With only two weeks to go until Tristan Overy’s show opens, and few pieces complete, you’d think he’d be panicking, but it’s just the way he likes to work. 

“The best work comes out over fear,” Overy said. “Usually two weeks to go, I’m freaking out.”

With that in mind, the Jasper artist is taking a week off work to hammer out the final few touches on his 40 paintings that will make their debut at the Jasper Yellowhead Museum and Archives on Feb. 11. So far about three or four are complete, and he has plans to start a few more. 

Overy has been having shows at the museum every two years or so since 2005. In the summer he exhibits pieces at the Jasper Artist’s Guild. His last crop of paintings were sold this summer, so it was time to get back to the studio.

“People sort of know my style already,” Overy said, but don’t expect any two of the graffiti-inspired paintings to be alike. “It’s definitely going in a new direction, but with the same characters.”

Overy’s style probably doesn’t fit in any single category, but he says he takes inspiration from surrealist Jeff Soto and graffiti artist Barry McGee.

“With the internet, these days you can see a lot of street art,” Overy said. 

Jasper however, was a clean slate for Overy when he moved here in 1999. There were few artists doing anything similar to his style, and he was sure he would be met with blank stares. 

“I’ve been supported very well in this town,” he said. “When I first moved here I didn’t think I’d get as much support.”

His shows are now becoming much anticipated events. Many people end up in friendly bidding wars over who gets to own a particular piece, and the titles of each painting have become a draw as well. Believe it or not, the interesting monikers are usually created as they are being hung on the gallery’s walls. 

Overy begins with the eyes of the characters, and then shapes the rest of the painting around them. His characters are similar, but never identical. 

“I try not to do the same character twice if I can help it,” he said. 

The new show will feature watercolour-inspired paint splashes on some pieces and lots of colour with acrylic. He occasionally uses acrylic spray paint. Usually Overy is known for his use of thick black lines to shape each character, but this time he has branched away from that and began using contrasting colours, or monochromatic colours. He has also been adding ball caps to a lot of his characters and using different shaped heads.

“I’m into painting square heads right now,” he said. The new style is something he feels he could expand on for a few more weeks, but the show must go on. 

His fiance first thought the square heads looked like stickers. 

“I think I’m going to make some stickers now,” he laughed. 

Overy likes to work on several different pieces at once so that he can move on to the next project if he gets stalled or frustrated on a particular piece. 

Overy works at the post office, but would eventually like to support himself with his art. 

“I’d like it to be a full time job,” he said. 

Overy studied art at the Ontario College of Art and Design “forever ago now,” he says, and has been painting ever since. 

So far, the artist has put in between 60 and 80 hours of work, with more to go. 

“I sort of just get lost down here sometimes,” he said. 

He credits his patient fiance for letting him stay lost in his basement studio. 

“She’s what holds it all together, really,” Overy said.

He is displaying at the museum to give them a little boost. “They don’t have the biggest budget in the world,” he said. 

The museum charges a commission on each piece, so every painting helps the society keep the doors open. Overy was careful to host his show after the JAG opening of Ray Syrja and Alan Butler, which is happening on Feb. 4, so as not to conflict with the other art event. 

The show will open at the Jasper Yellowhead Museum and Archives on Feb. 11 at 7 p.m. The night will feature music from DJ Frazzle, wine and food.