Sunday, April 19, 2009

Inspecteur Epingle Show

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.

Saturday, March 21, 2009

The Kid

"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.

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Nephew


"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!

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

I'll Set Fire to the Sky


"I'll Set Fire to the Sky"

February 2009
48" X 24"
Spray Paint on Canvas


Bigger isn't always better...

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

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

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

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


Sunday, February 22, 2009

Cash

I have a new website!!
Please click this link to find more up to date work!


Thank you!!


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

SOLD

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

Click here to find out more about Johnny Cash.

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Survivor



"Survivor"
January 2009
12" X 36"
Canvas


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

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

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

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

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

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

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Blanc Sablon

Blanc Sablon
January 2009
18" X 24"
Wood
SOLD

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

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

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

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


SkrambleLock

I have a new website!!
Please click this link to find more up to date work!


Thank you!!

"SkrambleLock"January 200915" X 30"Canvas
SOLD

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

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