Jabari "Elicser" Elliott is a visual-artist based in

Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most pop ...

Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central C ...

Early life and education

While Elliott was born in

Montreal Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the second-most populous city in Canada and most populous city in the Canadian province of Quebec. Founded in 1642 as '' Ville-Marie'', or "City of Mary", it is named after Mount Royal, the triple- ...

, he spent his formative years living in Saint Vincent. Elliott helped his mother recreate costumes for the local

carnival Carnival is a Catholic Christian festive season that occurs before the liturgical season of Lent. The main events typically occur during February or early March, during the period historically known as Shrovetide (or Pre-Lent). Carnival ...

with which his father was heavily involved. Upon his family's return to Canada, Elliott was introduced to street art while studying at the Etobicoke School of the Arts. His high school's guidance counsellor directed him to Sheridan College's program in Animation and affirmed for the young artist the possibilities of a career in the arts. Elliott studied animation at Sheridan College.

Career

Since graduating from Sheridan College's animation program, Elliott has amassed a collection of murals and public artworks that have come to help define

's cityscape. Moving beyond notions of the streets being his only canvas, Elliott has exhibited works at The Art Gallery of Ontario, The Royal Ontario Museum, and LE Gallery. Elliott has also acted as an arts educator working with the Art Gallery of Ontario's "Free After Three" youth arts program, and the

Toronto Jazz Festival The Toronto Jazz Festival is a jazz event in Toronto which takes place for 10 days in late June through early July. Unlike the Beaches International Jazz Festival, most of the events are indoors and located throughout the downtown core. The hub of t ...

, teaching youth

aerosol paint Aerosol paint (commonly spray paint) is paint that comes in a sealed, pressurized container and is released in an aerosol spray when a valve button is depressed. Aerosol painting is one form of spray painting; it leaves a smooth, even coat, unli ...

techniques. Elliott's most notable works can be described as a highly improvised collage of soft characters and organic shapes, layered and blended through transparencies. His character work is often mediated by past experiences and relationships while also drawing on the likenesses of passers-by to complete his community-based murals. Elliott has also illustrated and produced a small run of books titled "Know Love". In 2011, Elliott met with Toronto Mayor

Rob Ford Robert Bruce Ford (May 28, 1969 – March 22, 2016) was a Canadian politician and businessman who served as the 64th mayor of Toronto from 2010 to 2014. Before and after his term as mayor, Ford was a city councillor representing Ward 2 Etob ...

to advocate for the significance and vibrance of graffiti murals as

public art Public art is art in any media whose form, function and meaning are created for the general public through a public process. It is a specific art genre with its own professional and critical discourse. Public art is visually and physically acce ...

. At the time, Councillor Cesar Palacio had advocated for more

street art Street art is visual art created in public locations for public visibility. It has been associated with the terms "independent art", "post-graffiti", "neo-graffiti" and guerrilla art. Street art has evolved from the early forms of defiant graff ...

as part of combatting blighted urban communities.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Elliott, Elicser Living people Artists from Montreal Etobicoke School of the Arts alumni Sheridan College alumni Graffiti artists Year of birth missing (living people)