Vince MacDermot, Son of HAIR Composer, to Host Gallery Opening at CANVAS Gallery

On Saturday, November 11, 2017 from 6:30 to 9:00 PM, CANVAS Gallery at 150 Victory Boulevard in Staten Island, New York, will present BIG RED NYC, a series of eight bold, red paintings by Vince MacDermot.

The show will bring to life two fictional characters from the series, "Johnny Walker Old School" and the "Spiritual Spartan."

Vince MacDermot is the son of prolific composer Galt MacDermot, who wrote the music to the acclaimed and award-winning Broadway show HAIR, and whose beats have been sampled by Run DMC, Busta Rhymes and Nas.

Admission to the event is free, and the exhibition will run from November 11, 2017 until January 20, 2018. A portion of the profits will go to local nonprofits devoted to youth and community development. For private consultation, contact CANVAS Gallery at 718-273-6160 or visit on the web at www.canvasinstitute.org.

"As part of our mission at CANVAS GALLERY our goal to promote emerging and established artists in the community. It is phenomenal that we have these amazing artist; right here, in our backyard," says CANVAS GALLERY owner Bobby Digi.

Artist Vince MacDermot says, "I learned to draw at a young age from Anne Savage, a Canadian painter. Drawing led me to architecture, where I developed a love of geometry. The basis of my painting is stylized geometry."

CANVAS INSTITUTE (www.canvasinstitute.org) is Staten Island's first multidisciplinary arts and culture space in Downtown Staten Island.

CANVAS INSTITUTE invites locals and visitors to engage in cultural exchanges, art exhibits, open mic nights, literary events, art classes, youth programming, indie- film screenings, and yoga. CANVAS INSTITUTE is dedicated to increasing the positive impact of artists, scholars, and civic leaders. The mission is to engage organizations and community members of all ages to utilize the space as an incubator for new ideas, programs and opportunities to improve the local and global community.

Vince MacDermot learned to draw from Canadian painter Anne Savage at age six. Line drawing developed into drawings of buildings and into the field of architecture /construction where he has worked all his life as principal in MacDermot Architecture Studio and as a Local 40 NYC Ironworker.

Architecture led to a love of pure geometry which surfaces in his work. At the same time there is an interest in humanity; affection, humor, the various expressions of life that take place in human faces and forms.

The BIG RED NYC is a series of 8 paintings in red and white acrylic on canvas. The figures depict New Yorkers in different parts of the City doing their individual thing.