“Old JP” [Commission]
Ink, Marker, Acrylic, Watercolor on Canvas
2023

As a lifelong JP kid, this was a very meaningful project for me. I was commissioned to paint this as a gift. The recipient was someone who grew up in the Hyde Square center of Jamaica Plain who no longer lives here. This is an area that has undergone tremendous change in a very short time and has seen a lot of its legendary institutions relegated to the memories of those of us who were there and still carry those stories. It was an honor to be asked to pay tribute to my neighborhood and some of the places that were a big part of my childhood or were there to pave the way for my time. Some of the landmarks we chose to include were Christie’s Market, El Oriental de Cuba, Bella Luna, Hi-Lo Foods, The El Mundo newspaper’s original offices, the old MBTA Buses… I did include some characters and some are specific tributes for those who know. The billboard represents the High Tolerance cannabis company which was built by some folks from this neighborhood, one of whom this painting was commissioned for. I really enjoyed the research that went into this project, the many walks up the block to see what details needed to be present and the opportunity to show some love for JP.

• Art
• Drawing