From Furniture to Canvas: Why Texture and History Inspired a New Mixed Media Wall Art Collection

There is a distinct magic in looking at an old, forgotten object or standing in front of a worn, forgotten piece of furniture, seeing not what it is, but what it could become; seeing the deep story hidden beneath the layers of time. For years, my canvas was the grain of solid wood, the curve of a vintage drawer, and the structured, rugged lines of classic industrial design. That instinct, that eye for hidden potential, is what built Other Man's Treasure. Born in Mexico, shaped by 23 years in Toronto, and now creating in St. John's — discover how my journey through these diverse landscapes and cultures has inspired a brand-new medium of expression.

Bringing those pieces back to life—blending the grit of the workshop with the refined beauty of fine art—has been the heartbeat of my creative life. But true inspiration rarely stays confined to a single medium, and lately, the stories I’ve wanted to tell started asking for a completely different kind of space to breathe.

From Furniture to Fine Art — The Transition

When I started working with furniture, I was drawn to the stories embedded in old pieces — the layers of paint, the worn edges, the ghost of a life well-lived. My work was always about transformation: taking something discarded and giving it new purpose, new beauty.

But somewhere along the way, the canvas started calling.

I found myself reaching for brushes not to prep a surface, but to create one. The same techniques I'd developed over years of furniture restoration — layering, distressing, building patina — translated naturally onto canvas. The aged finishes, the weathered script, the ghost-like impressions of botanical silhouettes and vintage stamps — these weren't new ideas. They were the same language, spoken in a new medium.

The Evolution of the Artisan: Why I Stepped Away from the Workbench

When you spend years restoring furniture, you develop a unique relationship with physical space, texture, and weight. You learn how paint behaves on a vertical plane, how wax settles into carved details, and how light catches a distressed edge at the golden hour. Every dresser, cabinet, or table I have ever touched carried its own history, and my job was to honor that past while steering it toward a bold, Academic Industrial aesthetic.

However, working on furniture comes with inherent structural boundaries. You are always working within the confines of drawers, legs, tabletops, and functional hardware. The piece dictates the composition. Eventually, I felt a persistent pull to create without those functional limitations. I wanted to explore the freedom of a raw surface where the boundaries were entirely mine to define.

I began to ask myself: Can the same dramatic tension I build into a heavy, dark oak sideboard be captured on a lightweight, woven surface? Stepping up to the easel for the first time felt both entirely foreign and deeply familiar. The tools in my hands were the same brushes, trowels, and palette knives I’ve used for years, but the mindset had to shift. On a canvas, you aren't accentuating an existing shape—you are building a universe from absolute scratch. This collection of original mixed media wall art is the result of that transition.

Defining my "Blended" Aesthetic on Canvas

If you have followed my work for a while, you know that I don't do "flat" or "minimalist." My soul belongs to the world of rich textures, heavy shadows, and the timeless, weathered look. When I began conceptualizing this new collection, I knew these signature elements had to be the foundation of my art.

To bridge the gap between furniture painting and canvas art, I treated each project as if it were a piece of living history. Here is how that signature style translated onto the canvas:

• Chiaroscuro Lighting: Inspired by classical art, these paintings rely heavily on the dramatic contrast between light and dark. The deep, moody backgrounds allow the lighter, textured elements to practically leap off the surface.

• Layered Materiality: I didn't just use the usual "acrylics or oils". I brought in mixed media techniques, utilizing  Annie Sloan Chalk Paint, custom texturizers, and even reactive finishes to create surfaces that look like oxidized metal, weathered stone, or ancient parchment. The result is a surface that feels ancient, tactile, and entirely alive.

Behind the Scenes: How a Piece of Mixed Media Wall Art Comes to Life

The creative process behind this collection is intense, tactile, and highly intuitive. Unlike furniture painting, where there is often a clear blueprint based on the architecture of the piece, a blank canvas offers no road map. It requires a willingness to experiment, make mistakes, and build layers over days and weeks.

Phase 1: The Foundational Texture

It always begins with the structure of the surface. I start by building up a heavy, foundational texture using various plaster and gesso mediums. Using trowels, coarse brushes, stencils and scraper tools, I create ridges, valleys, and imperfections that will later catch the light. This stage is messy, physical, and incredibly liberating. I often think back to the way old plaster walls in European flats look after decades of wear—that is the "soul" I try to bake into the first layer. I then decoupage papers or even napkins to create the "soul" of the piece, something that will show through without being the "star"

Phase 2: The Depths of Color

Once the foundational texture is completely dry, the layering of color begins. I build the depth slowly, often applying dark washes and then immediately wiping them away, leaving the deep pigments trapped inside the crevices of the texture. This mimics the natural aging process of an antique artifact. I use a palette of "found colors"—think iron oxide, deep indigo, slate, and charcoal—to keep the work grounded in the industrial world.

Phase 3: The Play of Light

Next comes the "light." Using dry-brush techniques and metallic accents, I catch the raised edges of the canvas, bringing forward the hidden details. This is the moment the piece truly wakes up. It is a constant dance of adding and subtracting, painting over sections that feel too clean, and distressing areas until they reveal the complex history beneath.

Introducing the Original Works Collection

The Original Works collection is the most personal thing I've put into the world under the Other Man's Treasure name. Each of the ten pieces is entirely one of a kind — no prints, no reproductions. When it's gone, it's gone.

The collection spans a range of scales and moods, from the intimate 12" x 16" Anatomical Study — a gestural figure study with impasto brushwork — to the commanding 40" x 40" Scarborough Sunrise, an abstract landscape inspired by the first light breaking over Lake Ontario from the heights of the Scarborough Bluffs.

Every piece carries the same DNA: mixed media on gallery-wrapped canvas, hand-applied finishes, and that signature "aged" quality that makes you feel like you've discovered something from a forgotten archive.

The Pieces and Their Stories

Each painting in this collection has its own character and narrative:

• Fleurs et Mémoire (36" x 48.5") — A moody, industrial exploration of charcoal-blues, burnt ochres, coral and teal, layered with vintage stamps and botanical silhouettes beneath the pigment.
• The Restless Muse (18" x 24") — A vintage-inspired portrait framed by peacock-blue damask stencils and weathered typography, honouring the golden age of cinema.
• Botanical Prose (24" x 24") — A lush floral arrangement set against atmospheric teal, wrapped in hand-applied vintage script.
• Scarborough Sunrise (40" x 40") — A large-scale abstract landscape capturing the raw, expansive energy of the Scarborough Bluffs at dawn.
• Singular Study No. 1: Kinetic Orange (20" x 30") — A high-energy abstract with a glowing orange field and gestural mark-making in charcoal, crimson, and gold.
  

How to Style Original Art in an Industrial Interior

One of the questions I often get from clients who love my furniture style is: "How do I make a piece of original abstract or mixed media art look cohesive in a home filled with antiques and industrial elements?" It can feel intimidating to introduce contemporary canvas art into a space that leans heavily on historical charm, but the contrast is actually where the design magic happens. Here are a few curated tips to help you style these new pieces seamlessly:

1. Let the Art Lead the Room’s Palette: Because these mixed media canvases feature deep, atmospheric tones, they make incredible anchors for a room’s color scheme. Hang your favorite piece above a leather sofa or a reclaimed wood console table, and draw out the subtle undertones of the painting through your decor.

2. Embrace the Power of Negative Space: Deep, highly textured art needs room to breathe. Avoid crowding the wall with too many competing frames. Let the piece hang on a clean, solid backdrop—whether that’s a moody charcoal accent wall or a rugged exposed brick surface.

3. Use Focused Lighting: To truly appreciate the depth of original mixed media wall art, lighting is everything. Side-angle lighting or warm, directional golden hour light will accentuate the physical peaks and valleys of the paint, making the artwork change character throughout the day.

From My Studio to Your Home: A Personal Invitation

This collection represents a profoundly personal leap of faith for me. It is the culmination of everything I have learned about color theory, texture, and visual storytelling over my entire career as an artisan, distilled onto a brand-new medium.

When you bring one of these canvases into your home, you aren't just buying a finished product. You are taking home a piece of the quiet hours spent in the studio and the absolute joy of watching an abstract concept materialize into a physical statement piece. It is an honor to share this next chapter of my artistic journey with you.

The premier selection of original canvases is officially live on the website. Because each piece is entirely handcrafted and completely one-of-a-kind, once a painting finds its home, it will not be replicated.

I invite you to explore the collection, feel the texture through the screen, and find the piece that resonates with your own story.

Shop the Original Works Collection →