When Rod Corraini was a kid he would let his imagination run wild by spending hours drawing. "My dad used to give me paper, roll ends from the Free Press and The Times, which were the two newspapers when I was a kid ... I'd get these roll ends and I would just draw and draw and draw," Corraini said. "That was the only thing I liked to do when I was a kid. I didn't really like sports because I didn't really fit in with the jock crowd." Eventually Corraini's passion for drawing transformed into a full scale career. The Nanaimo resident went on to graduate from the Visual Fine Arts program at the University of Victoria and has painted a name for himself in the Canadian arts scene. Corraini is currently showcasing his work at his latest exhibit, A Bawdy of Work, at Electric Umbrella tattoo and gallery until Friday (March 14). The paintings feature various subjects including sci-fi inspired work, such as aliens, and are intended to be humorous.
"This would be called low-brow art, which is a type of art that was founded in Los Angeles," Corraini said.
Corraini said that "there are enough serious messages out there" for people to take in and that his exhibition is designed to make people laugh.
"With me, it's humour," he said. "I love having these little space alien pieces and if people laugh at them then that's just wonderful."
Some of Corraini's work has been inspired by science fiction TV shows such as Star Trek.
"A lot of the stuff that I used to watch when I was kid was science-fiction," he said.
In April the exhibit will relocate to the Nanaimo North Town Centre. Corraini hopes those who attend will have fun and laugh.
"I like it when they have a smile on their face and they chuckle," he said.
Electric Umbrella is located at 321 Wesley St. For more information, please call 250-591-5590.