Editorial/Illustration – Fine Art & Installation

Communication Arts Illustration Annual

Gary Taxali — Thu, 04 Feb 2016 19:06:56 +0000

I just received the good news today that 2 of my pieces were accepted into the Communication Arts Illustration Annual! This juried competition receives the most entries out of any professional illustration competition, so to get recognized is quite the honour. This year, they received just under 4000 entries from all over the world, and only 167 were accepted.

The two works that the jury awarded of my work were a poster/print that I did for OCAD University‘s 100th GradEx show, and an editorial illustration I created for Mother Jones magazine about the harmful effects on the environment by air conditioners. The awards issue comes out in July 2016.

Thank you Communication Arts, and thank you esteemed jury!

If you would like to purchase a limited edition silk screen print of the poster, please click here.

Art for Chef Keller Wins Society of Illustrators Award

Gary Taxali — Mon, 25 Jan 2016 18:49:03 +0000

A short while ago, I was commissioned to create artwork for the amazing Chef Thomas Keller, who runs the famous 3 Michelin star restaurant The French Laundry in the Napa Valley. Anthony Bourdain called his restaurant, “the best restaurant in the world…period.” The artwork was created for Chef Keller’s publication, Finesse for an upcoming issue. He was so happy with the art, he purchased the original.

If that wasn’t an honour enough, I recently found out the art won an award at the Society of Illustrators. On Feb 3rd, the award reception will be taking place at the Society in NYC, so if you’re in NYC you may attend the reception/opening of the awards exhibit.

Award from The Society of Illustrators

Gary Taxali — Mon, 04 Jan 2016 23:10:54 +0000

Last year, I created a poster for Artscape (a not-for-profit urban development organization in Toronto that provides spaces for artists) for their annual fundraiser. I am pleased to announce this poster has won a Society Of Illustrators award! The opening reception is this Friday, January 8th in NYC.

This artwork is now available as a print, which can be purchased HERE.

Aimee Mann and Ted Leo’s Christmas Poster

Gary Taxali — Mon, 07 Dec 2015 23:13:02 +0000

My Poster for Aimee Mann and Ted Leo’s Christmas Show 2015

I am very pleased to have been asked by Aimee Mann and Ted Leo to do the poster for their annual Christmas Show once again.

Aimee’s Christmas Show is a holiday tradition, featuring a mixture of Christmas classics, original music, comedy sketches, and over the years many terrific guests have made appearances. Previous guests include Fred Armisen, John C. Reilly, Tim Heidecker, and Rachael Yamagata. This year, Aimee and Ted will be joined by Jonathan Coulton, Liz Phair, John Roderick, and many other special guests.

The poster is available as an exclusive edition 6 colour screenprint. It is 18″ x 24″, and is hand-signed by Aimee Mann, Ted Leo and myself, and numbered out of 200. If you cannot make it to the show, you may purchase the print from my online store HERE.

I did the poster for last year’s show as well, which you can see below. Last year’s print is also available in my online store, HERE.

My poster for Aimee Mann and Ted Leo’s Christmas Show from 2014.

Recently, Aimee and Ted came to town, and we had a great time catching up. Aimee joined me in seeing my retrospective exhibition from this past summer, featuring the artwork I did for her Grammy nominated album package “@#%&*! Smilers” in 2008.

Aimee and I at my retrospective exhibition earlier this summer.

You can see the dates for the Christmas Show and purchase tickets on Aimee Mann’s website.

The Both (Aimee Mann and Ted Leo) have recorded a new Christmas song “You’re a Gift” which you can listen to now on Youtube, featuring both my poster images. This will be available on iTunes on Dec 18th.

Limited Edition Print Release: Primus and the Chocolate Factory

Gary Taxali — Mon, 13 Jul 2015 13:33:59 +0000

I was commissioned by the rock band PRIMUS to create 2 rock show posters for both their shows this past weekend in Toronto. Both are 18×24″, 5 colour silkscreen prints on 100% cotton rag paper, signed and numbered by me.

Below is the poster for the first night, followed by the poster for the second night, showing the demise of Augustus Gloop.

Both posters are available for purchase in my online store HERE.

Primus is a pretty cool band with a very eclectic following. The fans are die hard.

“Wild Forever”. A Tribute to Maurice Sendak

Gary Taxali — Fri, 08 May 2015 19:21:43 +0000

3 years ago today, Aviva Michaelov at the NY Times messaged me about a quick commission. She asked me if I would create a piece of tribute art and write a small obit for Maurice Sendak, who had just died that day. Still in a daze from learning that terrible news, I agreed. I don’t even remember thinking, I just drew a single sketch in 2 minutes of one of my characters in a Max costume, and sent it to her. It was approved and in the end, met with a lot of praise. His estate invited me to the funeral service but I was unable to get to NYC due to other travel commitments. This tribute picture has a lot of reach and many people still message me all the time wanting a print, and I know of at least 15 tattoos of this art out there. I called the art, “Wild Forever” because it seemed fitting and judging by the tremendous reaction, I think many people feel the same way. RIP Mr. Sendak.

Cowboys and Indian

Gary Taxali — Thu, 23 Apr 2015 13:20:48 +0000

When I was a kid, I loved playing cowboys. And drawing them. Behind me on the wall is a painting by my first (and best) art teacher, my father. Years later, I was invited to Texas to do a lecture about my art/career and I made this poster, because I was an Indian going to the land of cowboys. In the talk bubble, reads my name “Gary” in Hindi. Someone pointed out to me that it looks like the word, “art”. Serendipity is everywhere, all you have to do is look. #tbt

Playboy’s 60 Anniversary Issue

Gary Taxali — Thu, 05 Dec 2013 23:40:23 +0000

The Jan/Feb 2014 PLAYBOY marks its 60th Anniversary. It’s a great honour to be included in this issue. I was commissioned to create a full page illustration for an article by Ben Smith (famous for Politico and now, editor-in-chief of Buzzfeed) who wrote an essay on 5 reasons why social media is replacing journalism. The magazine is on the newsstands now.

Happy 90th Birthday Y&R

Gary Taxali — Wed, 17 Jul 2013 23:39:31 +0000

This year, the advertising agency Y&R, turns 90. Y&R (which stands for Young and Rubicam) is one of the world’s most influential advertising agencies that has helped shaped the culture of advertising as we know it. They were the first agency to create colour television commercials in the 60s, for example.

A few months ago, I was contacted by Israel Diaz, the Creative Director at Y&R in Toronto, who commissioned me to create a commemorative poster celebrating the agency’s 90 years in the business. My ideas were sent to Tony Granger, Y&R’s Global Chief Creative Officer, who also happens to be the President of Cannes Lion. Tony really liked them and after some back and forth about direction, I was given the text, “The Past is just Practice”. I love this line and it really resonates with me insofar as always striving to move forward creatively and always looking ahead.

Not sure when this poster will be released, likely later this year. I may decide to do prints if there is enough of a demand. Stay tuned!

GOLF DIGEST Illustration

Gary Taxali — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 23:38:29 +0000

Golf’s most famous instructor is Butch Harmon. For 11 years, he coached Tiger Woods and is considered the best teacher in the game. He had been struggling with his weight for a while and after changing up his diet, lost a whopping 50 pounds. I was commissioned by GOLF DIGEST‘s Art Drector, Ken Delago, to create a double page spread in the magazine of sort of a “before and after”, of Butch. It doesn’t often happen in editorial assignments but my sketch was sent to Butch for approval – and he ended up liking it. This was a really fun piece to work on. Remember folks, eat your veggies!