Worm Wood

Product Description

Worm Wood by Gary Taxali

9.75″ x 7.5″, 14.5″ x 12.5″ x 1.5″ with frame, Mixed Media on Paper

Current Exhibition at Flower Pepper Gallery: Keep It Together curated by Mark Todd from March 26th to April 26th, 2016

Artist Biography

Gary Taxali was born in Chandigarh, India and raised in Toronto, Canada. Taxali graduated from the Ontario College of Art and Design University (OCAD). His fine artwork has been exhibited in galleries in the United States (Jonathan Levine Gallery (NYC), Yves LaRoche (Montreal), Lazarides (London)) and Europe (Antonio Colombe Gallery) as well as museums such as the Andy Warhol Museum, The Whitney Museum of American Art in New York and the Contemporary Art Museum in Rome.

His retro stylized art is reminiscent of the 1930s and best described as “reinvented pop art” and rooted from an award winning illustration background. His art has a low brow/high brow appeal. It can be seen in galleries around the world such as Lazarides (London), Jonathan Levine Gallery (NYC), Yves LaRoche (Montreal) and The Andy Warhol Museum.

He has won hundreds of illustration and design awards including a Grammy nomination for his album cover artwork for Aimee Mann’s, “Smilers” in 2009. Click here to see the cover. His work is also seen in magazines and editorials (GQ, Esquire, New York Times, The New Yorker, Rolling Stones etc.), products (such as the Royal Canadian Mint Coins), designer toys (collaboration with Chapters Indigo) and fashion (collaboration with Harry Rosen). Gary has also served as a juror for The Juno’s (Screening Committee) and others. He also serves on Canada Post’s Stamp Advisory Committee and and teaches at OCAD University where he was just appointed a position as tenured faculty. Gary has written a children’s book called, “This Is Silly!” published by Scholastic and he also has two monographs of his work, “I Love You, Ok?” published by TeNeues and “Mono Taxali” published by 279 Editions. He also has a few collectible toys out such as the “Toy Monkey” commissioned by the Whitney Museum.

Aside from his gallery shows and illustration work, Gary also devotes a portion of his time teaching and lecturing at various arts organizations and schools such as OCAD University (Toronto, Canada), The Art Director’s Club of Houston (Houston, USA), Dankmarks Designskole (Copenhagen, Denmark) and Istituto Europeo Di Design (Rome, Italy). He was invited to speak to SKAD in Hong Kong in Dec 2013 and October 2014.

He is a Founding Member of IPA (The Illustrators’ Partnership of America). Gary has also juried many student and professional competitions including The Juno’s (Screening Committee), The Society of Illustrators, The National Magazine Awards, The Dallas Society of Visual Communications and 3×3: The Magazine of Contemporary Illustration. In 2012, The Royal Canadian Mint released a special edition of six Gary Taxali 25¢ coins which, in addition to original art uniquely created for the coins, Taxali also did the typography using his font Chumply. Each coin is stamped bearing his initials. He lives and works in Toronto.

In 2011, two books of his work were released: Mono Taxali, published by 279 Editions, and I Love You, Ok? published by teNeues. In 2012, the Royal Canadian Mint released a special edition of six 25 cent coins which feature Taxali’s artwork.

“Gary Taxali visually blends now with then. His style, inspired by vintage comics and advertising art, is repurposed with the goal of communicating the ironies and comical essence of popular culture. His work is at once alluring and endearing. Despite the vintage look, he is neither maudlin nor nostalgic. His imagery is rich in satiric verve.”

– Steven Heller

Gary Taxali is an award-winning illustrator, artist, author and toy designer.

His work has appeared in many major magazines such as The New York Times, Newsweek, GQ and others.

He has exhibited in many galleries and museums throughout North America and Europe including The Jonathan LeVine Gallery.

In 2005, he launched his first vinyl toy, The Toy Monkey, which included a special edition along with a silkscreen print commissioned by The Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City. This led Gary to create his own toy company, Chump Toys, which recently saw the release of his OH NO and OH OH vinyl figures.

Aside from his gallery shows and illustration work, Gary also devotes a portion of his time teaching and lecturing at various arts organizations and schools such as OCAD University (Toronto, Canada), The Art Director’s Club of Houston (Houston, USA), Dankmarks Designskole (Copenhagen, Denmark) and Istituto Europeo Di Design (Rome, Italy) . He is a Founding Member of IPA (The Illustrators’ Partnership of America) and sits on the Advisory Board of 3×3: The Magazine of Contemporary Illustration.

Gary has also juried many student and professional competitions including The Society of Illustrators, The National Magazine Awards, The Dallas Society of Visual Communications and 3×3: The Magazine of Contemporary Illustration. Gary created the cover art and inside illustrations for Aimee Mann’s latest album @#%&*! Smilers, which won a 2009 Grammy Award Nomination for Best Package Design.

Gary Taxali Bio 2012

See also:

www.garytaxali.com

www.taxali.com

www.thisissillybook.com

CLIENTS

Rolling Stone, GQ, Esquire, Time, Newsweek, Fortune, The New York Times, Entertainment Weekly, Fast Company, Reader’s Digest, Business Week, Warner Bros., Paramount Pictures, Converse, Levi’s, Sony, McSweeny’s, MTV, Coca-Cola

AWARDS

American Illustration, Communication Arts Illustration Annual, Society of Illustrators (Gold Medal), Print, Society of Publication Designers, National Magazine Awards (Gold Medal), Chicago Creative Club, The Advertising and Design Club of Canada, National Gold Addy and Shortlist for a Cannes Lion

LECTURES

Idea Exchange at Design at Riverside, Cambridge, Canada, 2015
Revolver Gallery, Toronto, Canada, 2015
National Institute of Design, Bangalore, India, 2015
Savannah College of Art and Design – Hong Kong Campus, Hong Kong, 2014
Artscape Salon, Toronto, Canada, 2014
Grip Limited Agency, Toronto, Canada, 2014
Waddington’s Contemporary, Toronto, Canada, 2014
John St. Agency, Toronto, Canada, 2014
Hong Kong Society of Illustrators, Hong Kong, 2013
Design Exchange, Toronto, ON, 2013
University of the Arts, Philadelphia, PA, 2013
United Adworkers, Milwaukee, WI, 2012
Algonquin College, Ottawa, Canada, 2012
Pictoplasma Conference, New York City, 2011
MagNet Conference, Toronto, Canada, 2010
Art Center College of Design, Pasadena, CA, 2009
OCAD University, Toronto, Canada, 2009
Centennial College, Toronto, Canada, 2009
Sheridan College, Toronto, Canada, 2009
Merz Akademie, Stuttgart, Germany, 2008
Istituto Europeo Di Design, Rome, Italy, 2008
Fachhochschule Mainz, Mainz, Germany, 2008
Danmarks Designskole, Copenhagen, Denmark, 2007
School of Visual Arts, New York, NY, 2006
Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, Canada, 2006
Dallas Society of Visual Communications – Student Conference, Dallas, TX, 2005
Art Center College of Design, Pasadena, CA, 2005
Texas State University, San Marcos, TX, 2005
Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY, 2005
Sheridan College, Toronto, Oakville, Canada, 2004
Ontario College of Art and Design, Toronto, Canada, 2004
University of Kansas, MO, 2004
Art Directors Club of Houston, Houston, TX, 2003
Art Center College of Design, Pasadena, CA, 2003
Illustration Conference, Philadelphia, PA, 2003
Quebec Association of Illustrators, Montreal, QC, 2003

PARTIAL BOOK LIST OF SELECTED WORKS/WRITINGS OF GARY TAXALI

Hively, Charles, “3X3: The Magazine of Contemporary Illustration – Vol 1, #”, Charles Hively Publisher, 2003, ISBN 1546-640X
Hyland, Angus; Bell, Roanne, “Hand to Eye: Contemporary Illustration”, Laurence King Publishing, 2003, ISBN 1-85669-339-2
Hazelmyer, Tom, “Qeedrophonic”. OX-OP Press, 2004, ISBN 0-9758579-0-8
Jordan, Matt Dukes, “Weirdo Deluxe”, Chronicle Books, 2005, ISBN 0-8118-4241-X
Beauchamp, Monte, “BLAB! #16”, Fantagraphics Books, 2005, ISBN 1-56097-683-7
STRANGEco, “Toys: New Designs from the Art Toy Revolution”, Universe Publishing (Rizzoli), 2005, ISBN 0-7893-1390-1
Wagner, Lisa; Dalton, Trinie; Horowitz, Eli, “Dear New Girl or Whatever Your Name Is”, McSweeny’s, 2005, ISBN 1-932416-17-X
Wiedemannm, Julius, “Illustration Now!”, Taschen, 2005. ISBN 3-8228-4033-5
Hively, Charles; “3×3: The Magazine of Contemporary Illustration” , interview with Henrik Drescher by Gary Taxali, 2007
Thaler, Peter; Denicke, Lars, “Pictoplasma – The Character Encyclopedia”, Pictoplasma Publishing, 2006, ISBN 3-981-04583-1
Klanton, Robert; Hübner, Matthias, “Dot Dot Dash – Designer Toys, Action Figures and Art”, Die Gestalten, 2006, ISBN 3-89955-161-3
Beauchamp, Monte, “BLAB! #17”, Fantagraphics Books, 2006, ISBN 978-1-56097-776-6
Someguy, “The 1000 Journals Project”, Chronicle Books, 2007, ISBN 0-8118-5856-1
Pony, Magic, “Fancy Action Now – The Art of Team Macho”, Interview with Team Macho by Gary Taxali, 2007, ISBN 978-0-9783568-0-4
Brereton, Richard, “Graphic Ha Ha – Issue 11”, BIS Publishers, 2007, ISBN -978-90-6369-164-4

SOLO SHOWS

2015
“Here and Now”, Idea Exchange at Design at Riverside, Cambridge, ON

2014
“Unforget Me”, Jonathan LeVine Gallery, New York, NY
“Shanti Town”, Waddington’s, Toronto, ON

2013
“Assemblages”, SOHO House, Toronto, ON

2012
“My Feelings Like You”, The Outsiders (Lazarides), London, UK
“Selected Works”, Antonio Colombo Gallery, Milano, Italy

2010
“The Taxali 300”, Narwhal Art Projects, Toronto, ON

2009
“Hindi Love Song”, Jonathan LeVine Gallery, New York, NY

2008
“Flop House Rules”, Iguapop Gallery, Barcelona, Spain

2007
“Save The Boreal”, New Print Launch and Show, Magic Pony Gallery, Toronto, ON
“Last Year’s Winner”, Magic Pony Gallery, Toronto, ON

2006
“The Up-N-Down Show”, La Luz de Jesus Gallery, Los Angeles, CA

2005
“Chumpy’s Specials” – OX OP Gallery, Minneapolis, MN
“Toy Monkey Launch and New Prints” – Magic Pony, Toronto, ON
“Chumpy’s Night School” – La Luz de Jesus Gallery, Los Angeles, CA

2001
“Sweet Shop Toys, Candies and Books” – CPOP Gallery, Detroit, MI
“America Lucky Service“ – La Luz de Jesus Gallery

2000
“New Work” – Anno Domini Gallery, San José, CA

GROUP SHOWS

2015
“The Colour and the Fury – 10 Years of Jonathan LeVine Gallery”, Jonathan LeVine Gallery, New York, NY
“Mural Festival”, Yves LaRoche Gallery, Montreal, QC
“Push Me Pull Me – Pearl Jam Poster Exhibit”, Seattle International Airport, Seattle, WA
“Project 31”, OCAD University, Toronto, ON

2014
“Egregore – The Zenith of Pop Surrealism”, Yves Laroche Gallery, Montreal, QC
“Project 31”, OCAD University, Toronto, ON
“Pictoplasma Portrait Gallery”, Kaufaus Jandorf, Berlin, Germany

2013
“Good Work: The Illustration Art Invitational”, Arts Center Gallery, Rochester, NY
“Project 31”, OCAD University, Toronto, ON
“Waddington’s Concrete Contemporary Auction”, Waddington’s Auction House, Toronto, ON
“Wider Than a Postcard”, Group Show, Breezeblock Gallery, Portland, OR
“NXNE Showcase” SOHO House, Toronto, ON
“Small Works Project”, 2013 Venice Biennale, Venice, Italy
“Northern Lights”, Rotofugi, Chicago, IL
“Buddy System Invitational”, Breezeblock Gallery, Portland, OR

2012
“New Blood”, Thinkspace Gallery, Culver City, CA
Contemporary Canadian Art , Waddingtons Auction House, Toronto, Ontario
“Project 31”, OCAD University, Toronto, Canada
“BLAB WORLD 2012”, Copro Gallery, Santa Barbara, CA
“The Post-It Show Eight”, Giant Robot, Los Angeles, CA

2011
“Made in Polaroid: 50/50/50”, Phillips de Purys, New York, NY
“Lucid Dreams”, Noel-Baza Fine Art Gallery, San Diego, CA
“Bologna Art Fair”, Antonio Colombo Gallery, Bologna, Italy
“3D Art Book”, Opera Gallery, New York, NY
American Museum of the Society of Illustrators, Traveling Show 53, New York, NY
“Lyric, Group Show”, 323 Gallery, Detroit, MI
“Project 31”, OCAD University, Toronto, Canada
“La Luz de Jesus 25th Anniversary Show”, Los Angeles, CA

2010
“Sanrio 50th Anniversary Art Show”, Los Angeles, CA
“Christmas Group Show”, The Outsiders Gallery, London, UK
“Project 31”, OCAD University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
“BLAB! A Retrospective”, Society of Illustrators, New York, NY
“5th year Anniversary Group Exhibition”, Jonathan Levine Gallery, New York, NY
“monUMENTAL”, Trifecta Gallery, Las Vegas, Nevada
“Never Judge…?”, Stolen Space Gallery, London, UK
“Fantasilandia”, Antonio Colombo Arte Contemporanea, Italy
“A Starter Kit for Collectors: Art Exhibition”, Tribes Gallery, New York, NY
“Post-It Show”, Giant Robot Gallery, New York, NY
“The Vader Project”, Andy Warhol Museum, Pittsburgh, PA
“Where Is My Vote?”, Art Institute of Boston, Boston, MA
“Blow Up”, G. Gibson Gallery, Seattle, WA
“Picture Mechanics Show”, La Luz de Jesus Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
“Group Show”, Gallery Nucleus, Pasadena, CA
“100 Heads for Haiti”, Spur Gallery, Baltimore, MD
“Small Favours”, Giant Robot Gallery, New York, NY

2009
“True Self Show”, Jonathan Levine Gallery, New York, NY
“Group Show”, La Luz de Jesus Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
“Beautiful Decay A-Z Exhibition”, Kopeikin Gallery, West Hollywood, CA
“Group Show”, The 4th Wall Gallery, Dallas, TX
“Natural Beauty”, Mondo Bizarro, Rome, Italy
“Poster Art Show”, Hollywood Bowl, Los Angeles, CA
“Some Type of Wonderful”. Lifelounge
“The BLAB! Show”, Copro Gallery, Santa Monica, CA
“Berlin’s Smallest Gallery”, Smallery, Berlin, Germany
“Urban Superstar Festival”, Museo d’Arte Contemporanea Donna Regina, Naples, Italy
“Screen Prints”, The Print Club, London, UK
“Summer Show”, G. Gibson Gallery, Seattle, WA
“Superhero”, Comic-Con Art Exhibition, San Diego, CA
“Toronto International Art Fair”, Yves Laroche Gallery, Toronto, Ontario
“Aqua Art Fair”, Yves Laroche Gallery, Miami, FL
“Dimebag 3”, Giant Robot Gallery, New York, NY

2008
“The 1000 Journals Project”, SFMOMA, San Francisco
“Group Show”, La Luz de Jesus Gallery, Los Angeles, CA

2007
“Tug Of War”, Hemphill Fine Arts, Washington, DC
“2007 Los Angeles Art Show”, Billy Shire Fine Arts Booth, Santa Monica, CA
“Charity by Numbers”, Corey Helford Gallery, Culver City, CA
“Look Behind You”, Giant Robot Gallery, New York, NY
“The Vader Project”, Los Angeles Convention Center, Los Angeles, CA

2006
“Rumble Rumble: An Art Throw Down”, Artlab, Toronto, Canada
“MTV Overground #3”, Toy Tokyo, New York, NY
“Customized Munny; Traveling Show”, Kid Robot, New York, NY
“Nanospore Series 01, Customized Figures”, NY Comicon, New York, NY
“Juxtapoz 2006 Group Show”, OX-OP Gallery, Minneapolis, MN

2005
“Everything But the Kitschen Sync” – La Luz de Jesus Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
“Art Party” – Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, NY
“I Am 8 Bit” – Gallery 1988, Los Angeles, CA
“Day of the Doon” – Bonny Doon Vineyard, Santa Cruz, CA
“Circus Punks Rule” – Toy Tokyo, New York, NY
“Blab Show” – Track 16 Gallery, Santa Monica, CA
“TAAFI” – Gladstone Hotel, Toronto, ON
“Toronto Art Fair” – Metro Toronto Convention Centre, Toronto, ON
“Prints and Posters” – Outer Edge Studio, Monterey, CA
“Built for Speed” – L’Autre Galerie, Montreal, QC
“Partridge and Pear Trees” – Magic Pony Gallery, Toronto, ON
“Picture Mechanics Show” – Musuem of American Illlustration at the Society of Illustrators, New York, NY
“Art of Denim” – L’Autre Galerie, Montreal, QC
“Pop Pluralism” – Jonathan Levine Gallery, New York, NY
“Weirdo Deluxe” – StuARTGallery, Burbank, CA
“Male Pattern Baldness and Hummingbirds” – Reading Frenzy, Portland, OR
“The Postcard Project” – Fosterart, London, UK

2004
“Uncommercial Art by Commercial Artists” – La Luz de Jesus Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
“The Dress Up Show” – Star Shoes, Los Angeles, CA
“A Day on the Lawn” – Froden Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
“The Art of Laughter, A Salute to Humor” – Jewish Community Center, Santa Monica, CA
“V&A Awards” – Victoria and Albert Museum, London, UK
“Contemporary Culture” – City of Brea Gallery, Brea, CA
“10th Anniversary Show” – Giant Robot Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
“Qeedrophonic Doll Show” – OX-OP Gallery, Minneapolis, MN
“Picture Mechanics Group Show” – Exploding Head Gallery, Sacramento, CA
“Dialogue: The Fine Art of Conversation” – Abbey Church, San Diego, CA
“Ghost Town” – Tin Man Alley, Philadelphia, PA

2003
“Uncommercial Art by Commercial Artist” – La Luz de Jesus Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
“Robots Have Feelings Too” – Culture Cache Gallery, San Francisco, CA
“Cubed” – Tin Man Alley, Philadelphia, PA
“Hand to Eye” – Magma Books, London, UK
“Doll House Show” – Copro Nason Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
“Cartoon Musuem Show” – Cartoon Museum, San Francisco,CA
“Picture Mechanics Group Show” – Zeitgeist Gallery, Nashville, TN

2002
“Quartered de La Luz” – The Cartoon Network, Los Angeles, CA
“Picture Mechanics Group Show” – 69A Gallery, San Francisco, CA
“Circus, Carnival, Freaks and Oddities” – CPOP Gallery, Detroit, MI
“Decipher” – 450 Broadway Gallery, New York, NY
“La Luz de Leche” – Milk Bedroom Gallery, Toronto, ON

Artist Website:
http://www.garytaxali.com

Artist Wikipedia Page:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Taxali

“Gary Taxali brings joy and style to the Royal Canadian Mint’s 2012 celebratory coin series” – Melody Lau, January 23rd, 2012 on National Post. Read full article here: http://news.nationalpost.com/arts/gary-taxali-brings-joy-and-style-to-the-royal-canadian-mints-2012-celebratory-coin-series

See all the coin sets here: http://www.mint.ca/store/artist/Gary+Taxali-13900018?cat=&nId=&parentnId=&nodeGroup=

Additional Information