zipper
Archived Tee - 2010-09-13
Art curated by
Where are you located?
Montreal, Quebec
You are a gallery artist, and I notice you do alot of shirts as well.
I've done and still do a lot of band merch, mostly for heavier acts like Slayer, Disturbed, Avenged Sevenfold and Motorhead. I also worked on a lot of MMA merch in the last 2 years resulting in some of the UFC contenders like Cain Velasquez and Josh Koscheck wearing my designs as walk-in shirts.
Can you describe how you create your livelihood?
Drawing and painting, that's what I do full time now. It's about 50/50 gallery art and Merch design. I am also about to start selling my own shirt designs directly too. I have a couple of shirts ready for production.
You have Boston Terriers in many of your paintings and designs, do you own one?
I am on my 2nd Boston terrier now. Iggy is 1 1/2 and packed with energy. My 3 yr old son and him are quite a combo. Iggy's very small, only 14 lb., but he acts and hump like he's the king of the dog park. I had another one for 14 years called Huguette before getting Iggy. She was great, had a good life. They are awesome little dogs.
What did you do before you were a full time artist? What's the crappiest job you've had?
I worked in a car rental place just before starting my company. Worked there for about 6 months. At some point my wife and I decided to buy a brand new car, got approved, picked up the car and 2 weeks later lost my job when the employer filed for bankruptcy. It was a blessing in disguise. I went on unemployment and registered for a business start up course financed by our "socialist" government. Ha ha. Been 6 years now and never looked back.
You recently had a gallery show. How was that experience? Any more in the future?
I love showing in gallery, showing pieces that I've worked on for the last couple of months. As long as the gallery does their part of the work. Ha ha. I had 3 bigs shows back to back so for a year and a half I was pretty busy cranking out paintings so now I am taking a little break from it. Taking a step back, enjoying the summer, and trying to explore a little more to change things up.
How do you commiserate being an artist and having to make money at the same time? Do you ever have to take on projects you don't quite enjoy?
Right now I consider myself pretty lucky since I don't really work on anything that I don't like. I don't always love the bands or clients but the projects are interesting anyway. People who ask me to design stuff come to see me because they are familiar with my style. Once in a while I get the weird requests, like "Can you imitate that artist style..." but I usually refuse those jobs.
Earl Gray? Coffee? Drink of choice?
Coffee, Stout, Wine , Port, Cognac. Not necessarily in that order.
Do you own alot of shirts? What's your favorite?
Not really. My latest is a Mishka/Rebel 8 collab with a Cyclop skull with eagle and snake. I love that shirt. I also love my Deathwish Records shirt that says "H.R & Henry & Ian & Glen".
Do you watch movies or TV? If not, why not, if yes, name your top three!
We cut off cable at the beginning of summer but I am catching up on Mad Men at the moment. I am in the middle of season 3. Really like that show. Ahhh, Joan Holloway... I also love watching Yo Gabba Gabba or The spectacular spider man with my son.
Anything you want to talk about?
Not really.
Any shout outs?
The usual, the wife and kid, for being awesome.
Hang Loose
About the artist
Jonathan Bergeron
Montreal, Quebec
You are a gallery artist, and I notice you do alot of shirts as well.
I've done and still do a lot of band merch, mostly for heavier acts like Slayer, Disturbed, Avenged Sevenfold and Motorhead. I also worked on a lot of MMA merch in the last 2 years resulting in some of the UFC contenders like Cain Velasquez and Josh Koscheck wearing my designs as walk-in shirts.
Can you describe how you create your livelihood?
Drawing and painting, that's what I do full time now. It's about 50/50 gallery art and Merch design. I am also about to start selling my own shirt designs directly too. I have a couple of shirts ready for production.
You have Boston Terriers in many of your paintings and designs, do you own one?
I am on my 2nd Boston terrier now. Iggy is 1 1/2 and packed with energy. My 3 yr old son and him are quite a combo. Iggy's very small, only 14 lb., but he acts and hump like he's the king of the dog park. I had another one for 14 years called Huguette before getting Iggy. She was great, had a good life. They are awesome little dogs.
What did you do before you were a full time artist? What's the crappiest job you've had?
I worked in a car rental place just before starting my company. Worked there for about 6 months. At some point my wife and I decided to buy a brand new car, got approved, picked up the car and 2 weeks later lost my job when the employer filed for bankruptcy. It was a blessing in disguise. I went on unemployment and registered for a business start up course financed by our "socialist" government. Ha ha. Been 6 years now and never looked back.
You recently had a gallery show. How was that experience? Any more in the future?
I love showing in gallery, showing pieces that I've worked on for the last couple of months. As long as the gallery does their part of the work. Ha ha. I had 3 bigs shows back to back so for a year and a half I was pretty busy cranking out paintings so now I am taking a little break from it. Taking a step back, enjoying the summer, and trying to explore a little more to change things up.
How do you commiserate being an artist and having to make money at the same time? Do you ever have to take on projects you don't quite enjoy?
Right now I consider myself pretty lucky since I don't really work on anything that I don't like. I don't always love the bands or clients but the projects are interesting anyway. People who ask me to design stuff come to see me because they are familiar with my style. Once in a while I get the weird requests, like "Can you imitate that artist style..." but I usually refuse those jobs.
Earl Gray? Coffee? Drink of choice?
Coffee, Stout, Wine , Port, Cognac. Not necessarily in that order.
Do you own alot of shirts? What's your favorite?
Not really. My latest is a Mishka/Rebel 8 collab with a Cyclop skull with eagle and snake. I love that shirt. I also love my Deathwish Records shirt that says "H.R & Henry & Ian & Glen".
Do you watch movies or TV? If not, why not, if yes, name your top three!
We cut off cable at the beginning of summer but I am catching up on Mad Men at the moment. I am in the middle of season 3. Really like that show. Ahhh, Joan Holloway... I also love watching Yo Gabba Gabba or The spectacular spider man with my son.
Anything you want to talk about?
Not really.
Any shout outs?
The usual, the wife and kid, for being awesome.
grantvernons said 140 weeks ago
toaf7 said 140 weeks ago
snipes187 said 140 weeks ago
kahlusha said 140 weeks ago
Mordecai said 140 weeks ago
RedVines said 140 weeks ago
tedward1986 said 140 weeks ago
iamnotseanclark said 140 weeks ago
L3g3ndQ said 140 weeks ago
firefan204 said 140 weeks ago
KyleMittskus said 140 weeks ago
Wrecker said 140 weeks ago
L3g3ndQ said 140 weeks ago
agreed and why would the back of the hand be his front?? that looked odd to me as well.
Brash Attack said 140 weeks ago
CajunsCanCook said 140 weeks ago
surfingzeeko said 140 weeks ago
PaintedRoadkill said 140 weeks ago
squid68 said 140 weeks ago
Ernie_Skywalker said 140 weeks ago
I'm with the others that have already mentioned the Vader side-art. I like that!
I like the Ramones-esque Zombie, also!
Snerkie said 140 weeks ago
Raw4Art said 140 weeks ago
Use constructive criticism to explain why you don't like designs, and do so respectfully.
CynaminBananas said 140 weeks ago
Who Farted said 140 weeks ago
http://johnnykanuck.bigcartel.com/product/toal-x-johnny-kanuck-collab-1
spider villainy said 140 weeks ago
This is just my opinion on the design. Not the artist. His art seems very nice. This print just seems like a bad design for this crowd. But hey prove me wrong if you disagree and give This Guy some pancakes.