“Subject of Art” is an ongoing multipart film project that seeks to showcase the uniquely talented creatives living in and around the Vancouver, BC area. 

Created by filmmaker, Gabe Roy, his hope is to contribute to strengthening the creative community by elevating unique local talents through complementary 60-second documentary profiles. Simultaneously,  these short films can act as inspiration to viewers to find ways they can also express themselves creatively. 

The bite-sized films aim to answer each artist’s “why”. Why do you do what you do? Why this art form? Why does art matter? No two journeys are alike, and by giving artists an opportunity to share theirs, we can begin to have a stronger appreciation for the person behind the art and understand what their art means to them.

Episode One: Joe Tuliao

Joe Tuliao is an innovative and emerging artist in the dance and choreography world. He was gracious enough to spend some time with us to showcase a bit of his expressive, visual art while speaking also about the emotional connection he has with his art.

Spreading his time between Vancouver, BC, and Los Angeles, Joe has discovered many exciting opportunities to contribute his talents to the entertainment industry. His contributions have included being cast as a dancer/actor on more than a dozen television shows, choreographer on several more, and making his directorial debut with his soon-to-be-released short film.

Episode Two: Israel Rodriguez

A newcomer to Vancouver - moving from Houston, Texas - Israel Rodriguez has been quickly establishing himself in the Pacific Northwest with his vibrant portraiture style. With his signature eye-catching colour palette, he draws inspiration from pop culture figures to bring them to life on canvas. He strays away from the traditional paintbrush - primarily using palette knives with lots of texture to bring his paintings to life.

He’s also not afraid of large-scale art. Israel also commonly paints murals and often uses them as an opportunity to share important social messages. His work has been recognized by news outlets across the city.

Episode Three: Pifa Alarcon 

Spanish-Canadian, Pifa Alarcon is a professionally trained graphic designer turned tattoo artist working out of the Downtown Eastside. She’s a playful, fun-loving, herbal enthusiast who spends her days poking permanent skin art for her eager clients. 

She’s built a following of tattoo enthusiasts on social media and has discovered her niche for hand-poked tattooing. She’s also built a database of tattoo artists called Tattooer DB so customers can find the right artist in Vancouver that matches their style.

Episode Four: Marena Skinner 

Marena Skinner is a Vancouver-based visual artist who uses paintings, tattoos, and screen-printed t-shirts to spread awareness about social issues she finds important.

Inspired by infamous creators like Andy Warhol, she uses a traditional method to screenprint her designs on t-shirts by hand. Marena has a passion for using her art to bring awareness to issues such as housing affordability, sexual harassment, and mental health. 

In this short documentary, she welcomes us into her home - through decor she describes as feeling like "The Price is Right" mixed with "The Muppets from the 70's."

Are you an artist in the Vancouver area? 

We’d love to hear from you! We’re looking to continue building on this film project and telling the stories of artists from the Vancouver, BC area. Reach out to us below.