Statement & Biography
ARTIST BIOGRAPHY (B. 1978): Todd Lawson’s artwork has graced many international commercial projects and has been displayed in art galleries throughout North America; including Atlanta, Los Angeles, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Sacramento, San Diego, Seattle, Toronto, Utah, Vancouver and the UK. Born in Canada, Todd grew up in Southern and Central Florida. After a turbulent youth built around a love of loud angry music, sketchbooks, skateboarding and friends he left the south to return to Canada where he attended Sheridan College’s Illustration and Post-Graduate Illustration programs.
He currently lives in Burlington, Ontario with his wife; fellow artist Elesavet and two twin daughters.
ARTIST STATEMENT: I could tell you about how deep my work delves; personally, emotionally and conceptually. I could tell you how much time I spend over-thinking, sketching and painting. How ideas get stuck in my head until I can think of nothing else. How I get stuck in my head. How the work juggles themes, concepts and narrative metaphors on subjects that interest me. But in reality, I am simply a curious person by nature who is more comfortable expressing ideas and emotions visually and like to create work you and I can escape into. I am fascinated with symbolism, pop culture, nostalgia and human nature. I will often go looking for a new subject or point of view to explore and become obsessed with it.
Work is often rendered with precision and detail as I possess a distinctly logical mindset and am drawn to trying to solve different problems visually. However, I don’t allow reality to trap me and favour contemporary surrealism over pure representational work. This allows me to use various imagined figures, animals and objects like actors, props and backdrops on a theatre stage. Creating worlds with mixed stories and points of view for my audience to digest, discuss and reflect upon. Most importantly feeding my curiosity. It’s been called whimsical, too sassy, awkward, smart, pretty, odd, offensive, challenging and all sorts of adjectives. I prefer to simply say it reflects my state of mind on any given day. Escape into my world for a little while.
Exhibition History
Contact me if you would like to show my work in your gallery or represent my work.
Solo Exhibits
Spirits
Elaine Fleck Gallery
Toronto, ON
Opens July 2022
Press Release >
Visitors
Elaine Fleck Gallery
Toronto, ON
July 2021
Read Press Release >
Idols
Elaine Fleck Gallery
Toronto, ON
June 2020
Paranoia by Submission
The Staircase
Hamilton, ON
June 2005
Multi-Artist Exhibits
2-Artist Show
Elaine Fleck Gallery
Toronto, ON
September 2020
Tiny Terror 3 Group Show
The Dark Art Emporium
Long Beach, California
June 2020
Communion
Group Show
The Dark Art Emporium
Long Beach, CA
May 2020
The New Exhibit
Elaine Fleck Gallery
Toronto, ON
March 2020
Itsy Bitsy Art Show
BeeLong Gallery
Penticton, British Columbia
November 2019
Frida De Los Muertos
Group Show
Rebel Rebel Gallery
Taos, New Mexico
November, 2019
DAMNED 12th Annual Juried Exhibit
Tangent Gallery/Hasting Ballroom
Detroit, Michigan
October 2019
Alice Group Show
Rebel Rebel Gallery
Taos, New Mexico
September, 2019
Opening Group Show
Nathaniel Hughson Art Gallery
Hamilton, Ontario
September, 2012
Appealing To Fancy (Group Show)
Rouge Concept Gallery
Toronto, Ontario
November 18-December 19, 2010
BIG: Group Show
Group Show of larger works
IX Gallery
Toronto, Ontario
July 23rd – August 29th, 2008
Bedtime Stories: Group Show
The Gallery At East Atlanta Tattoo
Atlanta, GA
December 6 – 20th, 2008
Midnight Garden:
The Daydreams & Nightmares of…
3-Artist Show
Foundation One Gallery
Atlanta, GA
Nov.10th, 2007 – Dec.8th, 2007
Munny Shot Show
Group Vinyl Munny Show
The Tobacco Factory, Bristol, UK
March 4th 2007
The Bomb Project
Custom Vinyl B.U.D. Toy Show
Normal Street Studio, Denton, TX
Nov. 18th – December 2nd
RaiseUp Vol. II
Traveling show/book release
ADM Project Gallery, L.A., CA
Omy Gallery, Toronto, ON
C. Emerson Fine Arts, Largo, FL
Aug. – Nov. 2006
Back Then!
Double-artist bill
Toy Room Gallery
Sacramento, California
Aug. 18th Sept. 9th 2006
Truckstops & Trailerparks:
The White Trash Art Show
Group show
Joe Blow Glassworks
Vancouver, BC, Dec. 2004
Back Then!
Double-artist bill
Toy Room Gallery
Sacramento, California
Aug. 18th Sept. 9th 2006
UNK Board Show – 2006 Part Duo
Group Show
The Unknown Gallery
Salt Lake City, UT
Jan. 20th – Feb. 10th, 2006
S.C.A.E.P. Benefit Auction Show
Planet Rooth Studio Gallery
San Diego, CA, August 2005
The Golden Age Exhibit
Double artist bill
Planet Rooth Studio Gallery
San Diego, CA, August 2005
Truckstops & Trailerparks:
The White Trash Art Show
Group show
Joe Blow Glassworks
Vancouver, BC, Dec. 2004
El Dia De Los Muertos Art Show
Artist/Curator: group show
CCMA Studio
Hamilton, ON, Oct. 2004
Jealous Monkey Whips the Squeaky Donut
Group Show
Skeleton Art Gallery,
Santa Fe, NM, October 2004
PRESS, PUBS & SPEAKING
PUBLISHED WORKS
- Art Book Art of Todd Lawson: Vol.1
- Children’s Book Song Bird
SPEAKING
- RGD Creative Directions Conference Opening speaker, 2015
- Sheridan College Guest speaker, 2004
EDUCATION
- 2002 Advanced Illustration, Sheridan College (1yr Post-Grad)
- 2001 Illustration, Sheridan College (3yrs)
- 1999 Art Fundamentals, Sheridan College (1yr)
PRESS
- APÉRO Catalogue | August 2019 ‘Depth’ issue, featured work: “I Am No House Wife“
- 1340 Art Magazine | Q4 2019 Issue, Featured Work: Two Paintings from the World Rediscovered Collection
- Encore Magazine feature | November 2004 Issue
- Hamilton Spectator Newspaper | artist/show interview
- View magazine | artist & show interview
- Antipoda | member & interview
- Noun | interview & feature
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Latest Website Updates
- PRESS RELEASE: 2022 ‘Spirits’ Solo Exhibition by Todd Lawson at Elaine Fleck GalleryThis July I will be exhibiting new and recent work at my third solo exhibit to open at Elaine Fleck Gallery located in the Parkdale neighbourhood of Toronto. This year marks a continued evolution of my work as I move away from the “visitors” in past works to “spirits”.
- PRESS RELEASE: 2021 ‘Visitors’ Solo Exhibition by Todd Lawson at Elaine Fleck GalleryI have faced two culture shocks in my life. The first was moving to Florida at age 9 and being dumped into an alternate universe where tourism, retirees and locals intentionally segregated themselves into cultural bubbles and where I…
- VideosVarious videos from my YouTube Channel. I am hoping to create more time lapse and talking presentation videos in the future.