United Way to feature local artist John de Mato's mural at this year's Community Spirit Awards

The annual Scotiabank and United Way Community Spirit Awards features an image from a local public mural, as part of the awards handed out to salute organizations and individuals who have supported United Way's campaign for the community. In 2010 we feature Vancouver artist John de Matos.

His latest and greatest work, both in size and in recognition by passers-by, is an outdoor mural in Kitsilano on Yew Street, half a block south of York Street. He has also received the commission for Rossini’s restaurant and jazz club, this mural is also outdoor, on Yew street, slated to start February 2010.

"A Hand of Humanity and Community, Vancouver 2010"

His style is self-stated as "a bit of Caravaggio and a lot of Picasso.“ He uses charcoal as the genesis of his works and the final treatment to envelop the piece in mood and tonality. “People and the human condition is what I want to portray. Art is a window, at least it should be. Never a pretentious amalgam of images. Art is human, like the first hand prints on the walls of caves, throughout the world. It should always tell a story and make us think, for good or for bad,” says the artist.