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Meet Noel Bautista – He draws! He spins! He cooks! He schemes! And, if given the opportunity, he’ll woop your ass at foosball.
Where did you grow up? Why?
I grew up in Scarlem aka Scarborough, but not scary Scarborough, just on the cusp of Markham. My parents picked the area when it was newly developed and if I didn’t go with them I would have to live like a North York feral cat at the age of 4.
How long have you been in Toronto?
Whole life except for the 4 years I lived out in Vancouver.
So that would be almost 26 years, you do the math if you need to know how old I am.
Toronto is…
Toronto is the butt of all jokes for our more eclectic neighbours to the east, Montrealers.
What do you do for a living?
Pure jokes with a side of Graphic Design and Production.
What keeps you busy?
Answering questions for a friend’s tight dead-lined online newspaper, while she records the sound of popcorn popping for her voicemail greeting. Usually drawing but not recently, spinning records, cooking, watching movies, playing foosball on the table I persuaded my boss to get at work, and persuading my boss to get other things.
What was your favourite summer job?
None, there isn’t much to choose from that were gobs of fun but if I had to pick it would be working at Seattle-owned Star To The Bucks.
Dream job? Why?
Doing more creative than what I’m doing now and utilizing more of my illustration skills. Working less and making more.
What’s your passion?
Mainly, it’s capturing dynamic movement, my present feeling, humour, etc. through my coloured
col-erase pencils into my sketchbook.
If I say jump?
I say why? I thought we were talking about passions.
What do you give back to the No Fly Zone?
I make it look cool when I walk through it to get to Parkdale.
What can we do to make Toronto a "world class" city?
We should have a lot more art festivals but I do like the recent push we’ve been having lately.
Are you an artist?
Yes, self proclaimed.
How does art influence your life?
It makes my lips quiver with delight and it pays the bills.
Hands or feet?
Hands, because feet can smell and you need your hands to wash your feet.
Worst public moment?
Probably when I was about 9 years old visiting the Philippines, I was asked to sing in front of a class of Filipino kids only a year or two younger than me since I was the big hype coming from what they like to call abroad (Canada or the US). I was way too shy so I ended up crying instead.
Why do you live here?
I wouldn’t survive in the jungle.
Two Beatles left: Ringo and Paul. Who wins in a smackdown?
Its drum sticks versus guitar…choose your weapon.
Favourite public space?
Don’t have a favourite but I do like High Park, the Distillery District, English Bay, Stanley Park and the Sea Wall.
Who are your favorite artists?
My girlfiriend Jennifer Lecuyer and the cube3 dance collective Celia Calle, Jason Brooks, Stevie Wonder, Dj Heather, The Sound Republic, The Lawnchair Generals, Inland Knights, Chromeo, and all things Cirque to name a few.
Mon Chi Chi, My Little Pony, Barbie? discuss.
Well, Barbie would ride My Little Pony and Mon Chi Chi would in fact be riding Barbie. What happened to Rainbow Bright?