For the first time in life, I am not trying to be good. Painting and creating allows me feel happy and at peace with exactly how I am.
You decide who will appear in Artforum Magazine, take home $25,000, and display their work at The Art of Elysium's Salon!
Painting the profane and turning it into profound. A visual form of alchemy that aims to tame the macabre. I paint death, but with a smile. I like to turn my feelings of existential dread into an approachable companion. Allowing pain to be a friend. I take the icons of societies fears & reimagine them through a lens of warmth, using aggressive textures and earth tones. Then I create friendly totems, 3d printed characters, physical talismans that help me and others face their own fears.
Where do you find inspiration?I am doing my own form of creative archeology, I dive into the collective unconscious for the monsters we all hide. My inspiration is in the unseen and the often unspoken. In my own daily life the shadow side of the human experience, the things people usually turn or shy away from like death, chaos and the unknown. I find resonance and deep connection to the primordial ancient symbols and insights I have gained from plant medicines. I treat the scary as my raw source material.
What would you do with $25,000?I have never had a dedicated space to create, its always been mixed into my home or office. I would spend it on creating a studio that allowed for 24/7 creation and production of content, live videos of the process, to share my own version of Bob Ross exploration into color, with my exploration into the collective unconscious, hopefully connecting to a large audience and community who are currently facing these fears of existential dread & loss in the own lives, so they don't feel alone
Vote for Tijo Gaucher to become The People's Artist while supporting a great cause! Cast your free daily vote or make an even bigger impact when you vote by donation, supporting The Art of Elysium in their mission to use art as a catalyst to help people triumph over difficult life challenges.
Register now for your opportunity to appear in Artforum Magazine, take home $25,000, and display your artwork at The Art of Elysium's Salon.
Colossal is a nationally registered professional fundraiser that inspires people to advocate for themselves and those in need. Through online competitions like The People's Artist, Colossal offers participants the opportunity to make their mark while also making a big impact.
