Today I want to tell you about my friend Gregory Alan Elliott -- a talented artist with a big heart. Here are Greg's own words about Greg's work, followed by my comments (kept brief, as there's a lot of love to cover!):
ON SNOETRY
SNOETRY is any image or phrase drawn or written in the snow. It does not have to make sense or rhyme... It can be clever, or not. At the very least, it can be a random happy face on a snowy car windshield... Or it can be a huge I-LOVE-YOU the size of a football field. After every snowfall, there are fresh opportunities to express oneself on a small or grand scale. Spontaneous. Temporary. Fully editable or erasable by any passerby, SNOETRY is cold hard democracy in a time-honoured, yet always fresh medium... SNOETRY is environmentally friendly when human power is used. Snoets believe that everyone is a good snoet.
I'm glad my "LOVE" message was a surprise to you on your way to your son's school. Just for you... and the rest of the planet. I left smiling hearts in the snow all over Toronto last night... I found myself on your street at 3 AM and figured I had enough energy for one more heart... but just before I made the heart, I realized you would probably rather have some LOVE... I was too tired for an entire "I LOVE YOU".
My new word (2008) SNOETRY and the story behind it (one page website) --> SNOETRY.org
I create the snoetry/graffiti, and then Google a few days later to find the images ... it's like treasure hunting for my own art. Sometimes an image just disappears, never having been documented (to my knowledge)...
Links: Toronto Star story, blogTO post, a row of hearts , BIG snow heart with my girlfriend's initials, BIG "I love you" to my girlfriend out back of OCAD and the AGO.
ON SNOETRY
SNOETRY is any image or phrase drawn or written in the snow. It does not have to make sense or rhyme... It can be clever, or not. At the very least, it can be a random happy face on a snowy car windshield... Or it can be a huge I-LOVE-YOU the size of a football field. After every snowfall, there are fresh opportunities to express oneself on a small or grand scale. Spontaneous. Temporary. Fully editable or erasable by any passerby, SNOETRY is cold hard democracy in a time-honoured, yet always fresh medium... SNOETRY is environmentally friendly when human power is used. Snoets believe that everyone is a good snoet.
I'm glad my "LOVE" message was a surprise to you on your way to your son's school. Just for you... and the rest of the planet. I left smiling hearts in the snow all over Toronto last night... I found myself on your street at 3 AM and figured I had enough energy for one more heart... but just before I made the heart, I realized you would probably rather have some LOVE... I was too tired for an entire "I LOVE YOU".
My new word (2008) SNOETRY and the story behind it (one page website) --> SNOETRY.org
I create the snoetry/graffiti, and then Google a few days later to find the images ... it's like treasure hunting for my own art. Sometimes an image just disappears, never having been documented (to my knowledge)...
Links: Toronto Star story, blogTO post, a row of hearts , BIG snow heart with my girlfriend's initials, BIG "I love you" to my girlfriend out back of OCAD and the AGO.
ON GRAFFITI
I have been signing my full legal name to my graffiti around Toronto. My first stencil was out front of Toronto's first Graffiti Festival about 15 or 20(?) years ago. It said "DEFY THE LAWS OF GRAFFITI!" and had my full legal name underneath. I guess I was trying to suggest that graffiti artists should take ownership and responsibility for their art... even if it meant fines and court costs. When I meet graffiti artists, and describe the concept, it really blows their minds... which is a good thing.
Links: Toronto Star article (large .pdf about his painted love quotes on The Queensway), photo by cadburyon, photo by chewie2008.
ON DESIGN
I consider myself an experimental artist, illustrator, poet, etc... I work professionally as a graphic designer, and have worked in television and advertising. I grew up in Toronto Advertising Agencies. I do "charity" design for people who are dreaming/trying to build better communities-- like NotFarFromTheTree.org and Garden Jane.
Twitter bio: Experiments w/ Social Media as an artform. Father of four grown sons, artist, troublemaker, fun. 100% Annie Whomsley's man. Opinions here are my own. Calm down.
ON CREATING WORDS
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Gregory+Alan+Elliott
My favorite description/word is INFRACULTURE. It honors/explains people who are doing "community good" projects.
WHY?
No idea really... You have to do SOMETHING while you're on the planet, if my art or short poetic turns-of-phrases bring a smile to someone's face, then that is good. If it makes them think too, even better... and, if it makes people discuss and debate their lives, then that is reason enough... isn't it?
I like what you are doing with your "love" projects. And... I am not going to ask you "why". I am just glad to see you doing it. It makes me smile, think and share.
♥♥♥
We come into this world with gifts, and Gregory Alan Elliott gives his so freely...I met Greg at an online gardening forum, where he was offering and delivering seedlings to hundreds of people. He brought me boxes of healthy plants; when my friends admired the bergamot he gave us, he dropped off pots for them. Greg, thank you for your generosity of spirit, in every way it manifests--through art, the natural world, laughter, and more. Other things to know about Greg: he takes snoetry requests; he asked the Dalai Lama to check out my blog; he loves his lady.
Gregory Alan Elliott on Twitter: greg_a_elliott.
“Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness.” -Martin Luther King Jr.
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1 comments:
That's amazing! What percentage of your gets translated to an image on google image search? - Shannon O | Confessions of a Loving Wife
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