Work-in-Progress Painting

BIOGRAPHY Born and raised in Toronto, I now live and work in Brampton (Greater Toronto Area). From a young age I was creative and obsessively detail-oriented: drawing, building models, embroidery, photography. After attending Northern Secondary School’s specialized art program in Toronto, I went on to become an award-winning graduate of the Ontario College of Art. From there I spent 20-odd years as a graphic designer before transitioning into art after a year-long camper-van sabbatical with my wife Kim-Lee Kho (also a designer-cum-artist). I now divide my time between my art practice and art instruction. When I’m not in the studio or classroom, chances are you can find me in our basement gym or out riding one of my beloved bicycles… STATEMENT My art is comprised primarily of painting, with some cross-training in both collage and graphics. A previous design career strongly informs my artistic practice: text and typography, structure, colour, hierarchy. I am particularly enamoured with the bold, direct language and visuals of advertising, signage, graffiti and memes — and, whether written myself or appropriated and re-contextualized, I love exploring the interplay of messages with their visual expression. Themes of current interest are creativity and freedom and impediments to same: both internal, including blocks, depression and limiting beliefs – and external, such as rules, restrictions and societal expectations. I am keen to further explore various messages, modes and degrees of communication… and with luck, do it with some wit, beauty and insight — not to mention a metric tonne of visual impact.