Medium: Laser-engraved illustration on natural maple wood

Dimensions: 12 inches x 18 inches

Year: 2025

Rendered with striking detail and pulsing energy, this portrait of Toronto bluesman Paul James captures the soul of a street-level legend—equal parts rebel, romantic, and relentless showman.

His expression is fierce and alive, etched in pyrographic-style linework that channels the heat of every club gig, alley gig, and encore he’s ever roared through. Surrounding him, a storm of hand-drawn iconography—guitars, skulls, crowns and sonic bursts—tell the story of a life lived loud and loyalty to the craft.

This is no static tribute. It’s movement, sweat, and memory carved into wood—honouring the spirit of a working-class hero who never left the stage, never faked the fire.

Part of the Toronto Rocks series, this piece fuses street art with folk mythology, creating a living shrine to the artists who shaped the city’s heartbeat. It’s a celebration. It’s a warning. It’s the blues, and it’s still burning.