Crest Sketch Ready

Ayo what's happenin'? This is an initial drawing for a crest (click the pic to see it big) I'm currently working on for myself - I've been looking at a lot of crest and coats of arms lately, and its definitely been influencing my design aesthetic. Drawing these by hand has been challenging but rewarding - I'm super stoked on trying to hide little things here and there within the dense foliage elements that make up the outer body of the composition(see: Jerk chicken, spraypaint, #2 rounds, you know my steez! and the flags on the sides will be one Jamaican and one Canadian. Represent!!). This for me is about the excitement of the esoteric - I love the feeling you get when you discover something that not many people notice, those little key details that tell a more complicated story not everyone is listening for. This feeling is a big part of why I do visual art, and trying to share this feeling is often part of my motivation. This drawing is by no means a finished piece, but just an indication of a direction.
My friend Jarett and I have been exchanging critiques lately on each other's projects, and it's been a hella good look. I think that any artist or designer worth their weight knows that getting another set of eyes, especially an experienced set like Jarett's, to critique your work is invaluable. This goes doubly so when you've been staring at a project for a long time - a fresh, honest perspective is often the thing you need keep your style in check. Word! Back soon with some of the new work from the TU gallery show!

Lil Exposure

Yo! Here are the articles from the Edmonton Journal and SEE Magazine - hit the links for a download, or check out here (Edmonton Journal) and here (See) for the web versions at their respective websites. I'm always happy to get exposure for my artwork, but it was interesting to see myself from someone else's perspective. The SEE article, by Yuri Wuensch, was a good example - it was framed a lot differently than I expected, and the focus seemed a bit 'racialized' (for lack of a better term). He also called it a 'graffiti art show' which it really wasn't overall. Anyways, Yuri is a great guy, and was probably under a tough deadline to submit, but it was interesting to note the effect - a lot of my friends who read the article said it didn't quite sound like me all the way through! Like I said though, I'm just happy to get exposure at this point, nah mean?! On to the next one.... I'm busy this week designing a wedding monogram for my friend Lizzy (remember her Raspberry Lemonades from a while back?), designing a poster and brochure package for the Centre for Race and Culture, and hooking up a logo/brand identity for my man Ahmed aka Knowmadic, a crazy dope poet who performed at both gallery shows I was involved with this month - we linked up after the TU gallery show and decided to work together. For once, I have no photos to share, but fear not, I am also in the midst of designing a crest that I will post when it's done, hopefully later on this week. Peace, and thanks for checking out the work!

Musical Update

Hey! What's good? This is a time-lapse animation of the piece I did for Locution Revolution's LRT video last year (hit the fullscreen homie!) - they used the time lapse as a teaser for the video and the piece was a background for a big part of the video too. Big thanks to Nathanael J. Sapara for the photography and animation - good lookin' out chief!

This is the full video for Locution Revolution's LRT, one of my favourite tracks from these cats! It was a pleasure working on the video, and I was blessed enough to also exhibit alongside Khiry at the TU gallery show. Nathanael J. Sapara shot and directed this joint like a boss!

I have a few cameos in last year's Shiest - Props Pilin Up video too - check it out above. The guys asked if they could do some filming while I did the Guru tribute piece at last year's Hip Hop in the Park (check my July 2010 post) - peep for me around 1:30 and my art throughout the rest of the video. Shoutouts to my man Teagun who also shows up! I'll be back a.s.a.p with copies of the press from the TU and Latitude 53 gallery shows.