The Basilica of Santa Maria in Cosmedin in Rome is home to a fascinating relic: the skull of St. Valentine crowned with flowers and exhibited for the faithful and curious alike. St. Valentine, known as the patron saint of lovers, is one of the most revered figures in history. His legacy dates to the 3rd century AD when, according to legend, he was martyred for performing marriages in secret. Over the centuries, his story has come to symbolize love and devotion.

This relic was intriguing enough for me to produce my first Valentine’s Day piece by combining the image of St. Valentine with my style as the backdrop.

This painting, another tribute to Jim Morrison, the enigmatic frontman of The Doors, tries to capture the essence of his poem “Celebration of the Lizard.” At its heart is a majestic lizard wearing a tarnished crown, declaring: "I am the Lizard King, I can do anything."

“Celebration of the Lizard” is a cornerstone of Morrison’s work, with themes of freedom and rebellion. The key line reminds us that, like the lizard, we can rise above our circumstances and embrace our destiny.

This piece's original concept was born in the washroom of the famed Viper Room in LA. The concept morphed so much in my head that I can barely remember the sticker I saw on the wall that inspired this 70’ style funk image – I do remember it was not Prince, just a vibey sticker with an afro.

From there the creative process took over and the ideas started pouring in on how to get that 70s feel as well as incorporating my favorite Prince song of all time — "Darling Nikki".

Available through Park West Gallery.

In the world of rock 'n' roll, few names resonate as powerfully as the Stone Temple Pilots. This iconic band, known for its raw energy, melodic mastery, and the haunting presence of its charismatic frontman, has left an indelible mark on music history. This piece aims to evoke the very spirit of Stone Temple Pilots.

My vision was to create a work that goes beyond a simple depiction of the band members. Instead, the painting needed the same energy, emotion, and intensity that defines Stone Temple Pilots. To achieve this, I drew upon imagery from the band's greatest hits album, simply titled – “Thank You”

Available through Park West Gallery.

In artistic expression, music, fashion, and painting often intertwine, creating works that pay homage to iconic brands and their contributions to style and culture. This piece is a nod to the renowned fashion brand Chrome Hearts, famed for its bespoke stage wear worn by the likes of Lenny Kravitz, Cher, Motley and Guns N Roses.

Founded in 1988 by Richard Stark, Chrome Hearts rapidly ascended to the pinnacle of luxury fashion, recognized for its rock 'n' roll aesthetic and meticulous craftsmanship. The brand's stage wear, in particular, has garnered a cult following among musicians and celebrities, who don Chrome Hearts pieces to make bold statements on stage.

Growing up, I had two groups of friends: the hockey players who lived the sport 24/7 and the ones who could jack your car in 30 seconds and put a hurt on you if you tried to stop them. That all changed in the mid 90’s when I was introduced to four cats who moved to my hometown to chase their dreams as musicians.

It was the first time I connected with other like-minded and creative people who were also moved, if not propelled, by music. They acted and thought differently. Spending time with them at their practice space, on the road, and in the recording studio, I got to witness someone else’s creative process. It was like being baptized in a river of creativity for me.

Whenever I see Auguste Rodin's The Thinker, I'm reminded of that time of my life and them writing, creating, and “thinking about thinking”. Much like me, they too were artists just looking for a place to happen. Searching for their sound, searching for their voice, searching for a platform…searching.

Available through Park West Gallery.

At its core, a battle jacket is a visual autobiography. Each patch and pin tells a story, whether it's a favorite band's logo, a symbol of rebellion, or a memento from a memorable concert. The jacket evolves with the wearer, accumulating new additions that chronicle their musical journey. The act of creating and wearing a battle jacket is deeply personal, reflecting the individuality and passion of the owner.

Culture has also contributed to the popularity of battle jackets, encouraging individuals to express their creativity and individuality through their custom designs.

Available through Park West Gallery.

As if guided by the hands of destiny, my shuffle landed on three Fleetwood Mac songs in a row. This rare alignment felt like a sign from the rock gods, urging me to create some sort of Fleetwood-inspired piece. The final song, "Gypsy," gave birth to the visual interpretation that would become the centrepiece of this painting.

Available through Park West Gallery.

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Too gritty, too edgy, too dark, too rock and roll…these are all things I’ve heard from people inside the art industry over the years. During my conversations with publishers and gallery owners over the years, it was a frequent occurrence to hear that they loved my talent level but wanted me to pursue a different vibe and subject matter to suit their clientele. I even had one publisher try to convince me that the path to expanding my footprint was to do golf themed art (I couldn’t imagine a worse hell). Now, I don’t begrudge artists that tailor their art to the geographic location of the gallery (making money in this business is tough), but to me, that always felt like doing gift shop/souvenir art. There is no way that painting Flamingos for a Florida gallery could ever come from my heart. I’ll always believe art from your heart and soul hits differently.

That being said, I am human and very ambitious, so the temptation to appease some high-volume galleries does creep in from time to time. When those thoughts cross my mind, I usually turn to my man Jack White, and more specifically, his song “The White Raven”. Although he is very successful, I feel that Jack has always put his art before commerce and mega stardom. I can’t exactly put my finger on why, but this song is where I turn to remind myself that if you take care of the art, it will take care of you.

Thankfully, there are still many in the industry that subscribe to a different thought process and share the mindset of selling the artist and the ideas, not souvenirs. Not too long ago I had the privilege of spending an afternoon in L.A. tossing back drinks with a titan of the art industry and who has worked with some of the biggest music stars in the world, someone who I hold in high regard and whose opinion I take to heart. When he asked me why I was striving for galleries and events that wanted me to change my vibe, he profoundly stated…you don’t have the wrong art, you have the wrong dream.

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This piece, like most, came from a convergence of a few different things. First and foremost, I wanted to do another Elton inspired piece to mark the occasion of his farewell tour. I was initially torn between "Tiny Dancer" and "Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting". However, the scales tipped towards "Tiny Dancer" due to that epic scene in "Almost Famous" (also, coincidently, Elton and Britney Spears re-imagined this song while I was conceptualizing the piece).

The second piece of inspiration came from Ray and the Alberta Ballet. Generally a ballet would not be my preferred choice for an evening out, however, she convinced me to give it a try when they produced a series of performances set to famous rock musicians/bands. Featuring the music of bands such as The Hip, Bowie, and Elton, it was an easy sell to try this new way of enjoying my favorite music.

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The precursor to the famous devil horn hand gesture seen at rock concerts today was undoubtedly the peace sign gesture. Before the hard rock influence in the early 70s, in the late sixties rock scene, these gestures were synonymous with each other. Although it has taken a back seat for many years, it’s still widely used by musicians. It’s even been adopted by rock fashion icon, John Varvatos, as an official symbol of the brand – however, no one in rock is more associated with the symbol than possibly the most iconic drummer of all time, Ringo Starr of The Beatles. Ringo has made this gesture his own personal calling card and has even taken to sculpting a collection of his hand making the gesture, auctioning it off for charity.

After my “Ballerina, You Must Have Seen Her” piece, I was itching to re-visit the x-ray concept and this fit like a glove (pun intended). Like its predecessor, the x-ray image gives the gesture an edgier and more Stickman feel than just a painting of a hand.

The broken finger in this piece does have a social commentary wink – however, this is one of those cases where I prefer the viewer creates their own narrative.

In 1999, the chickens of my misspent youth had come home to roost. With no post-secondary education, no job, and no prospects I was forced to move back into my parent's home and fell into a very depressive era of my young life.

As music usually does for us, the right song found me at the right time. The Red Hot Chili Peppers had released Californication—their career-defining album that year. Although it was never a hit or even a single, there was a song on that album called “Porcelain” that I desperately needed. Although it wasn’t a blues song, it served the same purpose. Since I wasn’t ready to be lifted yet, this song came along and sat beside me, cracked a beer, and wallowed with me. Sometimes misery just wants company, and this piece is a nod to all those songs that just sit with us when we need it instead of trying to pick us up.

It’s easy to see the effect that spending time in Nashville has had on me in the last few years. The resurgence of outlaw country due to the likes of Posty, Jelly, Hardy, and Stapleton has brought the genre back into my purview. It's also probably leading all genres in face tattoos. The gritty rebellious vibe of these musicians who are mixing rock and blues into the country scene fit perfectly into my style.

This piece is a reflection of that rebellious new look combined with that old sound of Waylon, Merle, Willie, and the boys.

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I often think about the beginning at the end. When Aerosmith announced they were no longer touring, I knew I had to revisit Steven Tyler.

For years I've wanted to utilize his famed mug shot in a concept, but that was as far as it had gotten. This time around, I knew I wanted to do a young Steven at the start of his journey to legendary front man status. I reached out to my friend, famed rock photographer Robert Knight, and asked if he had anything in the vault of a young Tyler that would be available for reference. He came back with a bunch, but this one punched me in the mouth. It had as much rock 'n' roll as you could stuff into one photo – and his stance in the photo lent itself perfectly to incorporate the mug shot. The title lyric from 1976’s song "Last Child" was like a gift from above and fully completes the circle on what I wanted to convey.

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A man with cornrows and a sparkling one-piece jumper enters the venue to the sound of hundreds of thousands of adorning fans. The stage area is elbow to elbow with A-list celebrities before they retire to their champagne-filled luxury boxes to watch the show.

It’s opulent, dangerous, fast and loud…. This is not a music festival, it is a Formula 1 race, and it is every bit as cool.

Much like Nashville, the time I’ve spent in the Caribbean lately had also influenced me. After visiting a store operated by the family of Bob Marley, I was compelled enough by the presence of the Lion that I had to do some research on the connection. I was pleasantly surprised that this was not a personal mascot for Marley but rather a symbol of the Rastafarian religion with a connection to Ethiopia. From there this piece practically conceptualized itself.

When painting a piece inspired by Marley, you are painting a musical icon, a reggae icon, a national treasure, and to many, an almost religious figure.

A few months ago, I did a small two-part series about soundchecks and a particularly wild soundcheck I attended. Not only did the series do quite well, it was also a pleasure to paint, checking a lot of boxes that exemplify my vibe and style. Following the advice of “If it ain't broke”, I decided to revisit the idea with a different song from the band it tips a cap to.

To get the full narrative of this piece, and the two before it (and a great rock n roll story), I encourage you to check out my piece titled “Monkey Man”.

I'm pretty sure I have a good idea what Ozzy was singing about on Sabbath’s 1970 hit “Paranoid”. As a huge fan of the band, I'm always on the lookout for ways to project their influence on me in my work. That inspiration came due to a series of events over the last few years that I'm sure the boys in Sabbath couldn’t even imagine back in the 70s.

With COVID, presidential campaign assignation attempts, drones, chemical fog, WEF, January 6, Diddy, Epstein...the list goes on and on. I couldn’t help but feel compelled to do a piece on the state of the world through a Sabbath lens.

Another edition to the historic venue series. As probably the most famous music venue on the planet, this piece is overdue. The kick in the ass I needed came a few months ago while I was travelling down Sunset for my event. At the same time, Motley Crue was loading in for their Hollywood Takeover series of club shows.

The venue itself has had books written and documentaries made about it, so there is no point in me opining on its significance. But I can say that since the 1960s, bands have held playing this venue in the same regard as playing some famous arenas or even stadiums.

Make no mistake—this piece is therapy. I am one of those cats who uses their emotions as fuel for their art, and often, those emotions consist of a huge chip on my shoulder. In 2017, Rise Against released a song titled “Wolves.” Over the years, this song has become an anthem about two individuals in my life who fit the description of this painting perfectly. The song and the painting have both become therapeutic for me.

While conceptualizing this piece, it also occurred to me that this was a rare opportunity to paint a portrait of someone everyone knows personally.

For the record, I don’t think disco sucks. On the contrary, I believe it significantly contributed to the wildest era and location for music in history—New York City in the 70s. The juxtaposition of Bianca Jagger on a white horse inside disco mecca Studio 54 while three miles south the filth and the fury of punk rock was seeping out of the walls of CBGB perfectly portrays the creative explosion and chaos of this magical time.

Although I was quite young, I distinctly remember the “Disco Sucks” movement. Even in my small corner of Edmonton, Alberta, it started appearing on t-shirts, bumper stickers, and of course, graffiti. The movement grew to a breaking point on July 12, 1979. Disco Demolition Night was a Chicago White Sox promotion at Comiskey Park that ended in a riot. At the climax of the event, a crate filled with disco records was blown up on the field between games of the two-night doubleheader against the Detroit Tigers. Many had come to see the explosion rather than the games and rushed onto the field after the detonation. The playing field was so damaged by the explosion and by the rioters that the White Sox were required to forfeit the second game to the Tigers.

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In 1990, Depeche Mode released one of my favorite albums of all time: Violator. This album has been on high rotation since I was 16 years old, and I've been staring at the pop art red rose on a black background on cassettes, CD, streaming, and vinyl ever since. The artwork is brilliant in both its simplicity and juxtaposition of the cursive written title.

This piece reflects the change that time has on youthful ignorance and exuberance, when things were simpler and the future was the weekend. My objective is to show the effects life has on us, as we are no longer blessed with that willful ignorance.

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This piece started from the outside in. The actual concept of this piece is not the anaglyph skull center piece, but rather the painted frame edges. The idea was to pay homage to the red-tufted Naugahyde booths that sit against the wall in the legendary Whiskey A Go Go on the Sunset Strip.

You would be hard-pressed to find any place in the world that has sat more rock royalty than these five booths along the back wall of rock's most prestigious venue.

Although almost an addendum, the anaglyph skull is a continuation of my skull series that scratches the itch for a higher-end appearance that lends itself to different display areas.

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Original: Sold

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I'm sure most bands' opinions of soundchecks would differ, but I have always liked the vibe and looseness of a soundcheck. That’s where this piece started, the initial intention was a nod to the soundcheck.

Almost as soon as the soundcheck idea came to mind, I knew I had to reference the most rock 'n’ roll soundcheck experience and one of my all-time favorite rock stories from the mid-90s.

I was lucky enough to be in attendance for one of my favorite bands of all time at a music festival in Penticton B.C. The start of the session wasn’t too different from all the others, except that their charismatic lead man hadn’t yet arrived. The band lost the member the night before in Kelowna and had no idea where he was (this was before cell phones were an everyday item). He eventually showed in classic rock star fashion—in a limo with a few female fans in tow. As he took the stage, I noticed he only had on one boot and was mumbling and 'humming' (see what I did there) somewhat incoherently to get the mic sounds required.

Rest assured, a few hours later he came out and put on the most blistering performance I’ve ever witnessed. That’s as rock star as it gets.

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It's not often a commission request feels like the collector reached into my head and grabbed an idea, but that is exactly what happened with this piece. After a short conversation, a collector asked if I would consider doing a whiskey glass piece that incorporated Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd’s "Dark Side of the Moon". My response? Say less.

The concept fell into place in record time as I poured a glass of Bullet Bourbon, dimmed the lights, lit one up, and spun Dark Side.

My taste in music is simple—if it's loud, it's cool. For some reason, I never outgrew my love for loud decibel levels that disturb neighbors. One song that stands out from the rest when it comes to loud music is ACDC’s “Shoot to Thrill.” It has been my go-to song for testing a new audio system for as long as I can remember.

That’s where this one was born—I approached this piece by trying to paint loud (if that makes any sense). It was serendipitous that the song I find synonymous with loud volumes also comes from a band that regularly used cannons in their live shows and visuals of cannons throughout their illustrious career. Once again, all the pieces fit like a puzzle.

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After consecutive weekends seeing amazing rock and roll club shows in L.A. and Austin, I was feeling that vibe of the classic no-hold-barred club shows that I loved as a youth. That’s where the inspiration for this piece came. After just finishing my soundcheck piece titled “The Monkey Man” I decided a sister painting to that piece would fit perfectly.

The concept isn’t too complicated, I just wanted to give that throwback feeling, and a cigarette in a guitar neck seemed to fit the vibe I was chasing perfectly.

The title reference is a song from one of my favorite rock bands, Buckcherry, which fell into my lap like a Tetris piece and perfectly closed the circle on the piece.

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I'm no prophet, but I can state with a good degree of certainty that you were dressed in black the last time you attended a rock concert. That’s the thing about rock 'n' roll, we feel a part of it, part of its history, attitude, and aesthetic. We feel more than just attendees of a rock show - we are part of the act. No matter how colorful our daily attire may be, without any prior official notification, thousands of fans will adhere to the unwritten rule and wear the same uniform. It’s the only color acceptable when rebellion and attitude is the backdrop for the show.

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When Mireille (Ray) and I met, our first common bond was our love for music. Very early on in our relationship (she hadn’t even told anyone I existed yet), we decided to throw caution to the wind and book a trip to the BottleRock music festival in Napa. It was a sink-or-swim moment for us. It was at this festival that we both felt like there was something special between us.

Fast forward eight and half years, I was searching for a way to conceptualize the special feeling of a day at a music festival. When the weather is perfect, and the lineup is amazing, there is no place on earth I would rather be. The energy and atmosphere are almost impossible to describe let alone try to paint.

That’s when I remembered this photo in my phone from that festival - it perfectly encapsulated the feeling I wanted to convey. Although a blurry old selfie photo can never do her justice, it’s the feeling of that summer festival that I wanted to try and capture.

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Unbeknownst to me, when I embarked on this piece there are many songs called "Sparkle and Shine" – most are bright and upbeat. You should know me better than that. This piece was inspired by the music and message of Canadian band Econoline Crush, and its subject matter is quite a bit heavier.

It touches on the pressures one puts on themselves when their art becomes a source of income for them and those surrounding them. When these pressures to provide content intersect with mental health or substance abuse, the artist often forgoes the self-care they need to keep the machine going. Sometimes these pressures come from within, and in some cases, they come from the management arm. The chorus of the song sums it up better than I ever could – “Killed by ambition, sacrificed for fame, one more time, sparkle and shine”.

I’ve taken to discussing mental health when I get up in front of an audience at events. It's something I'm affected by and my piece "Welcome To My Breakdown" was created solely to start the conversations that helped me through some of my darkest days.

One thing that's came from this discussion is the number of veterans who approached me after to talk about the effects of PTSD on themselves or their loved ones. I've been asked many times if I would consider doing a piece for those struggling veterans. After a conversation where I learned that an individual had attempted to end their life twice, how could I say no?

For the concept, I took a Banksy strategy. His approach of adding some levity to a serious issue through whismy or straight up sarcasm is something I admire. While listening to a song called “ Devil in My Ear” by the Red Clay Strays the idea of my childhood little green plastic army men in a solemn pose jumped into my mind.

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Sometimes after the initial concept seed is planted, the final pieces take months or even years to fall into place. This is not one of those. This piece was conceptualized almost instantly. I am astutely aware that my collection, like rock 'n' roll itself, is under-representing female artists. For this reason, I'm always on high alert for content that helps change that.

This piece is simply an image that jumped into my head while listening to Pat Benetar's rock classic "Hit Me with Your Best Shot". Something about the line – “put another notch in my lipstick case” jumped out as not only a great lyric, but a bad ass comment from a badass entertainer. From this seed, the rest of the concept fell into my lap when the chorus concludes with "Fire Away". Initially, a bullet entered my mind, but I knew that concept had been done numerous times before and it just didn’t have the mass destruction element I wanted for this piece – a missile or rocket was the clear choice.

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Original: Sold

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The mighty Kieth Richards once stated in an interview that the rowdiest entertainers he ever came across on the road were the old, gritty outlaw country musicians, like Haggard, Jennings, Cash, etc. Lore has their antics surpassing those of the Stones, Zeppelin and other bands that were touring in the late 60s through the 70s.

As the son of a cattle man, these are the guys that I remember most growing up. The authentic sounding songs about booze, women and sorrow streaming from our obscenely large cabinet style record player.

Admittedly, country music lost me for many years as the genre seemed to trade in tattered hats and grizzled beards for backwards baseball hats and tank tops, and the music seemed more pop than country, in my opinion. In the last few years however, I’ve had the privilege of spending some time in Nashville and I’ve been pleased to see a real resurgence in traditional sounding country—artists like Sturgill Simpson, Luke Combs, Red Clay Strays, Chris Stapleton and even a few outlaws such as Tim Montana and Kid Rock (yes, Kid Rock) have re-invigorated my love for an authentic heartstring-pulling country tune.

This is the third minimalist skull in a sub series of pieces that are fast becoming some of my favorite to paint. There is something about the negative space, the simplicity of the overall concept juxtaposed by the complexity of the detail that really gives it a stylized feel that I dig. This piece is a product of a rainy day and going down a Joy Division rabbit hole.

I hadn’t planned on revisiting this series so soon but once Ian Curtis’ haunting voice on Dead Souls filled the air of my studio, I was compelled to entertain the idea. Three songs later as "Glass" was now clapping off the walls, this concept was born.

I’m positive this sub series will continue to live on – they definitely “Keep Calling Me”.

Lately, everything seems to be coming up Nashville. I’m no exception – I've been to the music city multiple times this year. Whenever I get to spend some time in a city with strong musical roots, the inspiration is sure to follow. With the combination of a new rock 'n' roll influence and a resurgence in traditional sounding country, Nashville is quickly starting to feel like home for me.

Being a place with so many historic venues, honky tonks and recording studios, I decided to return to a small sub series of pieces where I depict a famous music venue. I contemplated the historic Ryman Auditorium or the Grand Ole Opry, but I’ve always been more of a dive bar honky-tonk type of guy – the iconic Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge fit the bill perfectly.

I could probably write a novel on the significance of this purple oasis across the alley from the Ryman – and I’m sure many have. In the simplest of explanations, it is country music’s answer to Los Angeles’ Whiskeya Go-Go or New York’s CBGB. The talent that has appeared beneath the light of Tootsie’s “Neon Moon” is unrivaled.

In 2017, I was fortunate enough to visit the Louvre. It was there that I was inspired to embark on my Rock Gods sub series. One statue that stuck out was the Venus Di Milo. From the second I saw it, I knew I had to paint it when the right concept presented itself. Seven years later, it did.

I have become very aware of the lack of female presence in my collection (which is probably proportional to the actual rock music genre). This realization was an opportunity to circle back to the Venus Di Milo sculpture and merge the classic Aphrodite with some of the most prominent female rock musicians in history. This concept allowed me to pay homage to Joan Jett, Patti Smith, Stevie Nicks, Tina Turner, Debbie Harry (Blondie) and to add some contemporary artists who have shown some real rock 'n' roll chops of late – Miley Cyrus and Halsey.

After reading the new biography of one of my favorite musicians, I noticed something was missing from this one that was very present in all the other biographies I’ve read. There was no chaos or discord. For me, part of the romance of rock 'n' roll is the juxtaposition of beauty with chaos. This led me down the rabbit hole of the origin of these traits. Knowing that almost everything comes from ancient mythology, I assumed there was an origin story of the emergence of mayhem. I wasn’t disappointed.

After being snubbed from attending the wedding of Thetis and Peleus, the goddess, Eris, crashed the wedding and tossed a golden apple with an inscription that read “kallisti” or “the fairest” among the guests. The chaos that ensued as the women fought for the apple is known as the origin of discord.

This piece also gave me a chance to give a Stickman style wink to the tradition of still life fruit paintings, as well as MC Escher’s famous reflecting sphere.

Over the years, the clenched fist has adopted many meanings – from strength to defiance to solidarity. It is easy to see why some of the social commentary style musicians have often used the image – most notably Rage Against the Machine and my personal favorite, Rise Against. Although I can’t say I always align with the position or the use of the symbol, I do love how artists can use their craft to express their views. I’ve been a fan of this genre of music since Woody Guthrie declared his guitar a machine for killing fascists.

This piece started as a nod to the above but a secondary meaning uncovered itself when I drove past a mural and saw some graffiti that said “protect your heart” – my mind went directly to "protect your art" and I decided to add an autobiographical element to the piece as well as message to all artists entering the business side of the art game. Far too many artists can tell a story of bad business decisions at the start of their journey where they lost money or rights to their works. I am certainly one.

For a long time, I wanted to find a way to honor the tradition of destroying instruments at the end of a set without simply painting the act itself. It is rumored that Pete Townsend was the originator – but for me, Paul Stanley made the introduction in the late 70’s. Since then, the torch seems to have been passed on to generation after generation. To steal a comment from Nirvana, there are no encores when there are no instruments.

The concept revealed itself to me while researching a different painting. As I was searching for inspiration and images for that other piece, I stumbled across a photo of Bernini’s statue of David. I immediately made the connection of the statue’s position to the art of smashing a guitar.

After doing my preliminary studies for the piece, a second meaning also revealed itself to me. The statue’s original concept is using a sling to slay a giant. I couldn’t help but make a connection to one of my favorite artists - a drummer who used guitar to slay the giant expectations of his career success in Nirvana…of course both the statue and the musician share the name David.

If laughter is the best medicine, then music is a very close second. I’m sure I’m not alone, whether mad, glad or sad, we reach out to find a soundtrack that either supports our state of mind or pulls us out of it. Anecdotally, music has helped me through the most difficult challenges in my life - both physically and mentally.

The x-ray concept is not new to me - this is the third piece in this sub series. This series allows me to pay homage to some periphery rock imagery while giving it that edgier vibe that I always strive for.

As for the unique background on this piece, the colored skulls are there to give a Stickman version nod to famed contemporary artist Damien Hirst’s polka dot series. I added them to this concept simply because the image jumped into my head at 3am on a sleepless night.

I’ve been conceptualizing this piece for over 10 years – it has made it to the easel twice, only to be discarded. There is something about this lyrical play on words that really resonates with me and the visual makes a perfect pop art piece with some social commentary attached to it.

The best part of music or art is when the viewer or listener can find a piece of themselves in the work – that’s what the Smashing Pumpkins “Bullet with Butterfly Wings” does for me. The song expresses the futility of anger within a large and powerful system – which is something we are seeing today in the current political arena. A bullet traveling with butterfly wings becomes harmless despite its intentions or potential.

I’m sure I speak for most when I say we all go through short periods of obsessing over a genre of music. I’ll routinely hear friends and family claim they are currently on a country kick, or a hip kick, etc. I found myself on one of these kicks a few months back where I was searching for very beautiful, albeit dark or morose, feeling of music. I was spinning Carina Round, Depeche Mode’s “Memento Mori”, some low tempo NIN, and probably surprising to a lot of you – Halsey’s “If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power”, produced by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross (which explains why the album was such a departure from her earlier pop offerings).

For the concept, I challenged myself to create the visual equivalent of some of these very dark and beautiful songs. As I laid on my studio couch with my weed and wine, Halsey’s voice hauntingly kept repeating “all of this is temporary” as I stared at a lighted skull candle in front of me. The piece was literally staring me in the face. From there I needed to add some accompanying visuals that would also have to be temporary – the flowers filled that bill, not only for their life span, but to bring beauty to the dark.

Some pieces take years to fully conceptualize – others come at you like they are shot out of a gun (pun intended). This concept hit me almost immediately after hearing a story about Pablo Picasso:

Inspired by the lifestyle of French writer Alfred Jarry, who also carried a loaded revolver, Picasso reportedly fired blanks at admirers who pestered him with questions about the meaning behind his paintings or insulted the memory of fellow artist Paul Cézanne, whom the Spaniard greatly admired.

This legend is tough to fully confirm. However, while researching this piece there were numerous stories that made the above probable, and the enigmatic persona itself easily cemented him into my Rebels portfolio.

The first reference I saw that correlated the Greek god Dionysus to the rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle was from Jim Morrison in the late 1960’s. With Dionysus being the god of wine, pleasure, festivity, madness, frenzy, and chaos, it’s easy to see why Jim often compared himself to the deity. It’s not a stretch to think that if rock ‘n’ roll and the decadence that comes along with it was around in the ancient times it would surely be included.

When tasked to do a signature piece for one of my favorite and most inspirational locations – the Sunset Strip in L.A., my imagination immediately jumped to using Dionysus as a focal point. In my mind, if the god walked the earth in the 20th century, he would have undoubtedly felt most at home wandering the strip in West Hollywood.

From there, I wanted to tie in a symbol that would represent the chaos and decadence of our time on the Sunset Strip. Using Slash’s iconic top hat fit perfectly - anyone who knows his story or has read his biography could tell you that, in addition to being the living embodiment of rock ‘n’ roll, he also fits the frenzy and madness descriptors of Dionysus himself.

Doing another Alice Cooper tribute is a no-brainer – I believe he’s one of the few entertainers keeping the great rock spectacle alive, and doing so with vaudeville itself. One only needs to read the inspiration behind my first Alice Cooper piece titled, “In My Eyes, Blood Drops looks like Roses”, to know how big a fan I truly am.

This piece, however, came from a different inspiration. It has literally been staring at me for the last 10 months, as this bust sits in my office.

Years ago, I walked into the John Varvatos store in New York at 315 Bowery, the former location of the famous CBGB’s. In the store stood a five-foot-tall Statue of Liberty with its eyes painted black like Alice Cooper and I immediately fell in love with the décor idea (I even tried to buy it then and there but was denied). Last year, when I came across a ceramic Greek bust, I immediately knew I had to do something similar for my own home.

The first layer of this piece is a commentary on the evolution of popular musicians. A 'where we were versus where we are' mash up of two true geniuses.

It takes a lot for a hip hop or pop star to grab my attention, but something about Post Malone caught me right from the first time I heard “White Iverson”. This cat just hit different for me. Since then, I’ve seen him transform himself into the most diverse artists on the scene. In doing so, he started to gravitate to some of my favorite rock icons. From duets with Ozzy, covering Sabbath, and teaming up with Travis Barker for an epic lockdown basement concert, he showed not only his rock and roll chops but also a guitar ability that had even YouTube virtuosos commending his skills. In today’s music industry he is as close to a renaissance man as there is.

When I embarked on possible concepts to honor Posty, I stumbled across a post that stated, “Post Malone looks like Beethoven on crack”. This concept was instantly born. With the recent statue concepts I’ve been playing with, this mashup of Beethoven with Posty’s face tattoos fit like a Tetris piece.

As a realist who has done several figurative and portrait pieces, I find it common for collectors to ask if I've ever attempted a self-portrait. It had crossed my mind but the thought of staring at my mug for several hours always discouraged the idea – I knew if I attempted it, it would have to be a unique concept.

This concept finally landed with a little help from David Bowie’s performance at the VMA’s in 2006. He showed up on stage in a torn suit and bandaged up. As far as I know, he never did explain the meaning behind the visual. I liked the idea of a seeming conclusion to an event and letting the viewer fill in the story of how the subject ended up in this predicament. By breaking the piece up into a three-piece series it also gives a Pulp Fiction-type feel that I gravitated to.

As an added inspiration, it also gives a nod to my misspent youth - running around Northeast Edmonton in the early nineties where one often found themselves in a state such as this.

Contact sales@parkwestgallery.com for details.

“Like a slug from a forty-five
True death, 400 horsepower
Of maximum performance
Piercing the night
This is black sunshine.”

Damn, that’s cool. I’ve been looking for a way to incorporate my favorite White Zombie song “Black Sunshine” with this epic intro by Iggy Pop into a piece for a long time (it also happens to be the fitting nickname I gave my black convertible).

The actual seed for this concept came from a few different places. The first was Ray’s realization that the blue reflection in another piece of mine, titled Silver Machine, was the sun shining through our backyard window onto the skull. I leaned on that as a starting point. The second piece of inspiration came from the Basquiat print titled Black Skull I have hanging in my dining room. When I realized this was a fitting concept for my long-awaited White Zombie nod, it all came together. This piece is another shining example (pardon the pun) of numerous ideas and inspirations all converging into a singular image, and hopefully, vibe.

Since I started with Iggy’s epic intro, I might as well leave you with his equally epic outro:

“Finally, nothing moves high noon
Black top rolling below the asphalt drive
A concrete fascination scraping the edge of nothing
This is black sunshine.”

I’m a sucker for an image that is dripping with attitude and grit. When I came across Robert McKnight’s photo series of Slash sitting on some stairs with a cigarette sporting an extra-long ash, I knew I had to reach out and get the proper permissions to reimagine it as a Stickman-style painting.

Although I have painted Slash many times before, this was the first time I took an approach to him in Velvet Revolver. I'm sure it doesn’t change much for the viewer, but due to the studio's playlist, research, and overall vibe of the piece, the artist almost seems like a different person. This phenomenon has happened a few times with artists such as Ozzy and Maynard James Keenan.

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As a realist who has done several figurative and portrait pieces, I find it common for collectors to ask if I've ever attempted a self-portrait. It had crossed my mind but the thought of staring at my mug for several hours always discouraged the idea – I knew if I attempted it, it would have to be a unique concept.

This concept finally landed with a little help from David Bowie’s performance at the VMA’s in 2006. He showed up on stage in a torn suit and bandaged up. As far as I know, he never did explain the meaning behind the visual. I liked the idea of a seeming conclusion to an event and letting the viewer fill in the story of how the subject ended up in this predicament. By breaking the piece up into a three-piece series it also gives a Pulp Fiction-type feel that I gravitated to.

As an added inspiration, it also gives a nod to my misspent youth - running around Northeast Edmonton in the early nineties where one often found themselves in a state such as this.

Contact sales@parkwestgallery.com for details.

As a realist who has done several figurative and portrait pieces, I find it common for collectors to ask if I've ever attempted a self-portrait. It had crossed my mind but the thought of staring at my mug for several hours always discouraged the idea – I knew if I attempted it, it would have to be a unique concept.

This concept finally landed with a little help from David Bowie’s performance at the VMA’s in 2006. He showed up on stage in a torn suit and bandaged up. As far as I know, he never did explain the meaning behind the visual. I liked the idea of a seeming conclusion to an event and letting the viewer fill in the story of how the subject ended up in this predicament. By breaking the piece up into a three-piece series it also gives a Pulp Fiction-type feel that I gravitated to.

As an added inspiration, it also gives a nod to my misspent youth - running around Northeast Edmonton in the early nineties where one often found themselves in a state such as this.

Contact sales@parkwestgallery.com for details.

Being born on Dec. 24 and passing on Dec.28, it’s easy to see why I get a little nostalgic and reflective about Motorhead’s Lemmy Kilmister around Christmas. This year was no different, with the exception that I started spinning some pre-Motorhead Lem in the studio by one of his early bands – the bad ass futuristic Hawkwind. While listening to “Silver Machine” at an ear splitting level, I reached for a bottle of wine from the bar and a silver skull decoration we’ve had for years was staring me in the face.

Sometimes the inspiration comes as easy as that. Although I was stoked to paint the silver skull, I was equally stoked to be one of the few rock and roll artists who can say they have a piece inspired by freaking Hawkwind.

One of the biggest rock stars of my generation wasn’t known for music at all. Anthony Bourdain may not have been known for music, but his charisma and devil may care attitude made him as cool as any lead singer I’ve seen.

I’m not much of a foodie so I was probably a late adopter of Anthony, but as an avid traveler his collection of shows became a guide that Ray and I would use frequently.

For the concept, I wanted to give a nod to the travel aspect of his celebrity, and Paris just seemed to make sense. With his stardom coming from a French restaurant in NYC, to the place of his passing, it just seemed to work, especially with the glass of wine I wanted to portray. For the color palette, I turned to Anthony’s favorite song (reportedly), "Anemone" by the Brian Jonestown Massacre. The melancholy vibe of the song made the greys and blues pop into my head.

As a bonus during the painting of this piece I downloaded a playlist of Anthony’s favorite music, and it was the greatest surprise and one last gift. The list was an unapologetic New York assortment of genres that included Lou Reed, The New York Dolls, Marvin Gaye, Iggy Pop, etc.

Original: Sold

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A little different, a lot of fun. When I received a commission request to turn the Monopoly icon into a Stickman themed version, my head filled with possibilities. Although I don’t do many straight up pop art pieces, this concept allowed me to scratch a few different itches. First, it was an opportunity to put my spin on a popular style and subject matter that was out of my regular box—I love doing this to give a wink and a nod to some of the other visual artists out there that I respect and admire, all while giving it that Stickman edge and rock feeling. The second was to take a short mental vacation from the tedious style I typically focus on.

The creative freedom of a piece like this allowed for so many rock ‘n’ roll tributes—it became so full of Easter eggs that a search and find game appeared. 

So, let’s play a game:

There are nine references to either rock icons or classic rock bands (one fictional) in this piece. There are no crossovers between a Monopoly reference and a band (for example the “car” monopoly player piece is NOT a reference for the Cars). The iconic rock venues in the background Monopoly property cards are also not references to any band.

How many can you find?

The answer key can be found on the blog section of the Stickman website https://www.stickmanfineart.com/blog/2024/1/8/boardwalk-empire-answer-key

Another day – another Motley piece. This one was more about trying to convey some movement, chaos, and emotion. This piece followed a recent Slash piece that was also dripping with a rock 'n' roll attitude. I enjoyed doing it so much that it needed an addendum.

The approach was a little different for me as I went with a loose style rather than my usual realism style to help with some of the emotion and movement. Tommy himself is always such a great subject as he, like Slash, seems to have rock 'n' roll seeping out of him – he can't help but be the poster boy for the tattoo that is tattooed across his abdomen – Mayhem.

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“Rock n’ roll’s got to be like Jack Daniels. You need to feel it burn.” – Nikki Sixx

One of the reasons I gravitate so much to the rock and rebellion vibe is because I find rock n’ roll supersedes music and seeps into many other aspects of our lives. We can feel that vibe in clothing with items like leather jackets, in transportation choices such as motorcycles (most notably Harley Davidson), and most certainly in spirits in the form of Jack Daniels.

Jack became synonymous with rock n’ roll years ago with an unexpected endorsement from Frank Sinatra, which many believe may have been the first celebrity endorsement. From there, it snowballed into a legacy and an unofficial partnership with music. There was a time when a bottle of Jack was as common on stage as a Marshall stack.

A while back, I was researching a Sintra piece when I stumbled across Jack Daniels biography titled, “Blood and Whiskey” – and just like a kick in the head, this concept was born.

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I probably needed to do another Stones piece as much as I need one more bourbon at last call…but both will probably continue to happen.

By this point, there is no use in me talking about the Stones and their influence on music and pop culture. So, I'll just say that this piece is simply me wanting to do an action piece of Keith in the Medusa-style sub-series that I have come to enjoy creating.

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When I was scheduled for a show in San Diego, I decided to do a couple regional signature pieces for the occasion. The first was a no brainier in hometown hero Eddie Vedder, but when researching artist with close ties to the area, I came across Tom Waits. Although he wasn’t born in San Diego, his roots are deep as it's where he began singing on the folk circuit.

Tom is one of those characters that are unique in every way possible. A true artist's artist. His voice is unlike any other, his look is incomparable, and his writing chops put him up there with the greats of any genre of music. Tom is one of those cats that blurs all the lines of art - he is a composer, musician, songwriter, and actor.

I’m lost for words trying to describe this man so I will leave you with his introduction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Introducing him, Neil young said, "This next man is indescribable, and I'm here to describe him. He's sort of a performer, singer, actor, magician, spirit guide, changeling... I think it's great that the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has recognized this immense talent. Could have been the Motion Picture Hall of Fame, could have been the Blues Hall of Fame, could have been the Performance Artist Hall of Fame, but it was the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame that recognized the great Tom Waits." 

The brilliance of Prince is always mesmerizing to me. I've often talked about how he played every instrument on his debut album at only 18 years old—as someone who doesn't play an instrument, this is mind-boggling.

I've painted Prince a few times before but with those pieces tied up contractually with another publisher, I didn’t have one in my independent portfolio. I knew that had to change after coming across the Prince flagship store in the Minneapolis airport.

Anyone who has visited the store will immediately recognize the guitar centerpiece in this painting. It was the first thing I saw from across the shopping area and a beacon of light shone on it like a treasure in a movie.

As I entered the store, the big screens were playing Prince's legendary guitar solo of "My Guitar Gently Weeps" from the 2004 Rock and Roll Hall Fame induction ceremony with Tom Petty, Jeff Lynne, and Dhani Harrison. This performance has since been acclaimed as one of the most iconic moments in the history of the ceremony.

Anyone who has seen this performance, and knows me, will tell you there was no way I was leaving that airport without a new Prince concept.

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I have a theory – regardless of your starting point, your appreciation for Tom Petty will always grow as you age. Since my starting point was high in the first place, saying I’m a fan is an understatement. The seed for this piece started shortly after his death in 2017. I was sent footage of the Florida Gator fans' heartwarming tradition of singing “Won’t Back Down” at the end of the third quarter at a UF home game. This tradition brings me chills every time I see it – it had to make it onto my canvas in one way or another.

This concept gives a nod to Tom’s hometown and Gator pride, but I also wanted to show how unapologetically rock ‘n’ roll this hall-of-famer really was. When I came across a photo from 1979 from famed rock photographer Adrian Boot, I immediately started the licensing process to use this image as a reference. The image contains everything esthetically cool about rock ‘n’ roll – long hair, sunglasses, bandana, leather jacket, snakeskin belt, pack of gigs, and most importantly, an expression full of attitude. This image could be a coat of arms for no nonsense rock ‘n’ roll.

As per usual, this concept developed from two different ideas. Ever since Baz Luhrmann’s movie “Elvis” was released, my love for Elvis was re-invigorated. It’s easy to find new love and inspiration for a character that goes through so many changes over the years – and the movie really made me more appreciative of the late sixties early 70s era. Aesthetically, it was the coolest version of the man for my tastes (wearing the black leather suit on the comeback special helped and shouldn’t surprise anyone that knows me or my art).

The other conceptual idea I had was to pay homage to the first iteration of the pageantry of music – the 45 single record. For my generation, this was usually our introduction to owning music. I have fond memories of running to Abbottsfield mall when I was able to scrounge together a $1.50. From here I had the idea to go back to a culturally changing moment (by now we all know Elvis didn’t invent rock 'n' roll – but he did assist in bringing it to the forefront of pop culture) and pay homage to Sam Phillips and Sun Records' release of Elvis' first single “That’s All Right”.

(Painting was titled by Scott Gutterman, author of “John Lennon: The Collected Artwork”)

It’s no secret that I have a slight infatuation with the music scene of New York in the 70s. With the emergence and intersection of punk, glam, disco and rock, it seemed like a magical creative place and time. I’ve leaned on this vibe numerous times in the past for concepts, so when tasked to come up with a signature piece for some upcoming shows and events in New York – I went to the familiar well once more.

John Lennon being a transplant seems like an odd choice for this concept, however, Lennon’s New York years throughout the 70s brought some of my favorite visual representations of him. Post psychedelia era, the NY “peace and love” years not only brought a new musical direction but a different style and vibe that I really gravitate to.

Lennon’s style during this period was a departure from the colorful explosion of the

Sgt.Pepper years as he traded in his iridescent green admiral jacket for denim and fatigues. This fit perfectly with not only the political atmosphere of the time, but also the monochromatic concept I had in mind. The drab fatigues sit perfectly in the wheelhouse of my preferred gritty color pallet.

I’m not going to profess being a big Taylor Swift fan, that would be very disingenuous —I’m not a hater, just not really my vibe. However, with all the hype surrounding her and the Era’s tour there are a few things that started to hit home for me, and if nothing more, made me see her in a different light.

First, I’ll champion any artist who is instrumental in their art from cradle to grave. Taylor does this in spades. Unlike some pop stars, the fact that she writes, plays instruments and helps produce her own music immediately sets her apart from my perception of pop music. I would be remiss if I didn’t say these are the reasons I tend to gravitate to rock music.

Second, and most importantly, would be her fight for her music and her rights as an artist. This issue seeps into my world as well, with a lot of artists not having full control over their works. Her fight for her music is no different than Motley Crue’s own fight for their catalog that lasted for years. I can’t think of anything more rock and roll than that. The lyrics from the song “Vigilante” fit this narrative like a studded leather glove and was an easy title choice.

For the concept itself, I enlisted some Swifties for information on how I could make this piece a little more rock and roll and fit the Stickman vibe —they quickly suggested the Reputation tour as the era to focus on. Once I saw the knee-high leather boots and stage attire, everything fell into place and I had my concept.

Original: Sold

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About:

On a perfect July summer day, two of my closest friends and I set out on the highway to say our final goodbyes to a dear friend. Two of us in my convertible sports car, the other on his Harley, barreled down the highway. It was a strange mix of emotions, we knew it would be a tough farewell since he was still young, but also that it would be a celebration of who he was. The perfection of that Friday afternoon added to the scene like it was carefully directed—even the shuffle option on my Apple Music felt the gravity of this trip as it laid out the consummate soundtrack.

As I watched my friend on his Street Glide Special backdropped by the rock music streaming out of my speakers, it felt like the image of freedom and rebellion that my art, and the rock genre in general, is all about. I knew at that moment I had to find a way to honor motorcycle culture’s synergy with rock ‘n’ roll. 

When I got home that evening, I set out to conceptualize my new piece. As I perused images of rock stars and their bikes, I was divinely struck by this image of Jimi Hendrix on a bike. My jaw dropped as I realized that my first bonding experience with the friend we laid to rest was a discussion about Jimi Hendrix while listening to “Crosstown Traffic”.

It is almost embarrassing that a Canadian artist has taken so long to do a piece of someone as cool as Leonard Cohen.

This piece came from two entirely different points of inspiration; The first was a statement recently made by a gallery that decided not to carry my work because it was too dark. Later that same day, the universe threw me one of my favorite Cohen songs – “You Want It Darker”. Just like that, the Leonard Cohen seed was planted.

As I researched concepts, I decided to give a literal “hats off” to one of the people that has helped me get to where I am today. She once told me that Cohen was one of her favorite entertainers and I would often follow up our meetings with – “and then we take Berlin”

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Original: Available - Signed by Rick Nielsen of Cheap Trick

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A few years back I embarked on a sub series of paintings depicting some of the most prominent instruments in rock ‘n’ roll. I, of course, started with arguably the most famous guitar in the world - Van Halen’s Frankenstrat - and from there expanded to Bonzo’s drums, Randy’s polka dot Flying V and so on. As I thought about Contactall the instruments whose fame was on a level with the performers who used them, Rick Nielsen’s ridiculous checkerboard five neck guitar crossed my mind multiple times.

Fast forward a few years and I received a call to participate in a classic rock festival in South Florida with Cheap Trick as the headliner. When the promoter expressed interest in me creating a piece to mark the occasion, I responded with an emphatic yes before he could even finish his sentence. I proceeded to tell him I’ve been planning this piece for years and “I’ll shine up my old brown shoes” and “I’ll put on a brand new shirt”.

Original: Sold

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Miles Davis said, “It’s not the notes you play; it’s the notes you don’t play.” This is something you hear from musicians from time to time about the space between the notes. Artists also have a similar relationship with the power of negative space. Sometimes it’s the negative space in a piece that gives it its vibe. I’ve been conceptualizing using this practice for some time, and in this piece I was able to have much of the canvas close to empty.

Another Gord piece isn’t much of a stretch for a Canadian artist that focuses on living in a rock and roll space. This is pretty much a follow up single to my first Gord piece. In that initial piece, I wanted a fierce and intense version of the man who had vigilantly fought glioblastoma while he embarked on a cross Canada curtain call. However, for this concept I wanted to portray the other side of him. I wanted to capture that incomparable stage presence, the poetic ad libbing linguist, and the ever-complicated relationship with his microphone stand - who couldn’t understand that it wasn’t a man.

It’s arrogant to think you can speak for a large percentage of a population, but I’m probably not far off saying that a lot of us, at one time or another since his passing, have “looked up to the lord above and said, hey man, thanks”.

I’ve been a fan of The Doors for as long as I can remember (before Oliver Stone’s biopic in the early 90’s). A lot of artists are drawn to Jim Morrison and The Doors - there is something to the mysticism and chaos that I think hits artists differently. I’ve painted Jim many times prior to this, going back to my teen years - a complex character like Jim provides so many different concept ideas and the change from young pop heartthrob to a bearded bluesman can make an artist feel like you are conceptualizing two very different people.

This piece, like many of Jim tributes, is full of symbolism and easter eggs that any hardcore The Doors fan is sure to notice. I’ve decided not to outline them here and instead invite the viewer to go down the rabbit hole of Mr. Mojo Risin’.

This is another one of those pieces where the universe just kept shoving the concept at me. Over the last year, I have had a few events and opportunities that called for a Beatles related piece - this culminated in to my new John Lennon and new Ringo Starr inspired pieces. Both those pieces were done well in advance of the phone call I received in November asking me to participate in the international Beatles on the Beach Classic Rock Festival. My appearance and participation would have me attending numerous events, including a joint museum exhibit with the artwork of Ringo himself. This gravity of this event called for a signature piece, so I once again started to conceptualize a Beatles inspired piece. Just as I started to embark on this piece, The Beatles surprised the world with their new and last single "Now and Then" from a tape found of John Lennon singing the lyrics.

For the concept, I wanted the usual gritty Stickman style with the insects and worn Chucks (a nod to the Rubber Soul era) juxtaposed against the bright colors of the Sgt. Pepper era (the background of each member is the same colour worn on the famous admiral suits often worn in this era).

One of my favorite parts of painting rock n roll is it has transformed me into somewhat of a historian. I don’t just paint this subject matter, it is a major part of my everyday life in the form of reading biographies, documentaries, articles, etc. The stories behind these iconic performers are just as inspiring to me as the songs they sing or the clothes they wear. This piece was born from one of the stories in Zeppelin’s lore.

In 1975 during Zeppelin’s Physical Graffiti tour, at a birthday party for their iconic drummer “Bonzo” - Robert Plant stepped out on the balcony of the Continental Hyatt house (known those days the “Riot house”) on the Sunset Strip, held his arms wide and proclaimed to streets below that he was a “Golden God”.

This act would forever be cemented rock history as a sample of the indulgence and even the ridiculousness of a touring band in that era. The story has been borrowed many times over the years and even found its way into Cameron Crowe’s epic 70’s coming of age movie Almost Famous.

Original: Sold

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I wish I had gotten around to painting Taylor earlier, prior to his untimely passing. Being a huge fan of him as a musician, but more importantly as a person and as an ambassador to music, I struggle with how long to wait after a tragedy to pay tribute. After the two huge memorial concerts in his honor, I knew I couldn’t wait any longer - it was time. I went back and forth on what vibe I wanted, but ultimately decided on an upbeat celebration of his life. I can’t think of anyone in the industry who loved music more than Taylor, and he made such a significant contribution to it. He had a childlike enthusiasm whenever he talked about live shows or some of his favorite influences growing up.

My first concept had him playing the drums as one might expect, but when I ran across some references showing him adoring the crowd as they adored him right back, I knew this was the most fitting tribute to Taylor. This concept also allowed me to portray him in his killer Van Halen tights as a nod to the love for his musical influences and peers.

Jim Morrison was once asked what he thought of Iggy Pop and The Stooges – he stated that he endorses any music that makes the audience feel uncomfortable. Madonna has done that in spades for the better part of five decades. Her ability to re-invent herself almost continuously has kept her relevant, and the audience and critics on their toes.

I wasn’t much of a fan in the early to mid-80s as I was knee deep in heavy rock at that time, but I did start to take an interest in her theatrics and aesthetics around the turn of the decade into the early 90s. This highly sexualized version of Madonna had adopted a very provocative persona, utilizing a lot of patent leather and bondage imagery (when she was wearing anything at all), and extremely edgy lyrics around her Erotica album. This version of Madonna was amplified by her 1992 book “Sex” that was highly controversial for the time.

This rebellious era obviously played into my rock 'n' roll wheelhouse and playing off her often used religious imagery (and name), this double entendre concept practically painted itself.

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- AP: Canvas (50)

Contact for details and purchase information.

Twice before, the incomparable rock photographer Chris Cuffaro gave me permission to re-imagine one of his Eddie Vedder photos from the early nineties. So, when it came time to paint a signature piece of Eddie for a show in his hometown of San Diego, I jumped at the chance to contact Chris a third time. As before, he graciously agreed.

I’ve always loved the reference photo used for this piece because I feel it captures the grit and dissidence of the era while showcasing the exuberance and fun of the nineties (the bucket hat that was prevalent during that time is a happy addition).

As always, while conceptualizing this piece the universe (and Pearl Jam, I suppose) provided a great new soundtrack for the studio. A few of the high tempo tracks provided the inspiration for the background chaos…it was as simple as “React and Respond”.

I’ve been fortunate enough to visit some of the most amazing art galleries in the world, including the Vatican and the Louvre. It’s no surprise how much I’ve enjoyed seeing some of the most iconic paintings in the world, but what caught me off guard was how much I was drawn to the statues. Almost immediately, ideas started bouncing around in my head about who would be the modern-day philosophers and poets that people hundreds of years from now would look upon. Naturally that path headed towards the musicians of the 20th and 21st centuries. I started to conceptualize a few different ways to portray this idea, and am looking forward to sharing some of these concepts very soon.

This piece was the first to be actualized. I figured arguably the most recognizable statue in the world would be a good jumping off point and with its title simply being DAVID - it was almost taunting me to paint it as a defaced statue with the most prominent David in rock and roll history. The concept of incorporating the Bowie lightning bolt to the face is a collision of Michelangelo’s world/art with my own.

Original: Sold

Limited Editions:

- EE: Watercolour Paper (500)

- SE: Canvas (150)

- SN: Canvas (250)

- AP: Canvas (50)

Contact for details and purchase information.

About:

I’ve often felt that to truly understand me and my art, one would have to experience The Rolling Stones live. For this reason, I was incredibly excited to get tickets for Ray to see her first Stones show in April of 2020. We all know that never happened. While we all hunkered down and waited for the world to return to normal, the Stones lost legendary drummer Charlie Watts. This instilled an extra sense of urgency to make sure I could see them one more time and that Ray could experience first hand the band that has shaped so much of my life. In 2022, when they announced the 50th anniversary show at historic Hyde Park, we jumped at the chance.

Upon returning from London, I knew I wanted to capture the monumental journey in a new piece. During the weekend trip we visited their flagship store at No.9 Carnaby Street a few times. It was at this flagship store that I conceptualized this piece. As coincidences often seem to do with my art, I had previously done eight paintings that we’re inspired by the Stones…this was No.9.

Every once in a while, I enjoy taking a popular style of art and trying to emulate it with a Stickman twist. This allows me the freedom to explore different concepts and techniques while remaining true to my overall vision and brand. This piece certainly falls into that category, as wine and cocktail paintings are quite mainstream these days – the skull and voodoo imagery push it towards a slightly edgier and rock ‘n’ roll version of the genre.

As for the actual imagery of this piece, a Stones reference should be no surprise to anyone at this point. Although it had nowhere near the reverence of some of the band’s classic albums, 1994’s “Voodoo Lounge” is a very personal album for me – not only was it my first CD ever (I was late to the CD game), but it was the album that led me to super fandom. Of course, I had heard the classic songs, but it was “Voodoo Lounge” that drove me to the deep cuts, documentaries, biographies, live shows and of course, a dog named Jagger.¬

Original: Sold

Limited Editions:
- EE: Watercolour Paper (500)

- SE: Canvas (150)

- SN: Canvas (250)

- AP: Canvas (50)

Contact for details and purchase information.

About:

At first glance, this piece does not look like it belongs in my catalog – floral pieces don’t usually scream rock and rebellion. It’s in the inspiration that this offering starts to make sense on why it could be a corner stone painting of a rock artist.

It started as I was lying in the operating room for a recent surgery. My medical team was asking me about my tattoos and the conversation quickly turned to music. This ultimately led to them letting me pick a song to listen to as they did their final prep work and sent me off to sleep. I asked them to play one of my two favorite songs, “Black” by Pearl Jam or “Paint it Black” by the Stones. The last words I heard as I faded out were – “I guess we don’t need to ask your favorite colour”. The seed was planted with that statement.

While in recovery, I started thinking more about the exchange and about all the bands, albums and songs in rock music that referenced the colour black. I wanted to pay tribute to the colour and its prevalence in the rock genre – but it was extremely tough to conceptualize how to pay tribute to black.

In yet another happy accident, I was simultaneously also trying to conceptualize a completely different piece based on starting new, or a rebirth, due to finally coming out of a very long health battle. I turned to Google to research images and ideas that may symbolize a rebirth, and to my pleasant surprise, the first page filled up with references to black roses as this symbol. It was perfect, I was able to combine a double meaning into a single work – and for the next month this piece “turned my world to black”.

My first recollection of being infatuated with art was the album art of Kiss’ “Destroyer”. I remember staring at it, and for the first time, I was intrigued with not only how it was created but the story behind it. I wanted to know more about what had preceded the frozen image staring at me. I had an early understanding of that aspect of art – and I loved it.

As Kiss’ final bow closes in, I started to think about honoring them for giving me that gift by doing my third miniseries depicting an entire band. Knowing the influence that Kiss had on not only myself, but most of my favorite current bands, it was a slam dunk.

While I started to think of concepts, I was also conceptualizing my next Rogue footwear piece portraying a vibe to a particular genre, as I had done with the Sex Pistols punk boots and Motley’s studded spikes. When the thought of the most famous boots on earth entered my mind, I knew this concept would be a perfect way to scratch multiple itches.

My first recollection of being infatuated with art was the album art of Kiss’ “Destroyer”. I remember staring at it, and for the first time, I was intrigued with not only how it was created but the story behind it. I wanted to know more about what had preceded the frozen image staring at me. I had an early understanding of that aspect of art – and I loved it.

As Kiss’ final bow closes in, I started to think about honoring them for giving me that gift by doing my third miniseries depicting an entire band. Knowing the influence that Kiss had on not only myself, but most of my favorite current bands, it was a slam dunk.

While I started to think of concepts, I was also conceptualizing my next Rogue footwear piece portraying a vibe to a particular genre, as I had done with the Sex Pistols punk boots and Motley’s studded spikes. When the thought of the most famous boots on earth entered my mind, I knew this concept would be a perfect way to scratch multiple itches.

My first recollection of being infatuated with art was the album art of Kiss’ “Destroyer”. I remember staring at it, and for the first time, I was intrigued with not only how it was created but the story behind it. I wanted to know more about what had preceded the frozen image staring at me. I had an early understanding of that aspect of art – and I loved it.

As Kiss’ final bow closes in, I started to think about honoring them for giving me that gift by doing my third miniseries depicting an entire band. Knowing the influence that Kiss had on not only myself, but most of my favorite current bands, it was a slam dunk.

While I started to think of concepts, I was also conceptualizing my next Rogue footwear piece portraying a vibe to a particular genre, as I had done with the Sex Pistols punk boots and Motley’s studded spikes. When the thought of the most famous boots on earth entered my mind, I knew this concept would be a perfect way to scratch multiple itches.

My first recollection of being infatuated with art was the album art of Kiss’ “Destroyer”. I remember staring at it, and for the first time, I was intrigued with not only how it was created but the story behind it. I wanted to know more about what had preceded the frozen image staring at me. I had an early understanding of that aspect of art – and I loved it.

As Kiss’ final bow closes in, I started to think about honoring them for giving me that gift by doing my third miniseries depicting an entire band. Knowing the influence that Kiss had on not only myself, but most of my favorite current bands, it was a slam dunk.

While I started to think of concepts, I was also conceptualizing my next Rogue footwear piece portraying a vibe to a particular genre, as I had done with the Sex Pistols punk boots and Motley’s studded spikes. When the thought of the most famous boots on earth entered my mind, I knew this concept would be a perfect way to scratch multiple itches.