Moogly

With a little help from Moogly and his animal friends, the call of the wild definitely sounds like a laugh ! In the tradition of Ralph Steadman, the genius caricaturist, Martin Lavergne could be considered a poacher of sorts. In a time when endangered species become extinct by the hour, it’s easy to imagine the rather short man with long brown locks and a mischievous twinkle in his eye on the prowl in a tropical rainforest. Armed with ink and crushed crayons, Martin searches within his imagination for the most fascinating animals that have ever existed, capturing them for the enjoyment of young and old alike on his ‘canvas’ of cardboard. Nicknamed ‘Moogly’ by those who know him best, the artist considers the inspiration behind the fantastical title to be his love of lush green plants and reggae music. Perhaps, but his friends were no doubt inspired by his child-like wonder and naiveté that inspires each of his works. Not to mention his instinctual and unique habit of viewing the world around him. If you catch the artist peering at you, he’s probably creating the animal that you best identify with, in colors only he could invent. Developing a style all his own, the artist reinvents the art of portrait painting by conveying humans as fantastical and funny animals. His palette of colors is as varied and colorful as a spice market in the Caribbean, and its effect on the eye is just as explosive. Passionate about working with mixed media, he continues to develop a unique style with the aid of ink and crayon, using recycled cardboard as his primary support. Inviting instinct to intermingle with artistic vision, the creatures born in the artist’s workshop sometimes surprise the creator. Curious to enter Moogly’s zoo-inspired imagination? The entry is free, and letting the animals feed your imagination is expected! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .