Illustration

An illustration is a decoration, interpretation or visual explanation of a text, concept or process, designed for integration in published media.

  • Ninikan (Ni-nican )

    The translation of Ninikan (Ni-nican ) meaning ‘I am here’ in Nahuatl is a mantra I’ve come to know and use in my Indigenous reclamation process and also how I acknowledge the presence of my ancestors here and now. The word Ninikan resonates for me because despite it taking me some time to get here, they have always been waiting here for me to hold space for them, as they have always held space for me. In acknowledging their presence, it has given me the authority to claim my Mesoamerican lineage and add meaning to the visual language of this piece through the incorporation of Indigenous body movements and the celebration of my pre-columbian ancestors. This scene depicts a tender moment between myself and my ancestor at night, when the veil and connection is the strongest and the sacuanjoche flowers are in full bloom and most fragrant.

  • I Love You Coffee Shop

    The piece was made for and inspired by I Love You Coffee Shop, and is composed of some representations of items you might find within the shop. This mural brings attention to and celebrates the Calgary businesses as well as the people that make a community unique.

  • The Haretoise

    This mural is an invitation to find your own speed, to walk at your own rhythm and pace. The mural is inspired by Aesop’s fable “The Hare and the Tortoise”, taking it as a starting point, but posing it as a non-oppositive duality- presenting it as a whole, or as two faces of the same coin.
    Everyone needs to find their own speed to move. If you feel slow, respect your time and personal experience, never compare yourself to others and keep walking forwards. If you are gifted with speed, don’t waste it, keep moving forwards but also remember to appreciate the journey. The creature is called the Haretoise, using half and half of each animal’s names as the creature itself.

  • Inner Warmth

    “The idea of this piece is to play with contrasting the enclosed nature of the space with an overall composition that feels expansive and dynamic. Like a prairie sky, which is what I’ve decided to reference for my palette.” -Derek Simmers

  • Thunderbird

    Mural on a shipping container store by Philip Cote at Stackt Market, 2023. Mural is of a thunderbird in Woodland style, based on the indigenous story of the thunderbird who brought down rain, lightning and thunder.

  • Pigeons

    Created with Steps Initiative, an aerosol mural on corrugation featuring two pigeon heads. Located at Stackt Market, painted by FatsPatrol, 2019.

  • Subconscious Radio

    This design is inspired by the feeling of lying down and trying to meditate. Sometimes I’m able to be conscious of different thoughts and let them float by and disperse. Sometimes I notice myself disassociating a little, where I go off into my imagination and thoughts so much that I’m no longer very present. Sometimes I can jump onto different clouds of thoughts consciously, other times they just grab me and suck me in. When I’m painting or sketching out ideas, I’m in that kind of happy medium where I can stay present enough to get down ideas, and I’m also connected to my imagination but not totally lost in it. That is one of the sweet spots of feeling like I’m tuned into my subconscious radio.

  • Untitled

    Flower mural on metal board initiated by @torontoflowermarket that then went to Stackt Market for a weekend pop up by Volvo Canada. Painted by Rachel Kelly aka @makelemonadeco. Acrylic, 2023.

  • Untitled

    Outside The Box (OTB) traffic box mural located at Harbord & Brunswick Ave in Toronto. Features a smiling female dancing character on one side and a smiling female painter on the other with joyful and colourful motifs. Painted by Radha Raulgaonkar, July 2022.

  • Bampot Tea House

    Large-scale aerosol mural for Bampot House of Tea on Harbord St. by mural collective Clandestinos Art including Shalak Attack & Bruno Smoky. Features a Panda spirit and a crocodile gentleman drinking tea. Completed 2015

  • Residential School Children Tribute

    Double sided planter mural as tribute to residential school children. Features a boy and girl in residential school uniform and cut hair. The school is in the backdrop but around the children are flowers and on the sides of the planter feature burning sage and sweet grass with a pine tree in the background, and medicine wheels beside it. Research and consultation was done to be culturally appropriate. By FPMONKEY, 2021