Brian Gasenzer: "This is a Woodlands Mural- an Aboriginal Style of art. I think we need
to see a lot more of it in the city because it has a beautiful style and blocking of colours.
We all have a connection with animals and animal spirits and we use them as our guides.
In reality they are part of our consciousness of how we act as human beings."
"I've been blessed with the skills and ability to put small scale artwork (maquette in photo 2) onto a large
wall. As you can see, it changes. The middle of the mock-up
drawing starts changing with the energy that's surrounding me from the
neighbourhood."
"This old brick has a kind of a gritty feel to paint on. When it comes to the surface of a
wall, be it stucco or brick or flat wall, I'm well versed in different styles so I know how to
use the appropriate style to make the art work and 'pop'. Starting as a graffiti artist I've
learned that from working on all sorts of surfaces with spray art. I love using both
aerosol and acrylic paints together- I call it mixed medium art. Everybody's doing it all
over the world and I'm just another one of the people who are using mixed medium styles
with aerosols and acrylic paints. Aerosol is one of my favourite mediums as it allows me
to flow on rough surfaces. It's all about flow for me. On a flat wall I love using the brush
and incorporating aerosol as well."
"I'm here to beautify the city and it's one of the reasons I've never moved out of
Winnipeg. I've had opportunities to move to other cities and doing what I'm doing now
but on a larger scale. But I find that there's something here in Winnipeg. The feel that
the spirit is so strong here- I'm really tapped in and connected to it and I really want to
help share it with communities not just in the West End, but also in the North End and
communities that really need it."
"That's the part I love about it- the healing through colour and through conversation.
Some of the people that come to the wall that I'm talking to- they don't really talk to
anybody at times I find. And then I see them here and they're so happy to interact and to
see the colour and see their eyes absorb the colour- and it's good for the spirit."
Source: West End Dumplings- Christian Cassidy interviews Cash Akoza.
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