I was commissioned by Steele Ford Lincoln to design a mural for their waiting room in their dealership. They had a wide screen t.v. which is nice for people waiting on their vehicles, but it was surrounded by a huge blank white wall.

After several ideas and propositions we went with a “Ford through the ages” concept, choosing vehicles that really incorporated the zeitgeist of their era and positioning them around a speedometer that functioned instead as an odometer for the company, the images working around the television as a compositional anchor.

It involved a lot of research but I got the vehicles and their positions down pat and went to work. I painted in bold line work progressively filled in with washes of colour, touched off with chrome highlights that reveal shiny details in different viewing angles.

I can also now impress my friends with my car recognition abilities. (as long as it’s a Ford)

My client reachAbility was having their 10th anniversary and commissioned a piece to have at their gala event held at Argyle Fine Art.

They work to take the stigma away from disabilities and run several programs towards this end.

The piece has a three dimensional element- the bricks stand out from the canvas as does the logo. I even put sand in the mortar! The piece has a reflective element to catch the eye.

Gatsby’s had set up a beautiful stage area to hold live performances but had a bare wall behind & an electrical port cover that did nothing for the ambiance.

I put together this parchment style mural that has a reflective element to ensure every picture taken of performers shows Gatsby’s in a great light.

A classic example of various elements working together for mutual benefit!

This is a sign I made for Kirk Dexter of Halifax Hash. Kirk makes raw organic chocolate, and needed something to both speak of his company’s identity and draw an eye in a crowded market.

The work is done in a calligraphic style, where every stroke must be accomplished with a single fluid movement.

The plant is the Cacao, with one of its pods fallen and open.

Klassy Kids is a children’s store that does consignment sales and new clothes, toys & accessories. I designed these critters to work with the ones on their website and brightened up their store with the paintings.

The monkeys represent the owner’s three little boys.

This was a project I did for my new favorite bar. They needed something done with the fence on their patio, wanting to incorporate their Amelia Earhart branding. After several sketches we decided on this one, but needed to change the beer in her hand. (we don’t want to encourage drinking & flying) After some more sketches, we arrived at this compromise.

These are some paintings I designed in order to add some fun & visibility for John’s big sale. I’ve included the original sketches from which I worked in this post. The theme was, of course, moving piles of books.

I produced signage for the cafe based on a woodcut and font the owner had selected. All works are oil/acrylic paint on wood.