Gary Taxali is an award-winning illustrator whose work has appeared in many major magazines. He has exhibited in many galleries and museums throughout North America and Europe including The Jonathan LeVine Gallery. In 2005, he launched his first vinyl toy, The Toy Monkey, which included a special edition along with a silkscreen print commissioned by The Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City. This led Gary to create his own toy company, Chump Toys, which eventually saw the release of his OH NO and OH OH vinyl figures. Aside from his gallery shows and illustration work, Gary also devotes a portion of his time teaching and lecturing at various arts organizations and schools such as OCAD University (Toronto, Canada), The Art Director’s Club of Houston (Houston, USA), Dankmarks Designskole (Copenhagen, Denmark) and Istituto Europeo Di Design (Rome, Italy). He is a Founding Member of IPA (The Illustrators’ Partnership of America) and sits on the Stamp Advisory Committee for Canada Post. Gary has also juried many student and professional competitions including The Juno’s (Screening Committee), The Society of Illustrators, The National Magazine Awards, The Dallas Society of Visual Communications and 3×3: The Magazine of Contemporary Illustration. Gary created the cover art and inside illustrations for Aimee Mann’s latest album @#%&*! Smilers, which won a 2009 Grammy Award Nomination for Best Package Design. Last year, he released his first children’s book entitled This Is Silly!, published by Scholastic Press. This past fall saw the release of his monographs entitled, I Love You, OK? published by teNeues in Germany and Mono Taxali published by 27_9 in Italy. In 2012, The Royal Canadian Mint released a special edition of six Gary Taxali 25¢ coins which, in addition to original art uniquely created for the coins, Taxali also did the typography using his font Chumply. Each coin is stamped bearing his initials. He lives and works in Toronto.
LECTURES
- Idea Exchange at Design at Riverside, Cambridge, Canada, 2015
- Revolver Gallery, Toronto, Canada, 2015
- National Institute of Design, Bangalore, India, 2015
- Savannah College of Art and Design – Hong Kong Campus, Hong Kong, 2014
- Artscape Salon, Toronto, Canada, 2014
- Grip Limited Agency, Toronto, Canada, 2014
- Waddington’s Contemporary, Toronto, Canada, 2014
- John St. Agency, Toronto, Canada, 2014
- Hong Kong Society of Illustrators, Hong Kong, 2013
- Design Exchange, Toronto, ON, 2013
- University of the Arts, Philadelphia, PA, 2013
- United Adworkers, Milwaukee, WI, 2012
- Algonquin College, Ottawa, Canada, 2012
- Pictoplasma Conference, New York City, 2011
- MagNet Conference, Toronto, Canada, 2010
- Art Center College of Design, Pasadena, CA, 2009
- OCAD University, Toronto, Canada, 2009
- Centennial College, Toronto, Canada, 2009
- Sheridan College, Toronto, Canada, 2009
- Merz Akademie, Stuttgart, Germany, 2008
- Istituto Europeo Di Design, Rome, Italy, 2008
- Fachhochschule Mainz, Mainz, Germany, 2008
- Danmarks Designskole, Copenhagen, Denmark, 2007
- School of Visual Arts, New York, NY, 2006
- Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, Canada, 2006
- Dallas Society of Visual Communications – Student Conference, Dallas, TX, 2005
- Art Center College of Design, Pasadena, CA, 2005
- Texas State University, San Marcos, TX, 2005
- Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY, 2005
- Sheridan College, Toronto, Oakville, Canada, 2004
- Ontario College of Art and Design, Toronto, Canada, 2004
- University of Kansas, MO, 2004
- Art Directors Club of Houston, Houston, TX, 2003
- Art Center College of Design, Pasadena, CA, 2003
- Illustration Conference, Philadelphia, PA, 2003
- Quebec Association of Illustrators, Montreal, QC, 2003
PARTIAL BOOK LIST OF SELECTED WORKS/WRITINGS OF GARY TAXALI
- Hively, Charles, “3X3: The Magazine of Contemporary Illustration – Vol 1, #1”, Charles Hively Publisher, 2003, ISBN 1546-640X
- Hyland, Angus; Bell, Roanne, “Hand to Eye: Contemporary Illustration”, Laurence King Publishing, 2003, ISBN 1-85669-339-2
- Hazelmyer, Tom, “Qeedrophonic”. OX-OP Press, 2004, ISBN 0-9758579-0-8
- Jordan, Matt Dukes, “Weirdo Deluxe”, Chronicle Books, 2005, ISBN 0-8118-4241-X
- Beauchamp, Monte, “BLAB! #16”, Fantagraphics Books, 2005, ISBN 1-56097-683-7
- STRANGEco, “Toys: New Designs from the Art Toy Revolution”, Universe Publishing (Rizzoli)”, 2005, ISBN 0-7893-1390-1
- Wagner, Lisa; Dalton, Trinie; Horowitz, Eli, “Dear New Girl or Whatever Your Name Is”, McSweeny’s, 2005, ISBN 1-932416-17-X
- Wiedemannm, Julius, “Illustration Now!”, Taschen, 2005. ISBN 3-8228-4033-5
- Hively, Charles; “3×3: The Magazine of Contemporary Illustration” , interview with Henrik Drescher by Gary Taxali, 2007
- Thaler, Peter; Denicke, Lars, “Pictoplasma – The Character Encyclopedia”, Pictoplasma Publishing, 2006, ISBN 3-981-04583-1
- Klanton, Robert; Hübner, Matthias, “Dot Dot Dash – Designer Toys, Action Figures and Art”, Die Gestalten, 2006, ISBN 3-89955-161-3
- Beauchamp, Monte, “BLAB! #17”, Fantagraphics Books, 2006, ISBN 978-1-56097-776-6
- Someguy, “The 1000 Journals Project”, Chronicle Books, 2007, ISBN 0-8118-5856-1
- Pony, Magic, “Fancy Action Now – The Art of Team Macho”, Interview with Team Macho by Gary Taxali, 2007, ISBN 978-0-9783568-0-4
- Brereton, Richard, “Graphic Ha Ha – Issue 11”, BIS Publishers, 2007, ISBN -978-90-6369-164-4
- Taxali, Gary, “This is Silly!”, Scholastic, 2010, ISBN 978-0439718363
SOLO SHOWS
2015
- “Here and Now”, Idea Exchange at Design at Riverside, Cambridge, ON
2014
- “Unforget Me”, Jonathan LeVine Gallery, New York, NY
- “Shanti Town”, Waddington’s, Toronto, ON
2013
- “Assemblages”, SOHO House, Toronto, ON
2012
- “My Feelings Like You”, The Outsiders (Lazarides), London, UK
- “Selected Works”, Antonio Colombo Gallery, Milano, Italy
2011
- “Selected Works”, Eurolite, Toronto, ON
2010
- “The Taxali 300”, Narwhal Art Projects, Toronto, ON
- “This is Silly!”, Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto, ON
2009
- “Hindi Love Song”, Jonathan LeVine Gallery, New York, NY
- “Solo Show”, La Luz de Jesus Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2008
- “Flop House Rules”, Iguapop Gallery, Barcelona, Spain
- “Originals”, Drabinsky Gallery, Toronto, ON
2007
- “Save The Boreal”, New Print Launch and Show, Magic Pony Gallery, Toronto, ON
- “Last Year’s Winner”, Magic Pony Gallery, Toronto, ON
2006
- The Up-N-Down Show”, La Luz de Jesus Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2005
- “Chumpy’s Specials” – OX OP Gallery, Minneapolis, MN
- “Toy Monkey Launch and New Prints” – Magic Pony, Toronto, ON
- “Chumpy’s Night School” – La Luz de Jesus Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2001
- “Sweet Shop Toys, Candies and Books” – CPOP Gallery, Detroit, MI
- “America Lucky Service” – La Luz de Jesus Gallery
2000
- “New Work” – Anno Domini Gallery, San José, CA
GROUP SHOWS
2015
- “The Colour and the Fury – 10 Years of Jonathan LeVine Gallery”, Jonathan LeVine Gallery, New York, NY
- “Mural Festival”, Yves LaRoche Gallery, Montreal, QC
- “Push Me Pull Me – Pearl Jam Poster Exhibit”, Seattle International Airport, Seattle, WA
- “Project 31”, OCAD University, Toronto, ON
2014
- “Buddy System Invitational” Breeze Block Gallery, Portland, OR
- “Project 31”, OCAD University, Toronto, Canada
- “Pictoplasma Portrait Gallery” Kaufhaus Jandorf, Berlin, Germany
- “3d parti” King East Design District’s Contemporary Design Festival – Installations at DOM Interiors and Bulthaup, Toronto ON
- “EGREGORE – The Zenith of Pop Surrealism” at Yves Laroche Gallery, Montreal QC
2013
- “Good Work: The Illustration Art Invitational”, Arts Center Gallery, Rochester, NY
- “Project 31”, OCAD University, Toronto, Canada
- “Waddington’s Concrete Contemporary Auction”, Waddington’s Auction House, Toronto, ON
- “Wider Than a Postcard”, Group Show, Breezeblock Gallery, Portland, OR
- “NXNE Showcase” SOHO House, Toronto, ON
- “Small Works Project”, 2013 Venice Biennale, Venice, Italy
- “Northern Lights”, Rotofugi, Chicago, IL
2012
- “New Blood”, Thinkspace Gallery, Culver City, CA
- “SPACE//FORM”, Breeze Block Gallery, Portland, OR
- “Letter Rip!”, Onsite [at] OCAD U, Toronto, ON
- Contemporary Canadian Art , Waddingtons Auction House, Toronto, Ontario
- “Project 31”, OCAD University, Toronto, Canada
- “BLAB WORLD 2012”, Copro Gallery, Santa Barbara, CA
- “The Post-It Show Eight”, Giant Robot, Los Angeles, CA
2011
- “Made in Polaroid: 50/50/50”, Phillips de Purys, New York, NY
- “Lucid Dreams”, Noel-Baza Fine Art Gallery, San Diego, CA
- “Bologna Art Fair”, Antonio Colombo Gallery, Bologna, Italy
- “3D Art Book”, Opera Gallery, New York, NY
- American Museum of the Society of Illustrators, Traveling Show 53, New York, NY
- “Lyric, Group Show”, 323 Gallery, Detroit, MI
- “Project 31”, OCAD University, Toronto, Canada
- “La Luz de Jesus 25th Anniversary Show”, Los Angeles, CA
2010
- “Sanrio 50th Anniversary Art Show”, Los Angeles, CA
- “Christmas Group Show”, The Outsiders Gallery, London, UK
- “Project 31”, OCAD University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- “BLAB! A Retrospective”, Society of Illustrators, New York, NY
- “5th year Anniversary Group Exhibition”, Jonathan Levine Gallery, New York, NY
- “monUMENTAL”, Trifecta Gallery, Las Vegas, Nevada
- “Never Judge…?”, Stolen Space Gallery, London, UK
- “Fantasilandia”, Antonio Colombo Arte Contemporanea, Italy
- “A Starter Kit for Collectors: Art Exhibition”, Tribes Gallery, New York, NY
- “Post-It Show”, Giant Robot Gallery, New York, NY
- “The Vader Project”, Andy Warhol Museum, Pittsburgh, PA
- “Where Is My Vote?”, Art Institute of Boston, Boston, MA
- “Blow Up”, G. Gibson Gallery, Seattle, WA
- “Picture Mechanics Show”, La Luz de Jesus Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
- “Group Show”, Gallery Nucleus, Pasadena, CA
- “100 Heads for Haiti”, Spur Gallery, Baltimore, MD
- “Small Favours”, Giant Robot Gallery, New York, NY
2009
- “True Self Show”, Jonathan Levine Gallery, New York, NY
- “Group Show”, La Luz de Jesus Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
- “Beautiful Decay A-Z Exhibition”, Kopeikin Gallery, West Hollywood, CA
- “Group Show”, The 4th Wall Gallery, Dallas, TX
- “Natural Beauty”, Mondo Bizarro, Rome, Italy
- “Poster Art Show”, Hollywood Bowl, Los Angeles, CA
- “Some Type of Wonderful”. Lifelounge
- “The BLAB! Show”, Copro Gallery, Santa Monica, CA
- “Berlin’s Smallest Gallery”, Smallery, Berlin, Germany
- “Urban Superstar Festival”, Museo d’Arte Contemporanea Donna Regina, Naples, Italy
- “Screen Prints”, The Print Club, London, UK
- “Summer Show”, G. Gibson Gallery, Seattle, WA
- “Superhero”, Comic-Con Art Exhibition, San Diego, CA
- “Toronto International Art Fair”, Yves Laroche Gallery, Toronto, Ontario
- “Aqua Art Fair”, Yves Laroche Gallery, Miami, FL
- “Dimebag 3”, Giant Robot Gallery, New York, NY
2008
- “The 1000 Journals Project” San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, San Francisco, CA
- “Group Show”, La Luz de Jesus Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2007
- ‘Tug Of War’, Hemphill Fine Arts, Washington, DC
- ‘2007 Los Angeles Art Show’, Billy Shire Fine Arts Booth, Santa Monica, CA
- ‘Charity by Numbers’, Corey Helford Gallery, Culver City, CA
- ‘Look Behind You”, Giant Robot Gallery, New York, NY
- ‘The Vader Project’, Los Angeles Convention Center, Los Angeles, CA
2006
- ‘Rumble Rumble: An Art Throw Down’, Artlab, Toronto, Canada
- ‘MTV Overground #3’, Toy Tokyo, New York, NY
- ‘Customized Munny; Traveling Show’, Kid Robot, New York, NY
- ‘Nanospore Series 01, Customized Figures’, NY Comicon, New York, NY
- ‘Juxtapoz 2006 Group Show’, OX-OP Gallery, Minneapolis, MN
2005
- “Everything But the Kitschen Sync” – La Luz de Jesus Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
- “Art Party” – Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, NY
- “I Am 8 Bit” – Gallery 1988, Los Angeles, CA
- “Day of the Doon” – Bonny Doon Vineyard, Santa Cruz, CA
- “Circus Punks Rule” – Toy Tokyo, New York, NY
- “Blab Show” – Track 16 Gallery, Santa Monica, CA
- “TAAFI” – Gladstone Hotel, Toronto, ON
- “Toronto Art Fair” – Metro Toronto Convention Centre, Toronto, ON
- “Prints and Posters” – Outer Edge Studio, Monterey, CA
- “Built for Speed” – L’Autre Galerie, Montreal, QC
- “Partridge and Pear Trees” – Magic Pony Gallery, Toronto, ON
- “Picture Mechanics Show” – Musuem of American Illlustration at the Society of Illustrators, New York, NY
- “Art of Denim” – L’Autre Galerie, Montreal, QC
- “Pop Pluralism” – Jonathan Levine Gallery, New York, NY
- “Weirdo Deluxe” – StuARTGallery, Burbank, CA
- “Male Pattern Baldness and Hummingbirds” – Reading Frenzy, Portland, OR
- “The Postcard Project” – Fosterart, London, UK
2004
- “Uncommercial Art by Commercial Artists” – La Luz de Jesus Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
- “The Dress Up Show” – Star Shoes, Los Angeles, CA
- “A Day on the Lawn” – Froden Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
- “The Art of Laughter, A Salute to Humor” – Jewish Community Center, Santa Monica, CA
- “V&A Awards” – Victoria and Albert Museum, London, UK
- “Contemporary Culture” – City of Brea Gallery, Brea, CA
- “10th Anniversary Show” – Giant Robot Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
- “Qeedrophonic Doll Show” – OX-OP Gallery, Minneapolis, MN
- “Picture Mechanics Group Show” – Exploding Head Gallery, Sacramento, CA
- “Dialogue: The Fine Art of Conversation” – Abbey Church, San Diego, CA
- “Ghost Town” – Tin Man Alley, Philadelphia, PA
2003
- “Uncommercial Art by Commercial Artist” – La Luz de Jesus Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
- “Robots Have Feelings Too” – Culture Cache Gallery, San Francisco, CA
- “Cubed” – Tin Man Alley, Philadelphia, PA
- “Hand to Eye” – Magma Books, London, UK
- “Doll House Show” – Copro Nason Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
- “Cartoon Musuem Show” – Cartoon Museum, San Francisco,CA
- “Picture Mechanics Group Show” – Zeitgeist Gallery, Nashville, TN
2002
- “Quartered de La Luz” – The Cartoon Network, Los Angeles, CA
- “Picture Mechanics Group Show” – 69A Gallery, San Francisco, CA
- “Circus, Carnival, Freaks and Oddities” – CPOP Gallery, Detroit, MI
- “Decipher” – 450 Broadway Gallery, New York, NY
- “La Luz de Leche” – Milk Bedroom Gallery, Toronto, ON