Meet Gordon Leverton | Urban Artist – Original & One of a Kind Art

We had the good fortune of connecting with Gordon Leverton and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Gordon, how has your background shaped the person you are today?

I’m originally from a small town outside of Chatham, Ontario – Thamesville – and it was at an early age that I was drawn to the arts, primarily to music. Initially, I followed my passion for music and worked in all facets of the music industry – including performance, writing and promotion, which eventually led to my dream job of owning my own record store in London, Ontario then moving it to Hamilton.

After selling off the record store in Hamilton, I became a stay-at home father.

After the birth of our son and to fill time during his naps, I would doodle and draw pretty much anything. I was surprised at what I was creating and how much I enjoyed it. Life became even busier after the birth of our second child. I would take daily walks with the children – exploring the streets and alleyways of my adopted city of Hamilton, Ontario. I became fascinated by the inner networks of the city and used those moments to inspire my practice.

I refer to my paintings broadly as “urban landscapes” and capture semi-abstract light and shadow created by our built environment. I love the linearity I find when houses blend into each other and using a flat, graphic style helps me play with the different planes of perspective.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?

I learned early from my parents to support local businesses, even if it meant certain inconveniences. The local grocer or hair stylist or whoever is also a member of your community, and their livelihoods depend on you. I purchase  all of my supplies from local, small businesses and when enough of us do that, they thrive. It’s very satisfying to feel that when I sell a painting, other small business folk benefit as well.

For the past 11 years, I, alongside 4 committee members, founded a non for profit community art tour called West Hamilton Artist Tour (WHAT). WHAT has allowed me to learn more about the business of Art and bring more awareness of the local talent to our community.

Out of personal preference, i do not offer prints of my work . I create original & one of a kind artwork of urban inspired architecture. When researching a subject to create I look for a story line to inspire and challenge me. I am fascinated with interesting rooftops, fence lines, shadows and as of late, subjects with urban elements like a bus stop, lamp posts, basketball hoops or water barrels.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?

Well, I am a music, book, movie and art guy – so it would be centred around visiting record stores, music venues, book shops and galleries.

We would hang out close to our neighbourhood – take a walk down Locke Street, where we would visit Epic Books (full disclosure: I work there part-time!), then head down the street to Into The Abyss, an indie record store and do some album digging. Head down to the Art Gallery of Hamilton, to browse the Arts Sales & Service/Art Shop and tour the latest exhibits.

Coffee and good eats will also be on the list. Dundurn Market is our go to place for coffee; Caro, La Spaghet, Charred, Rapscallion and SO many others. Hamilton is a foodie destination!

Indie cinema is also a must – heading down to Westdale Village to the Westdale Theatre, then making my way to Mixed Media – my go to art supply store – or driving out to The Playhouse Cinema are musts.

Another designation – which was prolific during my art career – is the view from the Hamilton escarpment from the Concession Street area. This view of homes and rooftops was the inspiration that lead me to create my “Sightline” series.

When the night hits, we would head down to The Casbah Lounge – where I also DJ once a month – to listen to bands, DJs or just hang out for a pint (or two).

In my view its these local businesses owners and staff that brings life to the city of Hamilton.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?

My home city of Hamilton is my shoutout candidate.

There are so many great artists, musicians, writers and other creatives who make this city a very welcoming and supportive place.

I have made strong relationships with folks that continue to support my art, that I call my friends. The Art Gallery of Hamilton (AGH), Canvas Gallery (Toronto), Dundas Valley School of Arts (DVSA), Caro Restaurant (Hamilton), and my Collectors – are who I dedicate this shout out to.

Since Covid, my social media footprint has evolved – letting folks “virtually” into my home studio and explore how I create. My partner/wife, Nancy and children, are very supportive, assist me navigate in the evolving media and explore new ideas.

Website: www.gordonleverton.com

Instagram: @hamiltonartist

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gordon-leverton-3ba25929

Twitter: http://twitter.com/hamiltonartist

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GordonLeverton/

Image Credits
The photo which is a picture of myself and my art piece Frontier 40×60, was taken at: Dundas Valley School of Art (DVSA), October 2021 that I provided an Artist Talk The photo which is a picture of myself with our 2 children was taken at Cashbah Lounge, Hamilton. A nite I was a guest DJ. The photo of myself at the record shop – taken as In The Abyss, Records on Locke Street Hamilton