.014-04:00

Tam Tam Limited Series [9]
Spray Paint on Cardboard
Each 16" X 10"
April 2011

By definition, a stencil is made to be used and re-used until it returns to the earth from which it came. Personally, I have been making it a point to use stencils only once in order to create complex, one of a kind pieces in order to break away from the stereotype and expectations. Of course I have strayed away from my own rule here and there but for the most part have been very consistently abiding by it.

That being said, I've recently made a a limited series of 8 elephants on cardboard that were all different [colors, paint splashes, etc.] while being done with the same stencil combination. They were extremely well received as 7 of 8 were snatched up within a few hours.

Based off the success of the elephant series, I created a limited series of 9 [1 missing from top picture] cardboard pieces depicting the Mont Royal Tam Tam's. They were also well received since 5 of 9 were purchased last Friday. The remaining 4 are currently sitting at Voodooo Ink Tattoo Shop [4148 St-Denis] waiting for someone to come give them a new home [$30 per item].

Keep an eye out, there will be more series coming up during the summer and they will all be available for purchase through here. If ever you want the last remaining Elephant [$35 ship. incl.], please contact me via P.Summind@gmail.com it will be my pleasure to send it to you... or deliver it in person if you're in Montreal.

[...]

Snow Shoes

2011-04-10T16:08:00.000-04:00

Snow Shoes

Spray Paint Stencil'd on Canvas
20" X 10"
April 2011

I was walking my dog in the West Island this past winter and noticed something very only-in-Canada-like: Sneakers strung to a wire covered in snow. How winter-gangster of us Canucks! I took a picture for fun but didn't think I'd make anything with it... and yet, here we are...

Also, I just found out that Blogger is offering a stats service that shows me cool stuff like how many people are viewing my blog and what they're clicking to get here and so on and so forth... super excited to find out I have readers from Canada, US, UK, Germany, Netherlands, France, Romania, Switzerland, Italy and Russia!

HOLY FLATTERED!!

It would also appear that the best source for links to new articles is from Twitter and via Facebook... so I really encourage anyone who's Facebook-ish or Tweet-friendly to follow me by clicking the thingy's below:

@KevinMxDermott
Kevin McDermott's Facebook page

On that note, I leave all of you wonderful, international lovers to go on with your busy, busy day of Sunday'ing and stuff.
Enjoy it until it bursts!

[...]

"It's not you, it's me."

2011-04-10T12:13:00.003-04:00

"It's not you, it's me."
Spray Paint Stencil'd on Canvas
16" X 16"
April 2011

I first saw Fight Club in theaters when I was 18 or 19 years old and it broke my brain. How the hell did I not see that twist coming throughout the movie when there are so many clues along the way [nice spoiler save... eh?]? In one particularly epic scene, the narrator, played by Edward Norton, is beating the beauty out of a blond Jared Leto and, in voice over, he says: "I felt like putting a bullet between the eyes of every Panda that wouldn't screw to save its species [...]"

I fell in love with the idea that the species being labeled "endangered" by us, humans, has no clue that they are anything but fine and therefore, don't feel any urgency to procreate. It frustrates US that they won't screw to save themselves because their endangerment is ultimately, our fault, and we feel guilty [but that's for another post].

Just recently I thought of these two pandas who are considering mating but then one says to the other in classic lazy break-up fashion: "It's not you, it's me."

This made me giggle all by myself the whole time I was making it. I decided to go with Chinese symbols to make it a little less obvious and also to stimulate discussion.

10+ years later, Fight Club continues to be one of my favorite movies of all time and Chuck Palahniuk, the author, has gained a spot in my short list of favorite writers. My top picks from his ever-growing portfolio are Fight Club & Invisible Monsters [still the only book to give me literal, and not just figurative, shivers]. An honorable mention goes to Pygmy for the amazing consistency of the style in which it's written [it's also pretty hilarious throughout].

So I hope you all enjoy the Pandas. I hope they help open up the discussion of "man playing God" a little or at least give you a quick snicker.

Here's a picture of myself and Chuck from his book release tour for Rant in 2000 something. He was "officially" done taking pictures but allowed this last one. Look how young I look!

On a related-unrelated side-note, for those curious about the Man playing God theory, I strongly suggest reading the books by Daniel Quinn: Ishmael & My Ishmael. Both philosophical novels are similar insofar as they are for the most part a telepathic discussion between a wise old gorilla and a man [Ishmael] or a young girl [My Ishmael]. Both books address from different viewpoints the question of today's world and "how did things get the way they are?" Very interesting stuff.

My people! Sping is here!
You know what that means... no... not leisurely chilling... at least, not before you help your parents set-up their yard and stuff... That's what I'm off to do right now... Gazeebo away!

Here's some appropriate gazeebo-panda music courtesy of Joe Beats:

[...]

Voodooo Ink Tattoo Shop presents Choose The Art of Kevin McDermott

2011-03-29T21:00:00.000-04:00

Voodooo Ink Tattoo Shop presents
Choose The Art of Kevin McDermott

Friday, April 8th 2011
7pm to 10pm
4148 rue St-Denis [corner rue Rachel]
Metro Mont-Royal

Grab your friends and come check out some cool art, a new tattoo shop and chill out with good people... it's the perfect jump off to your weekend!
Tell your mom... she will definitely want to know about this!

I look forward to seeing you all there!

Here's the Facebook event page for more info.

[...]

Evan & Rachel

2011-03-24T15:36:00.001-04:00

Evan & Rachel
Spray Paint Stencil'd on Canvas
22" X 28"
March 2011
SOLD

Hello again all you wonderful readers out there. It's spring time once again and for those of us [like me] who live in Quebec, that means a bunch of stuff we haven't done in a while due to the snow and cold. For me, this means a few things but mostly biking & long boarding [with my dog Umaa of course]. What else does spring mean? It means that summer is around the corner and for a lot of people [not so much for me] that means one thing: Wedding Season.

My cousin got married about 3 years ago to his wife Rachel. This year, for her birthday, he's commissioned me to make a painting of the two of them from their wedding day. Now, I haven't been in contact with this particular cousin since I was young enough to go see Return of the Jedi in theaters, so of course, I was surprised, honored and super excited. It gave me a chance to touch base with him and also to create something that will live with him and his family forever.

Evan and Rachel live in Whitehorse, Yukon with their 2 kids Nigel and Decland and I wish them all the best.

[...]

Ryan Gosling [Gus-ling]

2011-03-16T23:46:00.003-04:00

Ryan Gus-ling
Spray Paint Stencil'd on Canvas
16" X 12"

March 2011
SOLD

Here's a little something I threw together today.

It's my version of Ryan Gosling if he had been a child born with the "sickness" from the graphic novel series Sweet Tooth by Ontario resident Jeff Lemire. The series is still ongoing and I'm finding it quite entertaining so far although it may not be everyone's cup of tea. In a post-apocalyptic rural world, kids are born with various degrees of animal mutations and the main kid character Gus is born with deer features. I will leave it at that for now and let everyone check out the series for themselves.

What I do suggest to everyone though, graphic novel lovers or not, is to pick up the Essex County trilogy which almost brought me to tears on more than one occasion. In fact, first thing tomorrow I think I'm gonna start reading it again.

Here's a link to Jeff Lemire's website where you can find info about him and his body of work as well as a link to his blog.

It's bicycle season again people... let's make some green love!

DISCLAIMER: The title of this post was such a cheesy play on words that I simply had to do it... bad puns are the new good puns!

[...]

The Number 7

2011-03-12T20:47:00.000-05:00

The Number 7
Spray Paint Stencil'd on Skateboard
December 2010
SOLD

Here's a piece that was made custom at the end of 2010 [I had to wait to post it because it' was a gift]. Madeleine, the girl who commissioned it wanted a soccer player with the number 7 to give to her brother on his birthday. She told me he is a die-hard soccer fan and used to wear the number 7. It also turns out that her boyfriend had previously purchased one of my first ever decks a few years back. It was a very basic image of Mickey Mantle. She wanted something similar in it's look and simplicity.

So I fired up the ol' Google Image search and found this guy Bastian Schweinsteiger. I don't know anything about him except that now, our lives are forever connected in this painting I've made of him exclusively because he plays soccer and wears number 7. I hope he's not a player that people really hate or anything like that!

[...]

Custom Table Top

2011-03-11T14:08:00.001-05:00

Custom Table Top

Spray Paint Stencil'd on Wood
24" X 48"
March 2011

We've had this perfectly good table in our living room for a while now and my girlfriend has been bugging me to get a new one to replace it. I've refused multiple times based on the fact that I don't think it's a good idea to spend hard earned money on stuff that isn't needed. After some back and forth, she gave in to my reasoning but it wasn't without a counter offer: Paint it!

To further entice me she took 2 days to strip it and reveal the great wood grain that had been suffocated under brown paint for who knows how long and from then... while she was at work I put on some movies and started the taping, cutting & spraying...

Before I knew it, I had watched Trainspotting, Watchmen, V for Vendetta and The Losers [instead of music sometimes, I like to put on movies I've seen before and listen to them while I work] and we now have a brand n'used table just waiting to be re-varnished... but that's not my department! Gift ideas much?

Take care folks!
Things could be worse...
All my positive energy goes out to the good people of Japan in their time of need...

[...]

Elephants & Thank You's

2011-03-08T10:19:00.001-05:00

Elephants & Thank You's

The dust is beginning to settle from last Friday's show and I'm only now starting come down...

I'd like to take a moment to thank everyone who helped me out with the event's preparation as well as the event itself. A big, heartfelt thanks also goes out to each and everyone who came out to show love and share the good vibe. Of course, I couldn't live with myself without giving a huge shout out to the musicians who were there to provide the soundtrack for the evening.

Now... on to the elephants!

This started the week before the show when it was suggested to me that I make a bunch of smaller prints for the smaller spenders [no offense, I'm a very small spender!] to be able to take something home. It was so genius I kicked myself for not thinking of it sooner.

My girlfriend is a huge fan of elephants and has been bugging me to make her one for a while now so I figured it was time for it to happen. One thing led to another and I made a limited series of 8 small similar yet different elephants on cardboard and one giant one on untreated canvas.

7/8 elephants are now gone which leaves the [now even more elusive] last one sitting at Sub V waiting for someone to come pick it up. Not to mention that the giant elephant was talked about a lot during the event but no one picked it up... So it's still up for grabs as well!

Before I forget, peace to Mark Gravel from Punchline Clothing who was the winner of the raffle and got to take home a portrait of Slug from Atmosphere. Yeah!

Finally,
Since last Thursday, there's been an article up on the Nightlife.ca website about me and I couldn't be more flattered. Thanks a lot to Brian Bentley for posting it and supporting the local scene.

I think I'm going to go snowboarding.

[...]

Beat & Cuts: Verissage & Beat Session @ Sub V

2011-02-21T13:18:00.001-05:00

Beat & Cuts:
Verissage & Beat Session @ Sub V
March 4th, 7pm - 9pm

Oh what an emotional couple of weeks it's been... and it continues to be.

Family illness has made it so that I've been back at mom's house since early February and we now have a house full of relatives from far and wide, most of whom we haven't seen for more than 10-15 years. The circumstances are terrible but it's great to see everyone together from every corner of Canada.

Throughout all this emotional commotion I've tried my best to keep my head on since I have an expo coming up on March 4th at Sub V.

It's been almost 2 years since the last time I was there and I couldn't be more excited that they've invited me back. For the occasion, I'm gonna be showcasing my most recent work, some of which can be seen in previous posts.

As well, I've invited some good friends to come and make some good old instrumental hip-hop speaker busting noise: KenLo Craqnuques, V-Looper and Maxim Robin.

If that wasn't enough to get you interested... I will be raffling off a portrait of Slug from Atmosphere [see last post].

I look forward to seeing all of you on the 4th of March... it's from 7pm to 9pm so don't be too fashionably tardy or else you may miss out!!

Peace and crackers and see you all very soon!

[...]

Slug

2011-01-22T14:36:00.001-05:00

Slug
Spray Paint Stencil'd on Canvas
[Created 100% with one hand bandaged due to a broken finger]
18" X 24"
January 2011

Keeping in mind that I've previously made paintings of Buck 65, Aesop Rock, Eyedea, D-Sisive & Saul Williams in order for me to pay tribute to how much their way with words has impacted my life and growth as an artist and a person, you may be tempted to ask [if you know me and my favorites and/or if you think you know who else should be in this list]:

"Where are Sage & Slug? Why haven't you painted Sage & Slug?"

Well! My friends!

I initially started painting writers and singers who's work I particularly enjoyed for fun. At the time, I didn't think anything of it. But then the list of people I painted grew and I started to see a pattern. Of course, with any pattern comes expectations of the elements that will follow in this pattern. That being said, I thought it would be too cliche'd and groupie-ish to paint [probably] the 2 most famous artists of the underground hip-hop scene: Sage Francis and Slug from Atmosphere.

Recently, I realized I was being silly and WAY to self-involved to have created such expectations of my work [I mean, really...?] and made this painting of Slug from Atmosphere in between two contracts. The original picture, from what I've gathered, by way of cyber-sleuthing, was taken by someone by the name of Delarge during Atmosphere's passage through the UK in 2008. You can visit Delarge's Flickr account here. I'm still waiting for him to get back to me for more info about himself at which time I'll be more than happy to provide it to you guys.

I tried to push a little more into the out-of-focus-y abstract style [my DIY technical art vocab never ceases to amaze... I know!] on this one for fun and practice. Also, it should be mentioned that this piece was done with very little detail and realism in large part due to the fact that I've broken a finger on my left hand and it's heavily bandaged, thus preventing most of the meticulous detail work I like to use sometimes. I hope you enjoy this.

Now.
The more astute reader will be thinking: "When are you doing a Sage piece?"

The answer is: "Sometime between maybe someday and possibly never." No. Seriously, I don't know but have a hunch some time this year ol' Sage Francis will pop up in layered format on a blog near you. Stay tuned!

As a side note:
The record God Loves Ugly by Atmosphere changed what I thought hip-hop could be and I believe [it's just my opinion] that a large chunk of underground rap artists to this day try and fail to duplicate what it did. I suggest that record to anyone and everyone.

As a side-side-note: I wouldn't be surprised if a more elaborate Saul Williams came about this year also...

That's all the ramblings for today folks.
I spare you the unpleasant details of what the rest of my day consists of, but I leave you with this: Please take a minute to call your Mother and/or Father and tell them you love them. You have no idea how much it means to them.

[...]

Temple

2011-01-04T23:10:00.001-05:00

"Temple"
Spray Paint on Canvas
24" X 48"
December 2010
SOLD

December has been my busiest month [I believe] ever, custom project wise [when it rains it pours!]. Here is a piece I've been asked to make by one of my childhood friends. His brother just bought a house last year and is in the midst of giving his basement a Buddhist influenced theme... that's where I came in.

He told me his brother's birthday was coming up at the end of the month and wanted to surprise him with a painting to put over the sofa on the far wall - which is the first thing that you would see when you enter the basement living room area. He wanted a temple in earth tones. I was glad to oblige.

The reaction was priceless. My friend's brother, expecting nothing at all [let alone a painting], provided me with my first ever "dropped jaw." No matter how hard I've worked on a piece and how proud/satisfied I may be with it, there's always a little bit of nervousness when it's delivery time and a reaction like that makes all the insecurities disappear instantly. I'm honored and proud to have been given the opportunity to make his home a little more "homey."

On to the next one!

[...]

A day at the races

2011-01-03T17:05:00.000-05:00

A day at the races
Spray paint and Acrylics on Canvas
36" X 18"
Summer 2009

I started this painting of myself a year and a half ago because I had nothing to do in between projects and wanted to keep my hands busy. I also used the opportunity to try a new background technique and a color scheme I wasn't comfortable with since I had no intention of doing anything with it after it was done. Something came up and I put it aside as an unfinished piece I planned on finishing later.

A year and a half later, it would seem that I'm not planning on getting back to it any time soon or I figure I would have already. Keeping this in mind, I've been convinced by my girlfriend to post it and to hang it in an expo, which I've done today. Maybe she's right. Maybe it's been done all along and I just didn't know it. Being someone who believes in things happening for a reason, maybe I stepped away from this because I was unknowingly done. So I've acquiesced to the idea and here it is!

The original picture is taken by Simon Lessard at the Montreal Roller Derby in the summer of 2009. I was still drinking back then [Pabst Blue Ribbon!]. These days, I don't even remember what a hangover feels like and honestly, I can't see it any other way.

[...]

Foufounes Breakers

2010-12-26T13:14:00.000-05:00

Foufounes Breakers
Spray Paint Stencil'd on Canvas
30" X 60"
November 2010

Not so long ago, in the second half of this past summer, I went out to catch an afternoon movie in downtown Montreal. For the life of me, I can't remember which movie it was but i DO remember feeling very pensive after it was over and so I decided to go for a stroll under the gray skies and in the refreshing spittle in the air.

I ended up behind Foufounes Electriques to have a look at the graffiti born during the 2010 Under Pressure festival and stumbled across a crew of breakers that were unknown to me. I took a seat on the semi-dry pavement, reach for my camera and started snapping. After a few minutes I headed for home and more or less forgot about it.

This November, I filtered the breaker photos and found one which I wanted to use to make a painting. Also, there had been a blank 30" X 60" canvas taking up space in my studio for a long time and I figured: "What better time than the present to put it to good use?"

So here we are:
I asked one of the breakers, Ben, for his email address to be able to send him a picture of the finished product, but besides that, I don't know who these guys are. I'll be more than happy to post more info about them if and when I have some.

Growing up, I've always been fascinated by break-dancers but then at one point in the 90's it seemed to become about who could spin the fastest and pull the craziest stunts but there was almost no rhythm in it. Lately, though, I must say that the crews I've had a chance to see in Montreal have brought back the funk and soul and mix the head spins very well with actual dancing and all is well with the universe once more.

That being said... enjoy this piece and keep breaking!

[...]

Ari Gold

2010-12-18T21:45:00.000-05:00

Ari Gold
Spray Paint Stencil'd on Canvas
36" X 48"
December 2010
SOLD

One of my childhood friends contacted me out of the blue after almost 10 years because he'd heard I was keeping busy with stencil paintings. After checking out the work on my blog he immediately wanted a custom piece for his office.

Turns out he's a huge fan of Entourage and specifically of Ari Gold. I have never seen the show myself but it was my pleasure to make him this commission piece. Thanks Etienne!

[...]

POV

2010-11-27T23:46:00.000-05:00

POV
Spray Paint Stencil'd on Canvas
30" X 40"
November 2010

I've often been asked what I look for in the pictures I use to make paintings. It's difficult to answer that question without disappointing since I never really look for anything in particular. This project, though, started with a specific vision.

This past August, I went for a walk in downtown Montreal looking for a spot I could sit in to simulate the first-person point of view of someone who sleeps on the street.

So I found this cute little alley with an open gate and sat in a pile of 2 year old yellowed newspapers and dried urine [coincidence?] and started snapping.
To adapt a well known saying: "Sometimes you have to sit in urine for your art."
A few months of thinking about it later, I got to making this vision happen and so... Here it is.

We tend to complain a lot.
Maybe we shouldn't.

As an unrelated [but kind of related] side-note, I'm currently reading "Lullabies for Little Criminals" by Canadian Novelist Heather O'Neill and would suggest you do the same. It's freaking amazing.

[...]

Package Successfully Delivered

2010-11-26T13:32:00.001-05:00

Package Successfully Delivered

Finally, the logistics are taken care of, the "package has been successfully delivered" and I can now announce proudly that the sale of the Eyedea painting is done and that all the proceeds have gone to Kathy Averill, Michael's loving mother.

After weeks of working on getting the painting seen by as many people as possible on Ebay with the help of very unexpected and appreciated collaborators, I was finally contacted by someone who wanted to purchase it immediately for a price I would have been foolish to refuse.

The buyer in question has asked to remain anonymous and so his/her wishes are granted.

Initially, the time I had spent on the painting was going to be "my donation" and the money raised, whatever it would be, was going to be the physical manifestation of this. Never in a million years did I expect to be provided the opportunity to provide Kathy with a sum nearing the 4 figures and for that I am extremely proud.

Please don't misconstrue this post.
I am not in any way bragging about having "done a good deed" since that would significantly lessen it. I am simply keeping my readers [love you guys] posted about the progress and result of my latest endeavor.

One last time, please take a moment to visit the Eyedea page on Rhymesayers' website.

Until next time my friends.
Much love to you and yours.

[...]

Micheal “eyedea” Larsen

2010-10-29T23:13:00.001-04:00

Micheal “eyedea” Larsen
Spray Paint Stencil'd on Canvas
24" X 36"
October 2010

*****
[This one-of-a-kind piece is now being offered via an ebay auction in which all the proceeds are going to Kathy, Michael's loving mother, and the Eyedea Memorial Fund]
[LINK COMING SOON]
*****

Since his recent passing, I've read a lot of different articles about Michael Larsen and the majority of them have a very similar speech.

Everyone agrees that Eyedea is a staple in the underground hip hop scene and will never be forgotten for everything he's done.

Everyone agrees that he was wise beyond his years and that his lyricism was deep and developed for someone so young.

Truth be told, I'm a fan of Eyedea, but I'm not a crazy-insane-over-the-top fan of his music. Yes, it's good. Yes, it's deep. But I can't think of any of his songs that would make my 'favorite of all time' list.

That being said, here's a [very] short story of why I've taken it upon myself to make a tribute painting and put it up for auction:

A few years back, I went to an E&A + Blueprint show in Montreal. I was so-so excited because I didn't really know much about either acts except that they were well known and respected in the underground scene. I had given a listen to First Born and E and A and in reality, was more curious about how, if at all, Eyedea was gonna pull off stuff like "One Twenty" and "Now" live. I expected one more rap show where some hype dude fills in the blanks and the end of every other line. Boy. Boy. Boy was I in for a rude awakening.

First, he came out accompanied by Abilities and no one else and started with "One Twenty" and instead of being out of breath and dying, he was actually screaming his face off into the mic with 10 times the energy that the recorded version holds. I won't go through the whole show for obvious reasons but by the end, after seeing him kill himself on stage and flawlessly perform back and forth tricks with DJ Abilities that I had never seen before and will most likely never see again, I was aware that I had just witnessed something very special and I felt privileged. His energy level is something that I feel lucky to have experienced and I can't help but feel a little taken aback when faced with the fact that I/we will never be able to experience it again.

After his set, he came off the stage and leisurely strolled though the crowd to get outside. When he walked past me, I extended my hand and said: "That was impressive." He shook my hand, very briefly looked me in the eye and with a chipped-tooth corner smile he answered: "That was depressing?" Before I could correct him, he was gone.

I know he heard me correctly. I kind of thought he was cocky, but in hindsight, I know he was just being his clever, confident self. He was still "on." From the stories I heard on the Rhymesayers Radio tribute show, I now understand he was never "off." He knew how good he was. He wasn't cocky, he was confident. He was totally aware that his and Abilities' live set was something no one else could do.

"They leave our show thinking what these kids do is unachievable/ and they're right/
You never in your life could do as much as we do with just two tech's and a mic."

- Eyedea [E&A Day]

So.

Long story short [kind of]:

I'm a fan of Eyedea's presence as a performer and as a person. His energy level. The way he approached the stage that is life. He was the living proof that hard work pays off and that you can accomplish anything you set your mind to if you apply yourself. It doesn't matter what people say and think... at all. I wanted to make a painting that displayed his overflowing energy since this is how I will remember him. I can say with confidence [learned from the best] that I have succeeded.

This one of a kind piece is now being offered via an ebay auction in which all the proceeds are going to Kathy, Michael's loving mother, and the memorial fund that's been set up. Since I can't begin to imagine what she's going through as well as Eyedea's immediate family and extended Rhymesayers family, I figure it's the least I could do.

[Disclaimer: Of course, I expect some of you will see this as an exposure opportunity for me... to you, I say, exposure is simply a side-effect of what I think is a good deed but definitely not my main goal in this process. I am absolutely not in the business of capitalizing on other people's loss. I am in the business of capitalizing on opportunities to show love and support when/where it is needed and I feel it is greatly needed here & now. I've tried to remain as selfless as possible in this endeavor.]

In the meantime, I send my heartfelt condolences to his family and friends and encourage you all to do the same.

More information about Eyedea can be found by clicking here.

Please feel free to share this with anyone and everyone. It's all benefiting Kathy in the end so please help me help her.

[...]

Zhang Ziyi

2010-10-24T13:10:00.000-04:00

Zhang Ziyi
Spray Paint Stencil'd on Skateboard
8.5" X 32"
October 2010

In 2000, 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon' [C.T.H.D.] grabbed Chinese cinema and threw it right into the unsuspecting faces of the western world. Those who already knew, thought: "Well it's about time." and those who were previously unaware thought: "Wow! Where the hell have I been all this time."

In a nutshell, I was 20 and completely blown away by this movie for multiple reasons:

1- The cinematography
2- The fight scenes
3- The characters
4- The costume design
5- Zhang Ziyi

Seldom have such beauty, skill [acting & fighting], charisma & screen presence come together so perfectly. I fell in love with Zhang Ziyi. Since then, I've seen most of the movies she's been in but the impact she had on me from the original C.T.H.D. has remained unmatched to this day.

Here's a skateboard I've made of her.

The original photographer is unknown to me so I'm not able to credit him/her for the image.

[...]

Open Call II

2010-10-16T10:39:00.000-04:00

Open Call [Part Deux]

Hey again all you awesome folks out there!

This is an open call to everyone and anyone who can take and/or has taken pictures... whether professional or amateur... super high quality or ghetto fabulous point-and-click...

As you can see from the pictures on my blog, I'm a visual artist who's process begins with a photograph every time. I've been keeping busy with my own pictures recently and also making custom orders, but in the spirit of mixing it up and keeping things interesting I figured:

"What better time than now to get people involved and share the creative vibe?"

That being said, I am officially inviting you amazing people, whoever you are out there in internet land, to email me some pictures you'd like to see turned into custom stencil paintings.

In the world of up-and-coming artists, the key to survival and exposure is mutual promotion so in that spirit, of course, anyone who's photo would eventually be used will get full credit for the original picture [and a link to your website if you have one].

Disclaimer:
I need to make sure everyone understands that not all pictures work for this kind of work so don't take it personal if your photo doesn't get used. BUT, I encourage you to send them all anyway since in the past, I've used: professional pix, ghetto scanned pix, blurry shots, partial pix, etc. it's hit and miss with what works and inspires me... it can be anything!

[Don't get me wrong... the better quality resolution of the picture the better... I mean, if you have a shot in 300 DPI, please try to send it as such rather than make it smaller for emailing purposes...]

You reserve the creative rights to your photograph and it won't be published in this blog unless you've agreed to it. The painting will be for sale at large once it's done [the point isn't to make a painting with your picture and sell it to you, but if you're interested in the finished product for sure a finder's-fee type discount will be very feasible].

For images larger than 10MB, I suggest a free service called yousendit.com - it's very easy and very convenient.

So on that note... Please send your photohraphs [in .jpg and/or .pdf format] to:

P.Summind@gmail.com

I look forward to seeing what I get!

[And a special shout out goes to my dog Umaa and cat Ignatio (feat. thumbs)... they get a little bored when I'm not painting...]

Peace [...]

Parc & Van Horne

2010-10-12T18:18:00.000-04:00

Parc & Van Horne

Acrylics & Spray Paint Stencil'd on Canvas
24" X 36"
October 2010

Once in a while I step outside to clear my head. I always bring my camera just in case I spot something interesting [e.g. trees, trash cans, Lady Gaga, etc.]. I never really look for anything in particular and usually end up dumping 57 pictures of rocks and bicycles. But once in a while there's a randomly taking picture that will scream "stencil me" and so I must oblige.

[Disclaimer: I feel it important to remind everyone that I am not, nor have I ever claimed to be a skilled photographer and that "good picture" doesn't always equal "good stencil".]

This picture was taken in February 2009 back when I still lived on the Plateau by Mile End [how's that for hipster hood name dropping?]. I've wanted to make a painting with it for the longest time and have the multiple photoshop sessions to prove it but somehow I've given up every time due to the intricacy of the buildings, cars and snowy corner so I've put it aside 10-15 times or so.

So...
1.75 years later...

A different approach:

Instead of going with crazy multi-layering, I finally decided to make a pot of coffee, throw some paint around, stencil one layer on top and put this picture behind me. This took somewhere between 10-12 hours of very careful cutting over 3 days but in the end, I'm super happy with the result since I didn't have any concrete expectations.

I feel much better now that I've been able to get this picture out of my "dump" folder and into my "finished projects" folder and mostly that I got to throw paint around in the process [...]

Woody Allen

2010-10-06T18:03:00.000-04:00

Woody Allen
30" X 15"
Spray Paint Stencil'd on Canvas
September 2010
Custom Commission Piece - SOLD

A work colleague and friend of mine asked me to make him a custom painting for his new place. Of course I said yes.

He told me he would be interested in a portrait of Woody Allen with a vibe similar to the portrait of Johnny Cash I made last year.

Absolutely!

I immediately got on board because I feel Woody is a great idea for a portrait. In fact, I'm surprised I didn't think to paint him before! His face has a unique quirky sadness and despite his controversial lifestyle, he remains one of the most creative minds of his generation.

I hope all you Woody Allen fans out there enjoy this piece as much as I enjoyed making it!

Smile

2010-10-03T17:35:00.001-04:00

Smile
12" X 24"
Spray Paint Stencil'd on Wood
October 2010
To be auctioned off benefiting United Way

Why are the most powerful smiles are on the faces of those who have the most reasons to frown?

My employer has made a corporate decision to support exclusively United Way.
Skeptics will say that this is one big tax write-off and blah blah blah but honestly, when it comes down to it, I don't personally care about alternate fiscal motivations as long as the people who need the support end up getting it.
That's the only thing that matters.

That being said, I've been asked if I would care to donate a painting to help raise funds benefiting United Way during this year's corporate fund raising effort.

Done.

I've painted one of my dear friends Pierli and a child he met while he was in Kenya a few years ago. When it comes to smiles & hearts, Pierli is a force to be reckoned with so this choice wasn't hard to make. I'm blessed to be surrounded by amazing people in my day-to-day life and he is only one of them.

I can't wait to see how this piece does in the auction. I hope with all my heart it goes for a large amount but in the end, even if it goes for just a few dollars I will be happy because it will have allowed me to do my part and help those truly deserving.

I haven't been briefed on the details of the auction in terms of WHERE, WHEN, HOW. For the moment, only the WHY is known and that's enough for me.

As soon as I know more about this I will be sharing it with all of you so that you can participate [if willing & if possible].

For now, I leave you with a quote from the song "Smile" by K'Naan.

[Smile] When you're struggling
[Smile] When you're in jail
[Smile] When you're dead broke
[Smile] And the rent's due
[Smile] You ain't got friends now
[Smile] And no one knows you
Never let 'em see you down, Smile while you're bleedin'

Trash Boudoir

2010-09-25T13:55:00.001-04:00

Trash Boudoir
13.5" X 30.5"
Spray Paint Stencil'd on Wood found in the Trash
September 2010

One man's trash [...]

About six months ago, someone threw out this wood panel.
It's the kind of thing you would see on opposite sides of a window.
My girlfriend found it and brought it home... in her usual "I support you enough to pick up garbage and bring it home to you" fashion.

The original photo I used was taken by Laurent Castellucci.
The model in this shot is my girlfriend Hilary Keithlin.
The picture isn't posted here for privacy reasons.

Derek

2010-08-29T11:49:00.000-04:00

Derek - GIFTED

30" X 36"
Acrylics & Spray Paint Stencil'd on Canvas
August 2010

People, meet Derek.
Derek, meet people.

You may know him better as Toronto MC: D-Sisive. He's been around doing his thing for a long time and has only just recently has he gained some well deserved recognition.

When he saw the piece, D's answer was:

"This is super overwhelming. I don't know what to say. It's an honor, sir. Makes me want to cry a little. I love it so much."

As an artist, it doesn't get any better than that. A paycheck pales in comparison to that kind of response.

I discovered D-Sisive when a friend 'shared' me "The Book EP" and "The Idiot: Hijacked Mixtape." Albeit dark, his music was very deep and pregnant with imagery so it was hard to turn a deaf ear. His lyric style reminded me of Buck 65 when he's on that "The Floor" vibe.

Needless to say, when the next album "Let the Children Die" came out I was very excited, but somehow it didn't have the desired effect. Something was missing. There are some definite standout tracks on that album but the whole package didn't do it for me. I reverted back to "The Book" in the meantime and waited patiently for more.

I wouldn't be disappointed. "Jonestown" [a free digital download] and "Vaudeville," his latest efforts, mix both the grim imagery, the crystal clear storytelling and the clever punchline rap very well and display perfectly his progression in all aspects of his writing as well as his vocal delivery. I recommend his music catalog to anyone and everyone, hip-hop fan or not.

You can read more about D-Sisive by clicking here.

You can get it straight from the horse's mouth [his blog] here.

You can download "Jonestown" for free [legal] by clicking here.

The original photo was taken by Tobias Wang. You can check out his Flickr page here.

Enjoy and share!

pockets empty, canvas loaded

2010-08-05T22:08:00.000-04:00

In this world of Facebook events happening every 5 minutes...
It's sensory overload and, for the most part, events get a 'maybe attending' and get forgotten...
Then once in a while an event hits you when you're not yet awake and you actually look at it...

Here's an event created by Mary Musyl:

pockets empty, canvas loaded (art show to benefit Sterling schools)

It's happening in Sterling Il.
I have no idea where that is but the idea is dope:

The artist requests that you donate a school supply in lieu of admission. (Markers, lined paper, scissors, and pencils are the items which are most needed, though all donations are greatly appreciated.) All donations will benefit Sterling schools.

So what it's far away... it's a great idea... Period.

So I took it upon myself to contact Mary and get her address so that I could send her some supplies even though I'm obviously not gonna show up... I mean... I don't even know where this town is!

Pictured above is the care package filled with goodies for her kids as well as herself [for being so awesome] she will get in the mail... The jet pack looked like it needed a little soul so I put Buck 65 on it!

Anyway... long story short... I suggest you do the same and mail her kids some school supplies... it's back to school time and everything is super cheap... remember... cheap for you can relate to 'too expensive' for someone else... it's time to give a shout out to less fortunate people who are killing to learn... but can't afford the stuff they need...

Email me at p.summind@gmail.com and I will provide you the mailing address... I figure it would lack friendliness to post her address online...

The bottom line is: making a difference is easier than it looks.

Gerrard

2010-06-23T19:29:00.000-04:00

Gerrard - SOLD

[Commission Piece]
24" X 12"
Spray Paint Stencil'd on Wood
March 2010

One of my friends asked me if I could make a custom painting for her boyfriend's upcoming birthday. She said he was a huge fan on football and of Liverpool FC. I'm a big fan of the game of football but unfortunately don't have the time or patience to follow it very much. After a little more sneaky probing she was able to find out that his favorite player was Steven Gerrard. Turns out this guy is pretty well known (I had never even heard the name - my apologies to all football fans - I'd be upset if you'd never heard Mariano Rivera so I fully understand... it happens!).

That being said, I put 2 and 2 together and started work on a piece that would become 'Gerrard.'

I'm very satisfied with the end result and am I was also very happy to find out yesterday that:

1- The dude loved it
2- I now had permission to post it online (since it was a surprise)

So there... if anyone out there has had the idea of getting a custom piece done... remember that I'm always interested in stepping out of my comfort zone in terms of inspiration.

Finally... I'd like to give a big shout out to my cat Speaker for always sneaking into pictures and making the girls go "aaaaaaaawwwwwwwwwww!!!!"

2010-06-21T18:43:00.000-04:00

CO Exhibitions Presents:
Wings & Teeth: The Art of Doomtree

This is a brand spanking new spot in Minneapolis, MN and for their inaugural event they've decided to showcase art that relates to the hip hop group Doomtree. The show is meant to be a retrospective of everything that has been created for and by the artists of Doomtree.

I feel extremely honored to be able to be a part of this great moment by having 2 of my paintings displayed at the event. When POS came through Montreal with Dessa this past March or April [I forget] I used the opportunity to give them these pieces I made of them. The rest is history [of art?]

Here are my POS and Dessa [click on the names for more info on these amazing artists]:

The original pictures I used are by Dan Monick [POS] and Bo Hakala [Dessa].
They're both very talented and you should definitely check them out!

Also, click here for more info on CO Exhibitions and click here for an article about the event in CityPages.

While we're at it... I'd like to remind everyone [or tell you for the first time] that Dessa will be swinging by Montreal on the 1st of July for a Jazz Fest appearance. Click here for more info.

The Ride to Conquer Cancer

2010-06-14T18:35:00.000-04:00

The Ride to Conquer Cancer
Le Cyclo-Defi Contre le Cancer

Here's a link to an intersting contest offered by my dear friends at CISM 89,3:

http://www.cism.umontreal.ca/news_details.php?nID=356

Voici un lien pour un concours interessant offert par mes amis tres chers a CISM 89,3:

http://www.cism.umontreal.ca/news_details.php?nID=356

Also, find out more about my own personal motivation for participating in this event here:

http://www.conquercancer.ca/site/TR/Events/Montreal2010?px=2519450&pg=personal&fr_id=1341

Egalement, decouvrez en plus a propos de mes motivations personnelles pour cet evenement ici:

http://www.conquercancer.ca/site/TR/Events/Montreal2010?px=2519450&pg=personal&fr_id=1341

Enormous thanks to CISM 89,3 for their help and to everyone who's donated... It's incredibly appreciated.

Merci enormement a CISM 89,3 pour leur aide et a tout le monde qui ont fait des dons... C'est incroyablement apprecie.

Home Studio

2010-06-08T21:14:00.000-04:00

Home Studio
24" X 36"
Acrylics & Spray Paint Stencil'd on Canvas
June 2010

This is Louis.
Louis has a home in Montreal.
In his Montreal home there is a microphone.
This makes it a home studio.
Louis also has a friend.
Louis' friend's name is Fabrice Gaetan.
Fabrice takes photos.
Fabrice took this photo of Louis & his microphone in his Montreal home studio.
This is a painting I made called Home Studio.

Louis made excellent microphone-less music.
You can get it for free by clicking here.

Fabrice has taken amazing photos he qualifies as urban portraits (other stuff too).
You can see them (also for free) by clicking here.

Dizzy

2010-04-23T21:24:00.002-04:00

Dizzy
46" X 11"
Spray Paint Stenciled on Floor Boards
March 2010
[won in raffle to raise funds for Bike Ride to Conquer Cancer 2010]

This is Dizzy Gillespie. I enjoy Jazz a lot but since I'm not incredibly well versed in Jazz history, here is a portion of his bio form allmusic.com.

"Dizzy Gillespie's contributions to jazz were huge. One of the greatest jazz trumpeters of all time (some would say the best), Gillespie was such a complex player that his contemporaries ended up copying Miles Davis and Fats Navarro instead, and it was not until Jon Faddis' emergence in the 1970s that Dizzy's style was successfully recreated. Somehow, Gillespie could make any "wrong" note fit, and harmonically he was ahead of everyone in the 1940s, including Charlie Parker. Unlike Bird, Dizzy was an enthusiastic teacher who wrote down his musical innovations and was eager to explain them to the next generation, thereby insuring that bebop would eventually become the foundation of jazz."

For more information on Dizzy click here.

This is a painting I made of him on floor boards. Special thanks goes out to the unknown neighbor who finished his floor and left these extra planks outside. One man's trash is another man's treasure indeed.

Finally a shout out goes to my cat speaker who somehow finds her way into most of my painting pictures (see top right)...

[...]

CDP

2010-03-22T20:57:00.000-04:00

CDP
24" X 72"
Spray Paint & Acryliques on Canvas
January 2010

Beatrice Martin.
Coeur de Pirate.

J'ai recemment achete son album en vinyl et le disque est bleu poudre... je n'etais meme pas un peu surpris... vraiement excellent!

Un autre album est en cours d'apres sa page twitter et j'ai bien hate d'entendre.

La photo originale a ete prise par Ariane St-G. Leblanc... cliquez ici pour visiter son blog.

Je suggere a n'importe qui qui aime boire un cafe molo en se levant le dimanche d'ecouter son album eponyme (ca s'ecrit de meme, right?).

Les Freaks d'Helene

2010-02-13T14:01:00.001-05:00

"Les Freaks d'Helene"
30" x 30"
Spray Paint Stencilled on Canvas
March 2010

A great big thanks goes out to Helene B. for sending me this picture. I had a blast creating an original piece from the shot she sent me... j'espere que t'aimes ca!

The offer still stands for as long as long lasts for anyone who wishes to send me pictures they'd like to see become stencil pieces... click here for more details.

Alors un gros merci encore a Helene!

Paix!

Open Call

2010-01-15T12:57:00.000-05:00

Open Call

Hey all you awesome folks out there!

This is an open call to everyone and anyone who can take and/or has taken pictures... whether professional or amateur... super high quality or ghetto fabulous point-and-click...

As you can see from the pictures on my blog, I'm a visual artist who's process begins with a photograph every time. These days, I'm a little short on pictures of my own and have grown tired of looking at the ones I have...

So I figured:
"What better time than now to get people involved and share the creative vibe?"

That being said, I am officially inviting you amazing people, whoever you are out there in internet land, to email me some pictures you'd like to see turned into custom stencil paintings.

In the world of up-and-coming artists, the key to survival and exposure is mutual promotion so in that spirit, of course, anyone who's photo would eventually be used will get full credit for the original picture [and a link to your website if you have one].

Disclaimer:
I need to make sure everyone understands that not all pictures work for this kind of work so don't take it personal if your photo doesn't get used. BUT, I encourage you to send them all anyway since in the past, I've used: professional pix, ghetto scanned pix, blurry shots, partial pix, etc. it's hit and miss with what works and inspires me... it can be anything!

You reserve the creative rights to your photograph and it won't be published in this blog unless you've agreed to it. The painting will be for sale once it's done.

[Don't get me wrong... the better quality resolution of the picture the better... I mean, if you have a shot in 300 DPI, please try to send it as such rather than make it smaller for emailing purposes...]

For images larger than 10MB, I suggest a free service called yousendit.com - it's very easy and very convenient.

So on that note... Please send your photohraphs [in .jpg and/or .pdf format] to:

P.Summind@gmail.com

I look forward to seeing what I get!

Peace!

Les Cool Kids

2010-01-08T20:41:00.000-05:00

"Les Cool Kids"
30" X 40"
Spray Paint Stencilled on Canvas
December 2009
SOLD

This is a picture that was taken at one of my shows in June 2009 at Sub V. The original picture is blurry and I thought it would be an interesting challenge to stencil it anyway...

So as usual, it took 10 times longer than anticipated but the end result is something I'm very satisfied with.

Big up to the guys over at Sub V for keeping the cans and markers in the right hands!

And here's just a quick reminder that "The Cool Kids," along with most of my stuff is hanging at Chez Baptiste (1045 Mt. Royal St. East) all the way to the 31st of January... feel free to go check it out... if you need a reason to get out there... they show the Habs game's on the big screen!!

La Meme Affaire. Sauf... Genre... Pas Pareil.

2009-12-17T21:12:00.000-05:00

La Meme Affaire. Sauf... Genre... Pas Pareil.

Il me fait enormement plaisir de vous inviter Chez Baptiste [1045 Mt. Royal Est] le 3 janvier 2010 pour ma plus recente expo. Je vous accueillerai a partir de 17h.

Une fois que vous aurez fini de faire le tour de vos familles pis que ce sera le temps de commencer a briser vous nouvelles resolutions... pourquoi pas venir faire un tour faire ca entoure de nouvelles peintures que je m'efforce de terminer d'ici la... deal?

Vous en avez deja vu sur mon blog... croyez moi... une photo de 3-4 pouces ne rend pas justice a une peinture de 3-4 pieds... et il y aura du nouveau egalement!

Alors au plaisir de vous voir la face et celle de vos amis le 3!

Clickez ICI pour inviter vos amis via l'evenement facebook.

Self Portrait

2009-11-13T12:55:00.001-05:00

Self-Portrait
November 2009
24" X 36"
Acrylics and Spray Paint Stencilled on Canvas

Ok. I've decided to step out of my comfort zone and challenge myself with something new. So I threw some acrylics around and then stencilled over them. Here's the result!

The original picture is one I took of myself while I was in Vancouver. I spent a month out there in 2006 and I've always wanted to go back since and strongly suggest that city to anyone and everyone, Canadian or not.

Le Metro

2009-11-07T16:22:00.000-05:00

"Le Metro"
November 2009
30" X 40"
Spray Paint Stencilled on Canvas
SOLD

There really isn't any background story here... This is a picture I took on the metro... I was afraid there might be too many details for stencilling but it looks like all has worked out in the end. This has become one of the most intricate pieces I've done to date and I'm very happy with how it turned out. Enjoy!

Decover Magazine

2009-10-31T13:33:00.000-04:00

Decover Mag

The good people at Decover Magazine were nice enough to offer me a 2 page spot (pages 24 &25) in their Issue #2... Click here for their excellent website and then all you need to do is click on the "virtual magazine" link to check it out! It's also available in large printed format in select Montreal spots... see their website for details.

With the level of artwork featured... it's a real honor to be in there!

In the future, keep an eye out for Decover Magazine.

Racines

2009-10-27T21:26:00.001-04:00

Racines
August 2009
24" X 30" (per panel)
Spray Paint Stencilled on Canvas
SOLD

A few summers ago The Roots came through Montreal to bless the stage as the opening act to a very late Erykah Badu who almost didn't even make it. The upside was that The Roots were asked to stick around and fill some stage time while we waited and so they did and provided an unplanned extra hour of magic.

This drunk picture is really blurry and I love it because of it... don't ask.

The painting is 8 feet wide in total and looks weird from close up but comes to life the more you back up from it... I was afraid that people wouldn't see it was a band, let alone which band, until a friend told me without knowing: "I really like the one of The Roots in the corner." Fear aborted.

Enjoy: Racines!

3 X Def

2009-10-26T22:49:00.000-04:00

3 X Def
July - August 2009
60" X 30" (per panel)
Spray Paint Stencilled on Canvas

Here's the biggest project I've done to date... there isn't much to say about it... the orignial picture is a Triple 5 Soul add from the late 90's early 00's that i really liked. Mos Def has always kept things interesting and for this he will always be in my list of favorite artists.

These 3 pieces are too big to hang in my appartment (the photo above is photoshop magic...) so I was super excited to see them finally hanging next to one another at Foufounes Electriques for the whole of September after staring at them in a dusty corner for almost 2 months.

Derby Girl

2009-10-26T22:23:00.001-04:00

"Derby Girl"
June 2009
30" X 40"
Spray Paint Stencilled on Canvas

There's a crazy phenomenon that goes on just 2-3 blocks away from my place on Saturdays during the Montreal Summer: Roller Derby!

Yes... it's coming right back... actually... it's safe to say that's it's been coming back and that now it IS back.

These events attracts all kinds of people who like beer, girls crashing into each other and other such fun-ness... Many photos are taken and I've used one of them I've found on the web to make this painting.

After some research and web-use I've found out that the girl in the picture is Dolly Destructo. She plays for the Chicks Ahoy in the Toronto Roller Derby circuit...

Also, I've found out that the photographer is Nicolas Charest and that he's not mad at me for using his photo without permission... now if only more people could put aside their ego's like that we'd all be doing much better. His website is Rollergirl.ca.

I enjoy this one a lot... and as an added bonus, it's appeared in the Hour Hitlist and will be included in a 2 page spread of my stuff in Decover Magazine Issue #2 out October 30th and availale for free in many Montreal spots.

Ok... enough name dropping...

Turn Off the X-Box

2009-10-26T21:53:00.000-04:00

"Turn off the X-Box"
October 2009
24" X 48"
Spray Paint Stencilled on Canvas

First of all: My parents are awesome. For my 30th they decided to have me make a custom piece for them. Obviously I accepted. Here's the result of two grown men still down to go play in the snow instead of couch potato'ing it up, a third grown man who still takes pictures of everything, and very supportive parents.

I invite anyone and everyone to put down to remote control, the joystick, controller pad, etc. and step outside for a moment... you won't regret it... I promise.

Original picture by Michael Berrigan AKA Geezer Manner.

Life in Layers

2009-07-31T12:39:00.000-04:00

"Life in Layers"

(new poster, same event!)

You're all cordially invited to Foufounes Electriques for my latest vernissage on the afternoon of August 30th from 4 pm to 8 pm. After having put together 4 different expo's this year with varying combinations of my work, I'm bringing everything out to Foufs and hanging it there from August 30th to October 3rd.

This show is the biggest I've done to date and it's also the one I'm the most proud of. Having seen very talented artists show their stuff at Foufs month after month for years, it's an honor for me to be on their walls.

Keep in mind that most of my newest stuff is not posted here since I wanted to keep a few surprises for the people who make it out...

Also, just to keep things interesting... I will be raffling off one of my pieces on the 30th!

So come and have a drink and hang out... Looking forward to seeing all of you there!

The Road Home

2009-07-31T12:25:00.001-04:00

"The Road Home"
May 2009
18" X 36"
Spray Paint on Canvas

Here's a picture I took the last time I went back to my home town of Levis. There isn't much story to this one except that this is the view that tells me I'm home after a 3 hour car ride. I'm always happy to see these highway signs after the mind numbing trip down bland Highway 20. This painting is one of the most realistic ones I've made and making the 4 layer stecncils for it took me the most time of any painting I've done to date.

Trainspotting

2009-07-31T12:08:00.001-04:00

"Trainspotting"
May 2009
30" X 36"
Spray Paint on Canvas
SOLD

A mindblowing novel made into an equally impressive movie, Trainspotting is something everyone should experience. I strongly suggest reading the novel to get the full experience Irvine Welsh provided. The book is phonetically written in the slang of Scottish slums and requires a lot of concentration in the beginning (even out loud reading at times) but anyone who pushes past that will be greatly rewarded with insanely colorful charcters and unimaginable twists.

Aesop Rock

2009-07-31T11:43:00.000-04:00

"Aesop Rock"
March 2009
30" X 36"
Spray Paint on Canvas
SOLD
SOLD

Aesop Rock is one of my favorite artists of all time. He's a rapper from New York with a style so unique and multi-layered that it's almost impossible to describe. Mixing a deep-voiced melodic delivery and a combination of internal rhymes and verbal imagery, he brings to hip hop music something that has never been seen and will take a long time to duplicate or even come close to. He's now residing in San Francisco and collaborating with talented visual artist Jeremy Fish. Find out more about Aesop Rock here or from his label's website www.definitivejux.net.

I unfortuately don't know who to credit for the original picture.

Eyes to the Front

2009-05-16T12:27:00.002-04:00

Eyes to the Front

Hello all! It is with tremendous pleasure that I bring to you my most recent art expo. This time around, I am taking my stuff to NDG, more specifically, Sub V.

Sub V has been around for quite some time now, supporting local, as well as international urban artists and providing them with not only quality supplies, but a quality space in which to showcase their art. Putting on monthly shows, many Montreal artists have filled their walls, from old schooler Timer to the amazing Monk.e to mention a few.

This June, I'm honored to have been given a chance to display my most recent stencil work there and would like to invite anyone and everyone who may be interested to come share some wine, cheese, laughs and maybe even a little networking.

Look forward to seeing all of you there!

Inspecteur Epingle Show

2009-04-19T22:25:00.000-04:00

Inspecteur epingle Show

It is with great (last minute) pleasure that I invite you all to my current art expo.

Having been asked to put this on 2 weeks before hand, I didn't have time to prepare and host a vernissage or to make this a big event but my artwork will nonetheless be on display at Inspecteur Epingle (4051 St-Hubert, corner Duluth) for the next 4-5 weeks.

Always hard at work, I've been able to produce about a dozen new pieces worth seeing since my expo last February so if you've seen that one, you may still want to drop by for a look see... and if you missed the first one... well then it's all new for you!

No rush since there's no event planned and I have at least 2 more month long shows planned in June and September, but if ever you're in the neighborhood... go check it out!

Pictured above is my most recent piece: The Road Home.

The Kid

2009-03-21T12:31:00.000-04:00

"The Kid"
March 2009
20" X 24"
Spray Paint on Wood

On March 20th 2009, Off The Hook, a Montreal clothing store hosted it's latest Munny Show. The event showcased a variety of Munny toys customized in various styles by local artists and the theme this time was "Montreal."

In the spirit of keeping things interesting, the organizer also invited artists to showcase other types of artwork that was Montreal related. Not having time to create my own Munny toy, I felt it would be fitting to pay tribute to what Montreal meant for me during the first 22 years of my life (before moving here): The Expos.

This is a painting of Gary Carter I made this week and I believe it displays exactly the undying love Montreal fans have for their players. The Montreal fans are like no others and I still get a little nostalgic whenever I see people sporting Expos hats and jerseys many years after their sad departure to Washington.

This is a shot of Tim Barnard at the Munny Show. He's an amazing artist who I was happy to catch up with since I had not seen him in a long time. We met in 2005 when he designed the artwork for my old band's 2nd album. I'm always happy to promote him any way I can.

Nephew

2009-03-11T23:05:00.000-04:00

"Nephew"

March 2009
16" X 12"
Spray Paint on Wood
SOLD

I would like everyone to meet Zack.

A good friend from work asked me to paint his nephew so he could offer it to his brother as a gift. There isn't much background story to this painting but I really like how it turned out. I also have a feeling that in 15-20 years there will be some talk about this kid in the papers, on the net, on the news thing we haven't invented yet... most likely basketball or football or new-ball-sport-we've-never-heard-of related talk... something about it being "Miller Time" again at a time when 80's slogans will have made a second come back already (MJ?)... Good luck kid!

Since I've made reference to it... internet law says I must link to it... so here you go!

I'll Set Fire to the Sky

2009-02-25T23:27:00.001-05:00

"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

2009-02-22T12:19:00.000-05:00

"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

2009-02-04T20:47:00.000-05:00

"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

2009-02-03T17:00:00.001-05:00

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

2009-02-03T16:55:00.000-05:00

"SkrambleLock"
January 2009
15" 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

2009-02-03T16:54:00.000-05:00

"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

2009-02-02T13:14:00.000-05:00

"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.

Vernissage

2009-01-12T23:36:00.001-05:00

Vernissage

You are all cordially invited to my first Vernissage happening Tuesday, the 3rd of February at Casa Del Popolo.

It will feature some of the work you've seen here as well as some brand new pieces that will only be visible on site. Aslo, I will be raffling off one or two pieces that are not posted here so this is your chance to not only come support a local artist, but to maybe bring home a little (or big) something...

There will also be a sure to be memorable performance by Toronto Slam Poet Spencer Butt (who's been features in 2 pieces on this blog) as well as a few Montreal artists who will not be any less memorable...

I look forward to seeing all of you who can make it out and send love to those who can't!!

Click here for the facebook event page with all info.

Please note that this flyer was created by Mark Gravel.

Mom has a Chest Piece

2009-01-01T22:43:00.000-05:00

"Mom has a Chest Piece"
December 2008
14" X 18"
Glass

This is a painting of Rachel Tremblay and her daughter. Rachel is a very talented Montreal painter who is also one half of the band August Elliot (the other half being her husband Mitch). I was first introduced to her work via a painting of hers that one of my past room mates had hanging in his room. She has a very distinct style and more of her awesome work can be seen here. Info on her band can be found at here.

Hilary

2008-12-30T19:38:00.000-05:00

"Hilary"
December 2008
10" X 8"
Glass
NOT FOR SALE

This is Hilary Keithlin, a Montreal girl who divides her time between school and being an Improvist. This is a Kirk Lee Foon shot of her and the glass piece it inpired me to create. All colors are underneath the glass and the black is on top creating a mat/glossy contrast and some depth effect as well. Find out more about Kirk Lee Foon here.

So 1920

2008-12-30T09:44:00.000-05:00

"So 1920"
December 2008
10" X 20"
Canvas

This is another piece I've made using a picture of Spencer Butt. He's just so off the wall with the way he delivers his poetry that he inspired this. The original photo is by someone unknown to me but who can be found here.

Glass Bob

2008-12-14T20:38:00.000-05:00

"Glass Bob"
December 2008
16" X 12"
Glass

Last summer, I found 2 old window frames in the dungeon that is the space under my ground level apartment. I sanded down the wooden frames and cleaned the glass with the intention of painting something on them, but I could never find something worthwhile. I finally decided to use one of these to re-create this classic Bob Marley image. The picture doesn't show this as well as the real thing, but similar to the the previous glass paintings of Mark and Isabelle, the black portion is on top of the glass and everything else is underneath providing a gap effect between layers.

Mark and Isabelle

2008-12-14T20:18:00.000-05:00

"Mark and Isabelle"
December 2008
10" X 8"
Glass
NOT FOR SALE

These are two portraits of my friends Mark and Isabelle on glass frames. Not easy to spot on the picture is that the paint is on both sides of the glass and thus provides a gap in between the black top and gold/white background.

Isabelle Menard is a radio host as well as stand up comedian and can be found at: http://www.isabellemenard.com
Mark Laporte is still definitely not a gangster and can still be found at: http://www.donnetamusique.com

Various Sin City Panels

2008-12-14T19:25:00.000-05:00

"Various Sin City Panels"
December 2008

I'm not going to pretend to be an old school purist who's been down with Frank Miller since forever. Truth be told, I had never heard of him before I went to see the first Sin City movie. Blown away, I proceeded to read all 7 Sin City graphic novels within a week and have loved the style since.
Recently, I was bored and felt like making larger canvases of some panels I particularly liked. These are not pieces I consider "mine" since I took the images from Miller in their entirety, but I do consider them "mine" in the sense that I've given them life on canvas and hang them on my wall to provide inspiration and decoration.
The sizes are as follows:
Cliff Toss: 16" X 20"
Gas Can Toss: 8" X 16"
Hang Man: 16" X 8"

"Marv"
September 2008

This is the first Sin City piece I made for the same reason as the ones above: boredom and love of the style.

49

2008-12-14T18:24:00.000-05:00

"49"
November 2008
22" X 28"

So Barack Obama won the election. But way... way... way... before Obama-mania and eveything that came with it, back in his underground days, one of my closest friends was already rooting for him... so I felt it fitting to make this painting of him and give it to him for his birthday a week after the election.
Take note that the symbol in the right hand corner is #49 from the I Ching (Book of Change) and represents "Revolution."
Also take note that I can't take all the credit for this one since it was a combined effort from myself and good friend Mark Gravel. Rather than give a link to Obama or the I Ching, I'd much rather shoot you off to Mark's website at: http://www.markgravel.com. A pleasure to work with, learn from, as well as snowboard with!

Spencer Butt

2008-12-14T16:54:00.000-05:00

"Spencer Butt"
October 2008
16" X 20"

Spencer Butt is a poet from Toronto who is redefining what a poetry reading is one audience at a time. He came through Montreal a few times to feature at Throw Collective slams and has left everyone present, myself included (probably the most), changed forever. To see him on stage once is to want to see him again (and again). Find out more about this poet/amazing person at www.myspace.com/thirtysecondblurbs. Definitely not the poet from English class...

Morgan Smith

2008-12-14T15:53:00.000-05:00

"Morgan Smith"
October 2008
6" X 36"

These 18 images were taken from an ad that featured Morgan Smith. The trick was originally shown on a two page spread.

Bow and Aesop

2008-12-14T15:50:00.000-05:00

"Bow and Aesop"
August 2008
6" X 12"
Canvas
SOLD

This smaller piece of Aesop Rock was made while it was raining. I found a series of pictures of him online that were taken by someone who's not identified. There isn't much more to say about this one...

Shadow Box

2008-12-14T15:45:00.000-05:00

"Shadow Box"
September 2008
12" X 6"

Saul Williams has always been one of a kind and has done too much to mention in such a small blog. Please see http://www.saulwilliams.com/ to find out more about this poet/movie maker/writer/rock star/.../.../...

Laughing at Ourselves

2008-12-13T15:39:00.000-05:00

"Laughing at Ourselves"
August 2008
8" X 24"

This crowd photo was taken at one of the monthly poetry slams put on by Montreal based Throw Poetry Collective (www.throwcollective.com) of which I am a part of. Original picture was taken by Mathieu Jarry. See more of his excellent work at http://creativebasement.blogspot.com/

Speechless

2008-12-13T15:30:00.001-05:00

"Speechless"
July 2008
Gifted to Sabrina

Sabrina is a very funny and all around awesome girl. She can be spotted on Much Music's "Videos on Trial" and in random cities doing stand up comedy among other places. Tastefully offensive and beautiful to boot, she (unbeknownst to her) inspired this deck of her being judged by paper onlookers. Check out http://www.sabrinajalees.com for more info about her awesomeness.

Gangster Mark

2008-12-13T15:19:00.001-05:00

"Ganster Mark"
June 2008
NOT FOR SALE

Mark Laporte is obviously not a gangster, but he has, however, been the host of the radio show "Gangsters Modernes" on CISM 89.3 FM. The show plays a variety of French, English and instrumental hip hop that would otherwise probably not get any airplay. They have supported the local and all around independant scene for more than 5 years now and have always been known for bringing the newest and freshest hip hop music to the listeners ears. Being a good friend of mine, he provided me with this picture of him which I used to make this skateboard of him.

More information about the show can be found at http://gangstersmodernes.blogspot.com/

Renee

2008-12-13T13:11:00.000-05:00

"Renee"
May 2008
NOT FOR SALE

Renee is an awesome girl from Toronto I came across on the metro who was carrying her long board with her as she was on vacation in Montreal. We got to talking and I proposed to customize her board for her. Here's the result.

Badu

2008-12-13T13:00:00.002-05:00

"Badu"
July 2008

Erykah Badu is amazing... and doesn't really need me to tell you who she is... but just in case... have a look here: http://www.erykah-badu.com/

One Good Thing

2008-12-13T12:59:00.000-05:00

"One Good Thing"
April 2008
SOLD

Ruby Jane is a Montreal DJ who spins a wide variety of funk, soul and old school hip hop. She is 1/2 of the DJ team Hop Scotch Players. These are twin decks that I made with these pictures of her. The quote is simply one that I've always loved and felt was fitting here. She has her ow blog which deals mostly with food and music and, trust me, she knows more than her share of both... it can be found at: http://passthepeasrubyjane.blogspot.com/

I Run My Own Company

2008-12-13T12:49:00.000-05:00

"I Run My Own Company"
May 2008
SOLD

Buck 65 is the poster boy for DIY [hip hop] music. Being from Halifax, NS, he's made his own style of music for more than a decade before being known in his own country, let alone the rest of the world. Consistently living on the road peddling his own brand of music for long years, he finally has some of the fame and success he deserves. Many amazing one liners have come from his records and "I run my own company" is only one of them. I feel it represents him perfectly and is also an inspiration for any and every struggling artist. Here's the deck that came out of this. Find out more about him at http://www.buck65.com.

Geezer Manner

2008-12-13T12:40:00.000-05:00

"Geezer Manner"

May 2008

Geezer Manner is Michael Berrigan, a DJ/Producer/Photographer/Director from Montreal who also happens to be one of my close friends. This is a picture he took of himself and the skateboard I made inspired by it.

See more of his amazing work at http://www.myspace.com/geezermanner.

Must not Sleep

2008-12-13T12:23:00.000-05:00

"Must not Sleep"

May 2008
SOLD

I listen to a lot of hip hop music that has strong poetic value and one of my favorite artists of all time is Aesop Rock, a New York rapper relocated to San Francisco. The imagery he puts forth is in my opinion, unmatched, as is his sharply distorted view of day to day life. He has one of his most recognized early lyrics [taken from a movie] tattooed in two parts on both of his forearms which reads: "Must not sleep, must warn others." No more need be said. Find out more at http://www.myspace.com/aesoprockwins.