NEW RELEASE: Anemone

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.

NEW RELEASE: That's All Right Momma

NEW ART RELEASE

“That’s All Right Momma”
Acrylic on Canvas

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”.

NEW RELEASE: Dressing for Revenge (Mic Drop)

Dressing for Revenge (Mic Drop)

Now, I’m not about to say I’m a big Swiftie…but I’m not a hater either. She’s just not quite my vibe, if you couldn’t tell.

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.

If you want to read more on what those things were and how this painting came to be, check out this link: https://www.stickmanfineart.com/rockstars#/dressing-for-revenge-mic-drop/


NEW RELEASE: DAVID

Original and limited edition prints available

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 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 people would look upon hundreds of years from now. 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 more of these concepts very soon.

This piece was the first to be actualized. I figured 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.

NEW RELEASE: Hey Man, Thanks

Original Sold - Limited Edition Prints Available

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 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”.

NEW RELEASE: "Silver Machine"

“Silver Machine” - Acrylic on canvas

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.

https://www.stickmanfineart.com/the-new-shit#/silver-machine/

NEW RELEASE: "You Wanted the Best" Parts 1-4

"You Wanted the Best" (Parts 1 - 4) - Acrylic on canvas

My first recollection of being infatuated with art was seeing 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 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.

https://www.stickmanfineart.com/the-new-shit#/you-wanted-the-best-1/

https://www.stickmanfineart.com/the-new-shit#/you-wanted-the-best-part-2/

https://www.stickmanfineart.com/the-new-shit#/you-wanted-the-best-part-3/

https://www.stickmanfineart.com/the-new-shit#/you-wanted-the-best-part-4/


NEW RELEASE: "Ballerina, You Must Have Seen Her"

”Ballerina, You Must Have Seen Her” - Acrylic on canvas

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" thanks to that epic scene in "Almost Famous" (coincidently, Elton and Britney Spears also re-imagined this song while I was conceptualizing the piece).

The second piece of inspiration came from Ray and the @albertaballetcanada. 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.

https://www.stickmanfineart.com/the-new-shit#/ballerina-you-must-have-seen-her/