Unfortunately they sort of ended up getting outlawed. They kept being fined and having to move the event further and further away from civilization. Basically officials just made it impossible to continue. My roots are always grounded in the idea of never buying into the system. I don't believe in war I'm always against bombing people for oil etc. It's interesting to me that hard-core punk some hard-core hippies are quite similar in our ethics and morality.
Q-You had mentioned earlier there were some more exciting things coming up with your artwork can you fill me in on this?
P-Well, once the festival season is over for me I tend to switch it up because I like to keep people guessing. I'll do more traditional work, then switch it up to psychedelic art stuff like space scenes where someone is swimming in what looks like outer space. I like to bridge the gap between reality and imagination. In reality you can't swim in outer space, but you can create a painting that makes it look like someone is submerged in outer space. So I can really take you to places that don't physically exist. They can sure look great paint though.
Q-Are you still exhibiting your work at the Lotus gallery?
P-I just did a year residency there, and I really enjoyed the time I was there but it wasn't really working out for me. I do a lot better on my own for some reason. At the gallery I was only allowed to hang one or two paintings a month so like everything was riding on just painting to sell when I paint it least 30 a month. I think the average is about 320 paintings a year. Wrangle did 1600 paintings in 10 years. I've done 3000.
Q-How do you get your ideas for paintings, what's your muse?
P-Sometimes I'll come up with an idea, and maybe one of my pieces will inspire the next and so on. Or sometimes I get an idea when I'm at a location. There's really a million different avenues that it all comes from. I like variety, so that always helps. Not everyone wants a space painting and not everyone wants a landscape, so I find that keeping it different really helps as far as surviving as an artist goes.
Q-Where can people buy your artwork?
P-They just have to go to my Facebook page and send me a message. I also set up off and on, on Whyte Avenue. Sometimes I prefer not to have to hit the streets, but I still do it once in a while. It's never been easier to be an artist so I think, I post something online and people on the other side of the planet can see it! 100 years ago you didn't have followers. That just didn't happen and you usually have to be dead before you were appreciated as an artist. Lately I seem to be generating more interest in breaking through a bit down in the states. I started doing a map of locations where I've shipped my paintings and it seems to have gone pretty global, especially in this last year.
Q-Do you enter your art in any competitions?
P-I've actually won the "Art Battle of Edmonton" twice, but then this past year, lost by only one vote. It was so disheartening to know that I lost by only one vote. Next year I'll be coming back for my title though. I was really hoping to win it this year, but I'll take the silver.
Q-Do you do any sort of specific projects for people?
P-In the winter I do a lot of commission work for people, but in the summer I tend to branch out more and do my own thing. I'll still take commissions, just not as many as I do in the winter months.
Q-What is a regular day like for you?
P-well usually I get up early and if I have a commission on the go I'll throw coffee on and get right to it. I like to get stuff done in the mornings so I'll have a bit more steam. Usually if I can get a commission done by dinner time, it will free me up to be able to paint something that I want to do.
Q-When do you see yourself retiring?
P-Oh I don't see myself retiring. Artists never retire!
We finished the interview, but still sit and chat a bit, listening to the rain hitting the window panes. As I sat in Pat's apartment surrounded by his artwork, I almost feel like I'm looking at several windows into different universes. I find out that he prefers acrylic paint because of its quickness in drying time, and that the Day-Glo abortions commissioned him to do three paintings. He's also done a couple of portraits of SNFU front man Chi Pig and that he started doing art on the streets selling doodles for $10 a piece.
it will free me up to be able to paint something that I want to do.
Q-When do you see yourself retiring?
P-Oh I don't see myself retiring. Artists never retire!
We finished the interview, but still sit and chat a bit, listening to the rain hitting the window panes. As I sat in Pat's apartment surrounded by his artwork, I almost feel like I'm looking at several windows into different universes. I find out that he prefers acrylic paint because of its quickness in drying time, and that the Day-Glo abortions commissioned him to do three paintings. He's also done a couple of portraits of SNFU front man Chi Pig and that he started doing art on the streets selling doodles for $10 a piece.
I can honestly say he's definitely come a very long way since starting out selling drawings on the street, and I can't wait to see what's next! You can find Pat and his artwork at Patrick Ennis Artist on Facebook!
- Quin Grace