video of the 12x12 opening night exhibition!

Here is a short video of the opening night from the 12x12 group exhibition! Take a look:

The first wave of works have been uploaded to the official site (there are over 100 works in the show) and more paintings keep moving!

Take a look here at the pieces listed so far. You can acquire artworks directly from the site.

The exhibit is up unil September 22nd! 

12x12, Gallery Abyss opening night photos

If you missed the opening of 12x12 this past Saturday, Gallery ABYSS has uploaded some great shots from the event on their website. You can view them here:

THE SHOW IS STILL UP! You have until September 22nd to check it out in person. fb event info: https://www.facebook.com/events/1067384330002872/

The Memory Thief

LAST NIGHT was Gallery Abyss' 12x12 group show! THANK YOU to everyone who attended! 

It may not be a fun question, but let me ask you quickly:

What is the most valuable thing that someone can steal from you? 

Your signifigant other? Your children? Your pet? An heirloom? Your savings? Your mobility? ...Your iPhone?

What would you do if you lost all your memories? 

This was the inspiration behind my most recent painting, The Memory Thief, which I produced for Gallery Abyss' 12x12 group show. I would like to tell you about it.

The character in the lower left corner is a memory thief and a cerebral menace.

He breaks into the subconscious of the elderly whose aging immune system can no longer combat his advances. He steals their memories and sells the information. You may notice, he doesn't actually touch the memories encased in his lock box - doing so would infect and alter them. I also theorized that the more fond the memory, the more vibrant glow it emits as seen in the trail of his exit.

Sadly, the repercussions of his larceny are devastating. His victims are ushered into a state of dementia. 

I know it is not a fun painting... and is harder to place in a room than a basket of flowers, so why would I paint such a melancholy image to begin with? 

Well, the goal with my art has always been to connect with others in an honest manner. To create and present you with things I'm not invested in is disingenuous and unworthy of your attention. 

As I now watch some people in my life I care about very much undergo memory loss, it's made me search for reasoning. When none can be found, alternative narrations are sought (like the one theorized above).

I guess in some way I am hoping you will find something relateable. Maybe found in one of your own memories. Hang on to them.  

As an artist, you always hope that your work will resonate with people. But you really don't know unless someone goes out of their way to inform you. I received the E-mail below in response to the latest newsletter I sent out prior to the 12x12 opening last night. The facebook message was sent to me by a friend after I released the image online. (Some of the information has been withheld to retain their privacy.)

The painting is no longer available - it SOLD opening night. You can find more info about the exhibit and see some of the works available here.

-Jono

The Memory Thief - preview

ll done a new painting called 'The Memory Thief'. The‬ painting is for the 12x12 group show coming up at Gallery ABYSS opening August 6th (next Saturday). Hope you can make it!

Click here for the facebook event info.

12x12 - tonal

First peek at 'The Memory Thief' - a new painting I'm creating for the 12x12 group show at Galerie Abyss opening August 6! 

fb event info: https://www.facebook.com/events/1067384330002872/

'Fleeting Focus' - all done!

THANK YOU to all who attended the opening of last night's 12x12 group exhibition! Here is the entire painting:

'Fleeting Focus'
acrylic and aerosol on wood panel
12"x12"
available at Galerie Abyss http://tattooartmontreal.com/contact-us/

We live in a time that career & life coach, Robin Sharma, refers to as 'The age of dramatic distraction'. If the internet were a physical realm, I'm pretty sure it would be a casino. This painting was inspired by a conversation I had with a friend where I made a comparison between the two.

The objective of both are quite similar: to keep you spending your resources (time or money) and prevent you from realizing there is an outside world. (In fact, you can even visit online casinos!) Both can be fun and the internet is a practical tool - unfortunately, it's also a battlefield bombarded with time wasting links. Personally, I can not claim I always spend my time as productively there as I wish.The 666 slot machine eyes of the character in the painting (instead of 777) is the reference to the old adage 'An idle mind is the devil's workshop'.

'Fleeting Focus' preview

Here is a teaser preview of the final painting, 'Fleeting Focus' for Galerie Abyss'  12x12 group exhibition. See the entire painting - and many more works for sale - THIS Thursday night! 

 12x12, Opening: Thursday August 6th, 7:00 - 10:00pm

1520 Rue Notre-Dame Ouest, Montreal

click here for facebook event info