{"id":9341,"date":"2021-05-15T10:00:35","date_gmt":"2021-05-15T10:00:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nyglamour.net\/?p=9341"},"modified":"2026-02-03T04:05:25","modified_gmt":"2026-02-03T04:05:25","slug":"being-an-artist-requires-patience-confidence-passion-and-lots-of-hard-work-but-i-enjoy-every-minute-of-it-al-gord","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nyglamour.net\/?p=9341","title":{"rendered":"“Being an artist requires patience, confidence, passion and lots of hard work, but I enjoy every minute of it.” – Al Gord"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Exclusive Interview with Al Gord – Artist from Canada<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Al Gord is a self-taught up and coming artist in\nthe Toronto, Canada art scene. While he considers himself a painter, some may\nsuggest that his works borrow from mixed media, as he uses both sheet music and\nacrylic paint as his chosen materials. He found his way back to painting after\na lengthy hiatus from art. His work developed as a natural progression from\nexperimenting with different styles, subject matter and techniques. He has\nalways loved rock music, from the classic sounds of the late 1960s to the current\nsounds of today. Combining his passion for painting with his affinity for rock\nmusic \u2013 the songs, the people, the energy, and the stories – has been his\ninspiration in creating his works of art.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Using song titles and lyrics from songs as a\nstarting point, Al creates paintings that display\nthe musician in an iconic pose that is truly distinctive to that individual. He draws the viewer into the piece using various contrasting\nelements which are seamlessly blended together to create a sense of balance in\nhis work, while giving his art an almost three-dimensional quality. Inspired by\nthe music of the artist he paints, Al listens to the specific artist throughout\nthe entire painting process, as he immerses himself in the \u201cenergy\u201d of the\nmusician.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recently Al has branched out into other series\nas well. While he still enjoys painting rock stars, a subject matter he will\ncontinue to paint, he is at the early stages of developing two new series, one\nbased on Classic Hollywood icons and another; which focusses on more erotic\npieces that bring music and sensuality together. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Al has exhibited in shows in Canada, the United States, Italy, Australia, Scotland, and England. His works are gaining in both notoriety and popularity, as his art is owned in numerous private collections. His distinct and unmistakable style makes his portrait works unique. He is currently represented by a gallery in the United Kingdom. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Sing with Me<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

NY Glam: Tell us a little about yourself\nand your career beginnings. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I am the eldest of\nthree; my two younger sisters both enjoy the arts as well. One of my sisters\nenjoys writing, while the other has been active in small musical performances\naround the city. As children we were immersed in the arts, be it visiting local\ngalleries and museums or attending live performances. This had an impact on me.\nAs a child, I always created and enjoyed the arts, but I never saw myself being\nin the art world. In my younger years I sketched a lot, usually fantasy\npictures, reminiscent of creatures you would see in Lord of the Rings. I also\nexperimented with different painting styles and media, watercolor landscapes,\noil landscapes and acrylic \u2013 recreating other artists\u2019 works. None of the\nsubject matter really moved me for any length of time, but it did allow me to\nexperiment with different techniques and styles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I went to University\nwhere I earned degrees in both science and education. During this time, I did\nnot take any post-secondary related arts courses. I have no formal art\ntraining. After years of not doing anything related to the arts, I began\npainting again in the fall of 2015 as a way to find some work-life balance. I\nwould paint every day, playing around with various ideas. Eventually it led me\nto painting my first rock star piece \u2013 a portrait of Jimi Hendrix. I continued\npainting rock star portraits, refining my style, having fun with new ideas and\ntechniques and continuing to learn from each painting. A little less than four\nyears ago is when my work really began to take on its current form. For me I\nfound my voice; my identity as an artist. Through all of this, I have\nre-discovered my love of art as well as the sense of tranquility it brings to\nmy life. Recently I decided to make this my focus \u2013 leaving the long hours of\nan intense career to focus on my calling as an artist, working at my pace and\nschedule. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

NY\nGlam: What projects\nare you currently working on? <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Currently I am working on a couple of paintings for\nmy \u201cLegends of Rock\u201d series. Coincidently enough the artists, arguably two of\nthe most influential of all time, are from New York and neighboring New Jersey.\nThe New York music scene has always played a major role in the music industry\nand the uniqueness of the artists from the area have played prominent roles in\nmy art. Joey Ramone, Billy Joel, and Gene Simmons are all artists who I have\npainted to date. I am excited to be adding two new icons to my series. After\nthat I am torn between a few possible rock stars, a very iconic Hollywood\nfigure or a new sensual piece. My \u201cto paint\u201d list never gets smaller; it only\nseems to have new potential paintings added on to it, which is exciting. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

NY\nGlam: <\/strong>What art do you most identify with?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As an individual who appreciates art, I enjoy contemporary works. The subject matter can vary as can the style, but works that are bold, that make a statement and which are unique and fresh really appeal to my sense of taste. As for my art, I do not know if I can really categorize my style. If I had to describe my style, I would suggest that I combine Pop Art, Street Art, and Abstract Art with
Portraiture. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

My goal when\ncreating is to draw the viewer into the work by using contrasting elements,\nwhich seamlessly blend to create a sense of balance and harmony in my work. With varying colors and\ntechniques, as well as sheet music, I create fragmented backgrounds. My goal is\nto create a sense of equilibrium and unity, where the icon is the focal point,\nbut the viewers\u2019 eyes are not fixated only on the image.  I would suggest that the lines and abstract\nsplatter in the background create a sense of movement and rhythm, and perhaps\neven visual depictions of sound and emotion. I also use a lot of black and grey to depict outlines and shadows in\neach portrait, which gives my work a street art feel, one that hopefully\nelicits energy and raw emotion in every piece. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

NY Glam: What themes do you pursue?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It really depends on the series I am painting. A significant\nnumber of my works focus on rock stars as well as other musicians who have\nplayed a significant role in the music industry. With these pieces, I am\ndelving into a wide range of topics such as politics, mental health, addiction,\nindividuality, and life \u2013 the obstacles that we all deal with at one time or\nanother. A lot depends on who the artist is and the song I have chosen to\ninclude as motivation for the painting. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A second series of works, my \u201cWomen of Rock\u201d are sensual and\nedgy portraits inspired by rock songs about women. These pieces often focus on\nlove, heartbreak, and inspiration. Relationships \u2013 the highs, the lows, and\neverything in between make for powerful narratives, both as song lyrics and as\npaintings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I am in the midst of building up a collection, yet to be\ntitled, of very sensual pieces. The themes in these works are somewhat evident\nbased on the visuals. Passion, raw emotion and sex; however, there are all\nkinds of subtle messages built into the pieces. Once again, based on a specific\nsong and artist, the backstory to the song and musician also plays a role in\nthe piece \u2013 with the couple displaying tattoos that connect to the music and\nsong. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finally, my newest\nseries \u201cClassic Hollywood\u201d really focusses on concepts such as stability versus\nfreedom, nature versus culture, sacrifice, loyalty, and so on. Really, it is\nabout what it means to be human; understanding one\u2019s sense of identity,\nself-awareness and personal growth or in some cases \u2013 the lack of\nunderstanding. Through this series, I hope to capture these themes in a manner\nthat exudes timelessness, elegance and sophistication. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In reality, all my\nseries focus on the \u201chuman condition\u201d and what it means to be human. In part,\neach piece is inspired by emotion and by life. In some ways, I let\ncircumstances choose my next piece for me based on how I am feeling, an\nexperience I have recently had, or even the connectedness I am feeling with a\ncertain song at a given point in time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

NY\nGlam: What\u2019s your favorite art work? <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

My favorite work seems to change month to month, depending on what I am currently painting. I find excitement and motivation through each new piece, which brings me a certain joy. There are certain paintings, which stand out for me for various reasons \u2013 the first piece I sold, at my very first show. That has special meaning but nobody would ever recognize it as one of my works. At the time, I was still finding my voice and style as an artist; it is an abstract piece with symbols embedded in the work. My first painting I did of Jimi Hendrix stands out for me, as that was my initial foray into painting rock stars. While my style has greatly changed since then and it is far more polished, that piece set the tone for who I am as an artist. As I have also painted pieces for loved ones those are all very special to me as well. So in short, each piece has a certain meaning for me \u2013 I do not think I have yet to have a favorite in my portfolio.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Son Can You Play Me a Memory<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

NY Glam: Tells us about some of your recent\nexhibitions. What memorable responses have you had to your work?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Last summer I was in a virtual exhibit hosted in Milan, Italy. Being part of a show in a city renowned for its fashion, history, art and culture was a real honor. What made this extra special for me what that the gallery showcased my sensual paintings \u2013 the first time my non-music pieces were featured. The organizers specifically sought me out because of those paintings where the intent was to highlight the passion, love and beautiful edginess of the works. Over the last three months I have done two shows in my hometown, with artists from all over the world participating. The response to my work has been very positive. For me the most memorable part of the two shows was that I was part of a five-person artist panel where I spoke at the virtual opening for the first show. Being able to talk about my work, my inspiration and the impact of creating during this pandemic was a very powerful experience. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

NY Glam: Tell us about one of your projects which\nyou are very proud of.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A few years ago,\nI created a four part series of paintings. All four portraits were\nmonochromatic; all painted in various shades of blue. The focus of these\npaintings, all non-celebrities, was to raise awareness about mental health and\nwellness. I am a huge mental health advocate and proponent. I feel that\nadditional education, resources, and supports are needed, as this is a growing\nhealth issue, one that is sadly still misunderstood and stigmatized by far too\nmany. I felt it important to use my voice as an artist to let others know my\nperspective and support for this very important issue. While these four pieces\nhave not gained the same notoriety as my other works, they are pieces of which\nI am immensely proud. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

NY Glam: What does \u201cbeing creative\u201d mean to you?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

That is such a great question because the term often seems to be associated with someone who is an artist in one form or another. As an artist, a lot of time is spent honing skills, developing new ones, and putting in the time and dedication to excel in our field. I would also suggest that people think of \u201cbeing creative\u201d as someone who produces finished pieces, be it a song, a performance or a work of art that is seen in a gallery. For me it is a mindset. We are all creative in our own way; some people write, others are creatives in the kitchen. The biggest key to being creative is getting out of our own heads, taking a risk and not worrying about what others think. While I would argue that there is added pressure being an artist, both in breaking into the industry and in making a living at it, \u201cbeing a creative\u201d really is about enjoying the time experimenting and trying new endeavors out of my comfort zone. Most importantly, it is about being in the moment, focusing on the time spent creating, and learning from these experience to further enrich my life. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Twenty Twenty Twenty Four Hours to Go<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
Twenty Twenty Twenty Four Hours to Go<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

NY\nGlam: What are you trying to communicate with your art?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

With my paintings, I hope to challenge the viewer to dig past an\nimage of a famous person and in the process, gain a deeper understanding of\neach icon represented. A key part of this is the title of the work, which is\nsignificant to the painting. The musical pieces are based on a song title or\nlyric that reflects the message of the work and which serves to\nheighten the emotion of the piece. For fans of the musician, this helps them to\nfurther the connection to the piece. For viewers who may not be as familiar\nwith the artist, the title helps to draw them in, as they begin to learn about\nthe artist and the significance of the song-painting narrative. Each painting\nhas a unique story to tell \u2013 the history and meaning behind a song, the\nbackstory of the musician or the reason why I was compelled to paint a specific\nicon. I hope\nthat my work promotes conversation, as people search to make their own meaning\nof the work, while at the same time seeing the individuals painted in a\ncompletely new light.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

NY\nGlam: What role does the Artist have in Society?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I believe that the role\nan artist plays varies based on subject matter, audience and intent of the\nwork. To some extent, an artist is a cultural catalyst, someone who tells a\nstory, promotes the arts and builds appreciation of the changing landscape in\nthe art world. The beautiful thing about the visual arts is that it is truly is\na global language, one that we all speak. Regardless of where one comes from,\nwe all can make meaning from a work of art \u2013 for example; a picture with a\nhappy couple sends the message of love. That is universal. In many ways, art\nunites. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whether today\u2019s artists\ninspire, raise awareness, educate or even provoke \u2013 artists also need to make a\npositive difference. I am not suggesting that art be censored; on the contrary,\nit needs to be a voice for those who do not have one. I am all for art that\npushes boundaries and tackles difficult issues. From sensuality to mental\nhealth, from social justice to confronting \u201cisms\u201d artists have a significant role\nto play. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finally, at least for\nme I see the need to give back to society and support important causes. It is\none of the reasons why for the past six years, I have participated in an\ninternational art exhibit. Funds raised have gone to help various organizations\nincluding a woman\u2019s shelter, a charity to help adults with disabilities, and to\nsupport children with Leukemia and their families. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

NY\nGlam: What are your thoughts on being an artist\nin today\u2019s world?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It can\nbe very challenging for a whole host of reasons, but I personally feel it is\nvery rewarding. The industry itself is very difficult to break into. While\nsocial media makes it easier than ever to market one\u2019s work, the sheer number\nof artists creating today is mindboggling and everyone is using the same\nplatforms to share their talents. There are so many incredible artists out\nthere that it becomes a numbers game at times with regards to: shows, galleries,\nand other creative ventures.  I have had\ntalks with well-known organizations where I thought we were moving forward only\nto have things fall apart. In other instances, I have forwarded submissions for\nunique artist opportunities, again for very recognizable companies. When there\nare limited slots and hundreds upon hundreds of artists applying, many who are\nestablished and known throughout the industry and in some cases household\nnames, it can be tough to be one of the few chosen. However, that is also part\nof the thrill, the rush of being an artist. As competitive as one might think\nthe industry is, I have found it to be a very tight knit, supportive community.\nBeing an artist requires patience, confidence, passion and lots of hard work,\nbut I enjoy every minute of it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

NY\nGlam: How has painting influenced your life?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As I previously\nmentioned, I got back into art to find further work-life balance. Never in my\nwildest dreams, could I have imagined me leaving a very secure career to focus\non painting. In doing so, I do not have a set schedule. It took a little while\nto get used to not having a daily routine. However, the benefits are\nincredible. My time is truly mine now. That allows me more time for family. I\ncan create for as long as I want on any given day, which is fantastic. I find\nthat on days when the creation process just flows, I do not have to cut that\ntime short for other commitments. Painting for me is also an escape. The\ncombination of painting and listening to music is a cathartic experience, one\nthat is so incredibly peaceful and yet exhilarating. From shows to press I have\nmet so many interesting people, with such a wide range of experiences,\nbackgrounds and gifts; people with whom I would not have ever crossed paths.\nThat is a gift unto itself. Through all of this, I have been fortunate to\nconnect with my two painting idols; two super talented Canadian painters; both\nof whom focus on rock star portraits and who have provided me insights into the\nindustry. Finding my way back to painting truly has been an amazing experience.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

NY Glam: What art movement or artist would you say influences your work most?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I do not really have one specific movement that influences my work. Portrait work is key to what I do, but I have so many different elements embedded into my art. That being said there are three artists who have had an impact on my style. The first is Romero Britto. The first time I saw his art I was drawn to the bright colors and the myriad of contrasting designs and fragmented sections in his work. Elements of his Cubist Abstraction and Pop Art have definitely played a role in my work. The second is Canadian Post-Pop artist Jason Alexander, who again uses a wide range of colors and competing patterns in his work. While very different then Britto, the idea of using varying forms in a singular piece played a role in my approach to creating. Finally, watching speed panting performances from the legendary Denny Dent always awed me. His \u201cTwo Fisted Art Attack\u201d portraits, set to the music of the artist he was painting left a real impression with me. To this day, I still watch his performances for inspiration. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
This is What it Sounds Like<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

NY\nGlam: What can we\nexpect from you this year?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wow, that is a tough question to answer, even more\nso with the pandemic still out of control. The only thing I can definitively\nsay is that I will be continuing to add to my current collection of rock star\npaintings. Recently I have also started a new series focusing on classic\nHollywood icons. To date I have painted Audrey Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart,\nboth of which received very favorable reviews. I find that my color palette for\nmy work, the blacks and greys fit well with that era. You can expect to see\nmore in this new series. I may spend time this year getting back to a couple of\nother series I have \u2013 focusing on my sensual series. I love being in my studio\nand painting, but there is more to being an artist then just the creative\njourney. At least for me there is the business side to the industry. As such, I\nam playing with some painting ideas that are quite different then what people\nexpect to see from me. So much is dictated by the current market. I have been\nfortunate to have exhibited in two shows already this year. As for additional\nshows, new gallery representations, potential collaborations and even looking\nat ways to put a unique and technological twist on my works \u2013 we will see where\nthings go. I am definitely excited to see what is in store the rest of the\nyear.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

NY\nGlam: Can you share\nwith us three favorite things about your city\/culture? <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I feel incredibly fortunate being born and raised in\nToronto, Canada, which is where I still reside. Toronto has everything that a\nmajor North American city can offer. One of the greatest things about the city\nis that we are truly a global city with a wide ranging demographic. Living in\nsuch a diverse city, we are fortunate to reap the benefits of being so\nculturally rich. We have an incredible food scene in Toronto; it really is a\nfoodie\u2019s paradise. An added bonus is that in the summer months we have weekly\nfestivals that bring the city together. We also have a thriving arts district\nand theatre district; however, galleries and performances are found throughout\nthe Greater Toronto Area. For those who like the outdoors our downtown core is\na great place to walk and soak up the atmosphere. From historical buildings to\nnewer architecture, there is a lot to see and experience. We are lucky in that\nwe also have a number of parks, which are great for a hike, as well as the\nToronto beaches for those who enjoy nature. Toronto really has something for\neveryone; it is a necessary visit for anyone who has not been here. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

NY\nGlam: Where can\neveryone keep up with you to learn more? \u2026social media\u2026website<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

People can visit my website and reach out to me at https:\/\/www.algordart.com\/<\/a>. For those who want to follow along and see works\nin progress as well as some other behind the scenes content, readers can find\nme on Instagram: https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/algordart\/?hl=en<\/a>, Twitter: https:\/\/twitter.com\/algord_art?lang=en<\/a> and Facebook: https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/AlGordArt<\/a>. I hope people connect with me and\nfollow my journey. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Exclusive Interview with Al Gord – Artist from Canada Al Gord is a self-taught up and coming artist in the Toronto, Canada art scene. While he considers himself a painter, some may suggest that his works borrow from mixed media, as he uses both sheet music and acrylic paint as his chosen materials. He found […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":9342,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9341","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-art"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nyglamour.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9341","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nyglamour.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nyglamour.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nyglamour.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nyglamour.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=9341"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/nyglamour.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9341\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":19160,"href":"https:\/\/nyglamour.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9341\/revisions\/19160"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nyglamour.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/9342"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nyglamour.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=9341"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nyglamour.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=9341"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nyglamour.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=9341"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}