If ever there was an artist more deserving of critical acclaim, it’s Toronto-based, Jon Todd. I first came across his work a number of years ago at an underground art exhibit at the famed Niagara Bar in New York City: it was a painted skateboard deck. Who would have thought four years later that he would be staging his first solo show in the hotbed of Pop Surrealism.

I met up with him at Art Basel this past weekend at various and sundry after-parties and events. We had a chance to chat a little bit about his upcoming solo exhibit at Thinkspace Gallery, slated for Friday, December 12th. ‘This is very personal work for me,’ Todd said shyly. ‘It’s largely about the themes of struggle, love, and our need to break free’.

Throw in some old school Russian prison tattoo imagery, burly Mexican wrestlers meets Antonio Gaudi-type influence in patterning, and you will find the beautiful works of Jon Todd. I even own his work myself.

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One of our favourite illustrators, Marco Cibola (of Nove Studios fame) has recently launched a new site with updated illustration work and personal projects. We checked in with him to see what else has been keeping him busy: ‘My wife and I had a baby girl. Her name is Sadie. I’ve been working on a big series of paintings for my first solo show in LA. And a few commercial gigs here and there. Not much time for anything else except eating and sleeping’. Have you discovered any exciting new artists, illustrators, and bands that you can share with us? ‘I’m kind or rediscovering a few artists that I’ve always liked. Younger guys like Ryan Wallace and Joseph Hart are doing some really great work. I’ve been doing some reading up on Sol Lewitt too, I’ve been getting interested in the ideas behind his work. My wife turned me onto Ruth Asawa too. Her work is beautiful’.

‘From a music point of view, I’ve been listening to some “classical minimalist” stuff (sorry, I hate the labels). Steve Reich, Terry Riley and Michael Nyman are a few. Other than that, I’m also listening to Vladislav Delay, Nico Muhly, stuff on Dial Recordings, Echospace, old Basic Channel, Wolfgang Voigt, etc. I’ve been buying my music at a store in Toronto called ‘Slinky’ and Paul, the guy who runs it, has been turning me onto a bunch of really amazing stuff’.

What’s hanging on your walls right now?
‘A print by my wife, Anne Cibola. A large photograph by Davida Nemeroff. A small Gary Taxali print. A piece by Ryan Buchnea. A piece by Peter Mitchell and some of my stuff. We have a lot of stuff that we want to hang, but it’s all in drawers waiting for “framing” money’.