TOSHY
Toshy is writer, photographer, illustrator and painter – but above all, he is a storytelling artist. Born in Breda, The Netherlands in the Seventies, he was encouraged by his family to pursue his talent and found inspiration in the works of Erwin Olaf, Keith Haring, Jeff Koons and Roy Lichtenstein. A talented pencil and graffiti artist, Toshy was originally inspired by the thrilling visuals used in fashion and began to combine them with graphics and animations.
The media recognised Toshy's talent for capturing the zeitgeist by the time he was only 16-years-old. His work continued to develop beyond street art, further stimulated by his creative studies – Toshy set up a creative agency of his own - and by 2012 he began to blend his graffiti skills with typography and photography to create a new style of art. His portraits, which Toshy describes as odes, show the world the depths that lie within people as individuals. Toshy aims to trigger and inspire via his artwork and sees the world as a podium to display art as a form of communication without limitations. His first canvas, Sade, triggered a sea of emotions from its client. Shortly afterwards, Toshy was warmly received at his first exposition in Amsterdam. Each of his canvases is personally signed with the motto, 'The world is your stage'.
Toshy recently launched a global campaign called Love Now, combining upbeat graphics about love with a "do good, be kind, help change the world" energy. Love Now includes street art, canvases, videos, installations, fashion and merchandising. Toshy also works on corporate commissions to paint aircraft, luxury automobiles and motorcycles.
Toshy was born in Breda, The Netherlands
The Hip Hop documentary movie "Star wars (1983)" motivated Toshy to create his first graffiti in the streets of his hometown Breda
At just 16, Toshy won several contests and was interviewed by many newspapers and magazines. Toshy's talent was not only in street art; he grew and developed as a copywriter, photographer and illustrator
His first canvas 'Sade' triggered a sea of emotions from its client. Shortly afterwards, Toshy gave his first exposition in Amsterdam, where he sold his first artwork (2013)
Representing artist for The Netherlands for "Art Warning the World" - A Global Artwork for Freedom Defense created by the French visual artist Klaus Guingand, in collaboration with 201 visual artists living in 200 different countries.
"Top40 Legends" interview/item on Dutch television talkshow "RTL Late night, 1 million viewers"
Live Painting for Ripcurl & Posca UK, Newquay (United Kingdom)
Meet and Greet signing at Rough Trade, London (United kingdom)
Competitor Grolsch 400, Amsterdam (The Netherlands)
Exhibition Bricklane, London (United kingdom)
Streetart Performance "Walls Talk", Sabadell (Spain)
Winner International Contest upfest festiva, Bristol (United Kingdom)
Exhibition and Live Painting for Erika Lust, Barcelona (Spain)
Live painting "Bloggerrnet", Amsterdam (The Netherlands)
Exhibition "Citizen M", Amsterdam (The Netherlands)
Charity Art for Skate for Air, Amsterdam (The Netherlands)
Exhibition, Dongen (The Netherlands)
Exhibition Herengracht Urban Art House, Amsterdam (The Netherlands)
Exhibition Rabobank, Den Bosch (The Netherlands)
Exhibition Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE), Urban Art House, Amsterdam (The Netherlands)
Representing The Netherlands for "Art Warning The World", International art project
Live Painting Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE), Flooral, Amsterdam (The Netherlands)
Auction Painting "Thé Lau" for charity - Free a Girl, Blaricum (The Netherlands)
Exhibition "The World is Your Stage! - Gallery INA DEDERER & FRIENDS, Zürich (Switzerland)
Exhibition "Hands on deck" Pier 15, Breda (The Netherlands)
Exhibition Expo "Art Monaco", Monaco (Monaco)
Exhibition Expo "Art Zürich", Zürich (Switzerland)
Exhibition "Legends" Hard Rock Cafe, Amsterdam (The Netherlands)
Meet & Greet, Live Painting and Signing - Hard Rock Cafe, Amsterdam (The Netherlands)
Public Shows "Love Now!", De Dam Amsterdam (The Netherlands) & Mauerpark Berlin (Germany)
Exhibition "Birdhouse" project NewYork creations Gallery, Breda, The Netherlands
Live Painting. Bloggernet, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Exhibition and Live Painting. Erika Lust, Barcelona, Spain
Winner International Contest at Upfest festival, Bristol, United Kingdom
Live painting on Dutch television - Herman den Blijker, "Herrie in de keuken", The Netherlands
Exhibition Bricklane Gallery, London, United Kingdom
Exhibition Urban Art House, Amsterdam, The Netherlands