Daniel Rivero painted for more than eight hours at the third annual Vision Collision at the Black Shire Pub on Saturday night.
Near the patio entrance, the 29-year-old painter listened intently to his headphones as he slowly brought his canvas to life.
Half-way finished, the canvas revealed a backdrop of grey buildings against a streak of bright orange.
Rivero was one of ten visual artists present at the event which included an eclectic mix of DJs, bands, photographers and painters.
Rivero, who also works as chef, began doing graffiti at age 15 in Kitchener but stopped at 18 when his friends started running into trouble with the police. He had always sketched but only started painting about four years ago.
He was serious about getting his work done and dry by the event’s end at 3:00 a.m. "I started painting at 5:00 and I aim to finish by 12:00 or 12:30," he said.
This is the first year that Vision Collision has included live art, said curator of the event Eric Cherry. Cherry, 33, runs a marketing and promotions company for art and music events called A Thomas Crown Affair.
Cherry launched the first Vision Collision, also his first art show, at the Black Shire Pub three years ago.
“Vision Collision’s purpose is to give you a glimpse of the diversity and talent of London’s growing art and music scene,” said Cherry.
Around 250 people filtered through the Black Shire Pub over the course of the evening. Responses to the event were positive, although artist Leigh Cooney’s work stirred up strong reactions in some people, said Cherry.
Walking into the Pub, Cooney’s weird and whimsical artwork was strikes attention with its bold colours and strange figures. His unique pop-folk art features a variety of pop icons in compromising and satirical poses.
Cooney began painting tentatively three years ago, and his first exhibition took place last year during the second Vision Collision at the Black Shire Pub. Since then, Cooney has become quite successful, managing to quit his day job and dedicate himself full-time to his hobby.
He credits facebook for the bulk of his sales. “Imagine having a gallery where three to four thousand people walk in everyday,” said the enthusiastic artist.
The completely self-taught Cooney will sometimes will sell a painting before it has finished drying. About half of his works are commissions while the other half spring from his own musings.
Around the corner from Cooney’s wall, Michael Mullan, aka DJ Forty Dollar Martini, spun funk records, clearly enjoying himself. Three of his photographs were also featured on the walls upstairs. Mullan has been a fine arts photographer and DJ since his university days.
“I’m really happy about what Eric’s done. He is a nucleus for the community and we need more people like him,” said Mullan. He especially appreciates the addition of the live art to this year’s event. “People like to see the creative process.”
Brett Higgs, 23-year-old attendee of the event was a little let down because there was not more live and interactive art. “It’s more like the art revolving around people, not people revolving around the art.”
Higgs assumed the art component of the event would have been more “in-your-face.” Nevertheless he was pleased. “London needs an injection into its art scene and this is a great event for that.”
Back on the patio, artist Adam Hayman blasted a canvas with spray-paint against a hanging sheet to catch the fly-off colour. Using an intricate series of stencils, Hayman, 32, painted a portrait of Jackie Robinson, the first black man to play in the major leagues in 1947.
Across the patio, people stood around Rivero’s finished painting. The lightning bolts and buildings collided and contrasted on the canvas, mirroring the infusion of life that this music and art event brought to the pub and the city’s art scene.
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