A couple of months ago, I was interviewed about my piece of art “Current” that I was lucky enough to have turned into an elevator wrap at the building where I work. I wanted to share the interview with all of you because it really speaks to what the piece was about and what I was trying to convey.

Enjoy!

Q. What was your inspiration when crafting this art piece?

The original idea was the salmon that swim upstream against the current. I loved the idea that the salmon trust their instincts and fight against the stream of water, their scales turning red the closer they get to their destination. They swim against the current, even though it’s doing everything it can to push them down.

When I had the idea for this painting, I wanted to show movement and flow. I wanted to paint something that would capture the 2 facets of my journey and my life. I was born with spastic cerebral palsy and, in 2014, I was diagnosed with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. I am also a gay man, which came with its own set of challenges, growing up in a family that didn’t understand disability or homosexuality.

It’s always been an uphill battle, or against the stream of “normalcy,” for both my sexuality and my disability. As much as I try to fit within society, I stand out because of how much I shine. When I was a child, I tried to hide the fact I was gay and disabled from people, because most of them didn’t take the time to understand or care to.

I wanted to create a piece that showed that even though I tried to meld with the crowd, I stood out anyway; that even though life is an upstream and uphill battle for me on a daily basis, I sparkle brightly because of who I am.

Q. What medium did you use and how long did it take for you to craft?

I paint with acrylic paint, palette knife and brush. I didn’t want to use any other medium aside from the paint, as I wanted the painting to have movement and flow. Before I began, I applied black gesso (a painting surface primer) to the canvas with a paint roller, so the entire canvas was black. Adding colour to it made it look like the painting was coming to life, or like light was being shone onto it, so I could see what it wanted to be. All in all, it took me about 3 hours to do, between the sketching, adding the layer of gesso and painting with the palette knife. I’m so happy with how the painting turned out!

Q. What was your first reaction when you saw your artwork adorn the elevator doors at National Headquarters?

I was gobsmacked.

I actually had no idea what an elevator wrap was, and thought that it would just be a nice sign in the elevator. When I realized it was actually the elevator doors, I was overjoyed. I couldn’t believe it! My art on an elevator? It seemed both unreal and amazing at the same time.

I was sent photos and it looked incredible, but nothing could prepare me for seeing the elevator in person. I could see every drop of paint, every line of the palette knife and follow the path of colour along the elevator door. The colour in the painting just pops, even brighter than it did on the canvas.

I actually felt at peace when I first saw the painting adorning the elevator door. It’s just so unreal that something I created to celebrate my differences is now out there for everyone to see. I felt seen and accepted, which is what this art installation is all about. It helped me to displace and let go of my internalized shame and discomfort I’ve carried since I was a child. I used to feel such self-hate for being born the way I was, but seeing “Current” on the elevator door shifted the flow within me, so that I could finally let go, breathe and completely love who I am.

Q. How do you see your art cultivate inclusivity among employees? What would you hope people take away when they see your art piece?

It’s my hope that, when others look at “Current,” they stop and think of the people in their lives that shine so brightly from within.

It shouldn’t be a struggle to be disabled or 2SLGBTQI+. We shouldn’t be seen as different, less than or an outsider. There has to be inclusion, equality for everyone, regardless of who they are or what they live with. We’ve made a lot of headway, but we’re not there yet. There is so much beauty in the world and I know as a person who is both gay and disabled, sometimes it’s a struggle to see that beauty―but it shines through much like I do.

I hope my piece helps people think of the inherent struggles their disabled or 2SLGBTQI+ colleagues, friends and family members have had to go through. I hope when people look at my painting, they stop for a moment and appreciate the roadblocks 2SLGBTQI+ and disabled people have had to deal with because of who they are, and that they help take those roadblocks away, so the “water” can flow freely.

Ultimately, I hope when people look at my painting, they take a deep breath and find a new way to change the flow and narrative of their own story.