Gary Taxali is a master of communications - especially when it comes to the absurdities of life. Delving into the most basic forms of popular culture for inspiration, he elevates the comics genre and in the process creates single images that skewer popular assumptions with wit and whimsey. Steven Heller says of Gary's work, "[he] visually blends now with then. His style, inspired by vintage comics and advertising art, is...at once alluring and endearing. Despite the vintage look, he is neither maudlin nor nostalgic. His imagery is rich in satiric verve."

Four of the 340 illustrations by Gary Taxali on view at Narwhal Art Projects, in Toronto, Ontario, through the end of February.

In the course of his career, Gary has created thousands of images on assignment to top national magazines, including Rolling Stone, GQ, Esquire, Time, and McSweeney's, to name a few. This week, the first exhibition of his illustrations for print publications - a select group of 340 in all - goes on view at Narwhal Art Projects, in Toronto.

I caught up with Gary by by phone today to find out more about his work and process. Here's the conversation.

Peggy Roalf: What's your favorite kind of assignment?

Gary Taxali: The ones that have a human element to them. For example, in a business article, when there's a human touch to the story it gives me a lot of possibilities to deal with human behavior, which helps me come up with interesting concepts. If it's an article about a company merger that deals with how it affects employees and their bosses, that gives me a more interesting way of illustrating what could be mere facts.

PR: Of all the publications that have folded in the last couple of years, was there one in particular that was really fun to work for?

GT: Sadly there's a handful that were a joy to work with, but in particular I really enjoyed doing illustrations for Nickelodeon. it was a great magazine to work with because they dealt with topics that offered a lot of visual possibilities for me to exercise my imagination. For example, a series that I illustrated was about how to be a cartoon character. One of the things I came up with was this: if you can make your eyes bug out of your head, you're a cartoon character.

PR: Do you ever put yourself into the shoes of the character in a story you're illustrating? For example, have you ever climbed a mountain, kayaked to a remote island or sneaked onto the commodities trading floor just to get into the spirit of an assignment?

GT: I've never done any of those things but have illustrated all of them. At the same time the things I really enjoy doing, such as yoga and DJing, are things that I've never illustrated.

PR: So what's the thing about illustrators and DJing? Seems it's become an epidemic.

GT: You know I have a theory about that. As in all aspect of the arts there's a connection to music. I've never met an artist who wasn't passionate about music. I think any chance that we have to get out of the studio is always looked upon favorably and therefore DJing is a natural source of amusement and joy for a lot of illustrators.

PR: What's your favorite time of day for drawing and painting?

GT: Every day, all day.

PR: The characters you create really lend themselves to the idea of childrens' picture books. When you were working on your first kid book, coming out this summer, what was the most challenging thing about doing a book as opposed to a single page of art?

GT: The writing was challenging because even though they're my words, at the same time I had to think in a sequential form, from spread to spread. Also having the illustrations make sense with the text was a challenging and fun part of the process.

PR: Do you mainly draw and paint directly on paper or board?

GT: Yes, I only use the computer to email sketches and finals to clients.

PR: What's your favorite kind of paper or board to work on?

GT: I love working on found paper and old book covers. There's a special beauty in an old aged piece of paper that can't be mimicked, and that offers infinite possibilities for creating imagery.

PR: What's the strangest and/or oldest tool you use - and love - and why?

GT: I have a screen printing kit called Gocco. The one I use has a dirty and scratched plastic surface so it makes for the irregular adhesion of ink on paper. I love that quality because it helps me achieve an aged look in the art.

PR: Do you collect printed matter and ephemera for inspiration and how do you organize it?

GT: Absolutely. I have so many old childrens' books and text books and strange and bizarre pamphlets and recipe books that I've acquired at flea markets and antique stores and estate sales. There's so much that I have them organized first by size, then by the color of the book jackets, then by the color of the paper. It's purely visual and memory based.

PR: What do you listen to while you work?

GT: I listen to everything from 1930s American blues to punk rock as well NPR (National Public Radio).

PR: What's the nicest thing an art director ever said to you?

GT: I did the cover and the inside illustrations for Aimee Mann's last CD, which was nominated for 2009 Grammy for Best Art Package. When I sent her the art, she sent an email that said, "These are so good my stomach hurts."

PR: What's the nicest thing you ever said to an art director?

GT: I once did an illustration for John Korpics at Esquire, and when I submitted the art I included a note that said, "Thank you for making me a better illustrator." It was as if he knew the perfect things to say in his art direction, which helped me really tap into the best part of who I am as an illustrator.

The Taxali 300 opens January 28^th at Narwhal Art Projects and continues through February 28. The opening reception is this Thursday from 6 to 9 pm. 680 Queens Street West, Toronto, Ontario. Gary Taxali will give a talk in the gallery on Monday, February 22^nd, from 7 to 9 pm. Admission is $10 or $5 with student I.D. Please rsvp to 647-346-5317 or contact@narwhalartprojects.com to reserve a ticket.

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