About Colin McGill
Colin is an accomplished artist and painter based in Toronto, ON.
He can be contacted by email at colinjmcgill@gmail.com or by telephone at 416.766.8203.
I’ve been involved for many years exhibiting my work at exhibits and galleries and I’ve also been commissioned to paint many private works. As well, I have had success with painting larger than life images on murals. My subject matter has generally consisted of Northern Ontario landscapes, florals and portraits, typically using realism as my genre.
I’ve taken a break from showing my work for a period as I explored various themes and I’m excited to present a unique and nostalgic show. I call this style "Neonostalgia" - a mix of illustrative realism with a bit of a "Pop" influence.
The show will consist mostly of 12 to 15 medium and large sized canvases. My comprehensives are completed at this point, I have about 20 of them and I am now full steam ahead bringing them to life.
I have been painting for more than 34 years. I started when I was 17 when I was enrolled in a specialized visual arts high school. I’ve never looked back. From that time forward I have been creating imagery for advertising and other media as well as a four-year stint as a background painter in the film and animation industries.
I always seemed to like telling a story with my art, which is probably why I chose the path of an illustrator.
This goes back to my formal training; completing 4 years at the Ontario College of Art and Design studying Graphic Art, Illustration and Painting.
What is “Neonostalgia”? I have chosen to recreate vintage neon signage on canvass, supported by iconic flashbacks interacting with the main subject. These neon signs are relics from the past and they remind me of life experiences when I would travel as a small child, some of my favourite restaurants and drive-ins. This was a special time in the late sixties and early seventies – life moved at a slower and often more enjoyable pace.
Newer more current neon signage just isn't made in the same manner as it used to be. They don't seem to use the same materials as the originals did therefore the neon colours don't look right and they somehow look cheapened. As well, you don't get the same patina that has been built up over years and years of rust, dust, city grime, bleaching from the hot sun and paint flaking off. My aim is to bring these iconic pieces to life on canvas before they have completely gone by the wayside. These pieces have a story to tell and it fascinates me.
In fact I actually get a kick out of researching these neon signs from many sources on the internet or my own photographic references of theaters, shops, motels etc. The craftsmanship that went into the making of these vintage signs were works of art in and of themselves but are now quickly becoming a lost art.
My job: is to honour the craftsmanship that went into these old beauties, into the art, the design, the logos, and the overall look of a particular neon sign. This I will do by creating a visual record of them.
My goal: is to bring to you the thoughts that come to mind when I look at these old signs, in turn put them out there as part of a painted composition for you, for you to say, "Oh yeah, I remember that!"
This is part of what I grew up on, what I identify with and what jogs memories in me and hopefully does the same for you.
Let's hope that “Neonostalgia” will take you back from your busy life, even if it's just for a little while.
Best Regards,
Colin J McGill