Rockers, even commercially successful ones, don't always stick to creating music. Here are two prime examples, with strong Toronto connections, who have made the jump to the visual medium.

Martin Tielli is mostly a painter these days, after logging some 15 years with groundbreaking Canadian band the Rheostatics renowned for such tunes as “Claire” and “The Ballad of Wendell Clark.” The Rheos called it quits in the late ’80s after Tielli left the band, although a reunion is scheduled for this September. The talented singer then recorded a number of solo albums in addition to pursuing painting. His works have been shown at the AGO amongst other galleries (www.martintielli.ca). 

There are many rockers who, like Tielli, dabble in the fine arts, such as Ron Hawkins of the Lowest of the Low and Do Good Assassins fame. Hawkins and company burst onto the local indie scene with their seminal debut album, Shakespeare My Butt in 1991. Political statements as well as portraits feature prominently in Hawkins’ work on canvas. His website displays a series of portraits of musicians from Amy Winehouse to Robert Zimmerman (Bob Dylan) amongst many other works (www.ronhawkins.com).