Kitchener artist recreates local landmarks with his digital paintbrush

A Kitchener artist is recreating local landmarks with a project that aims to highlight old favourites in a new way around Kitchener-Waterloo.

Trevor Clare is doing that by making these special spots come alive on his digital canvas.

“It kind of happened by accident I guess. I started painting places that were very nostalgic and meaningful for me,” Clare said.

Many may seem familiar to area residents -- like The Walper Hotel, the Weston’s Bread sign and Ethel’s Lounge.

Sonny's in Waterloo in artwork by Trevor Clare. (Submitted/Trevor Clare)

Some landmarks he is bringing back to life. Places like Far Out Flicks, Forwell Super Variety and Sonny’s all recently shut down.

Trevor Clare's artwork of Far Out Flicks in Kitchener (Submitted/Trevor Clare)The paintings are all created on his iPad using a touchscreen paintbrush.

 

“Well it's certainly more convenient because I can paint wherever I want to and I'm not committed to a specific location,” Clare said.

Each masterpiece takes him between seven and 12 hours. So after many hours, he came up with the next logical step.

“I'm actually doing a book with all 25 paintings along with history and descriptions of the places,” Clare said.

He is inviting people to submit some of their favourite memories from each location that will accompany the paintings in the coffee table book, which he hopes to release in the fall. 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Trevor Clare | Artist (@trevorclareart)

“It wasn't until I started really looking into these places and examining the history of these places that I really appreciated the history that we have in Kitchener-Waterloo,” he said.

Trevor Clare stands outside Jimmy's Lunch with his artwork. (CTV News/Spencer Turcotte)His appreciation for that history is why he asked CTV News to meet him at Jimmy’s Lunch – a restaurant with rich roots in Kitchener.

Clare said he’s always looking for an excuse to immerse himself in his artwork, and what better way to do that than a location he's painting.

You can check out his work, or purchase it online.