Just a quick visit to @hopeoutdoorgallery with my family.
Please forgive me if I didn’t tag your in the post Instagram limits how many tags. #atx #hopeoutdoorgallery #murals #streetphoto #artist
So grateful to be able to give back to someone who is always dedicating himself to everyone else. @austin_espy_ goes above and beyond for everyone, and never asks for anything in return. I wanted to do something for him to say thank you for all the opportunities he has presented me with over the last year and a half since we have been working together. What started as him coaching me for my first show, has turned into more than I could have expected. I became his posing coach, he took me on as the posing coach for his team, and even more than that…he has become a very dear friend to me. So to commemorate a major milestone for him in his own bodybuilding career, I had a painting commissioned to celebrate his first pro win at the RGV and his first ever Olympia Qualification.
Huge thank you to @jonmckenzie who did this painting so much justice. He absolutely killed it, and I don’t think it could have come out any more perfect!! This man is a genius with a canvas and brush!
Also want to give a big thank you to my teammates @f.nguye and @x.jandro for chipping in to make this happen!!
You deserve it all @austin_espy_ I am honored to be a part of this journey with you! Big things coming in the next several years for us brother!
#bodybuilding #classicphysique #posingcoach #grateful #proud #painting #art #bettertogive #momentslikethese
“It’s great when art is a vehicle to make money and pay bills but it’s not meant to only be that...” - @jonmckenzie
On the full episode, we explore how creativity becomes emotional nutrition, the importance of expressing your voice in a noisy world, his thoughts on AI, and how recovery ignited a new level of purpose and dedication to his craft.
I’m trying to practice portraits on Procreate in my free time to experiment with ideas I might try on canvas. Procreate records these time lapses automatically, so the reels are pretty simple to make. Let me know if you like this sort of content. Here is an old fella.
I enjoyed my time out in Liberty Hill last week painting this piece on the front entry facade of Hope House, representing the “unofficial” motto of residents, employees and guests.
Hope House houses over 50+ residents who are living with intellectual disabilities and need an advanced level of care. The property was heavily affected by the recent flooding but, due to the nature of care they provide, Hope House had little turnaround time for repairs.
Many members of the community, both in and outside of Liberty Hill, came together to make repairs possible while managing to not overtly disrupt the routines of the residents.
Thank you to Exec Dir Dave Gould for the guidance on this project and the rest of the team for being so welcoming. Dave gave me simple thematic direction: “Slow Down”
Thanks for looking!
I had so much fun joining @e.r.designs and her husband Steve to create this backyard mural for them. This seats at the head of a 1.5 acre lot where Erin has cultivated and propagated a variety of indoor and outdoor plants over the years. On occasion, she will have clipping sales for friends and members of the neighborhood. Very awesome couple to work for!
Many thanks to @caseywolters for commissioning this painting of his wifey @kbwolters . It was a ton of fun and I can’t wait to do more. Taking a cpl days off before I gear up for my next piece, the mighty King George Strait! Stoked!
Wrapped up this fun piece recently for new friend and client @antowainhubert
Was a total blast and I enjoyed the challenge of fitting in all the Easter eggs and relevant details to his story. Thanks for looking!
Jon didn’t waste time picking apart what he didn’t like about getting sober or changing his life.
He focused on the fight, and getting to work on building something real.
When life kept knocking him down, he got back up every time. Because he’s got that dog in him. And sometimes thats just what it takes!
Tag someone you know who got that dog in em!
#IAmRedemption #JonMcKenzie #SoberLife #RecoveryJourney #BuiltNotBroken #StayInTheFight #MentalStrength #AddictionRecovery #RealTalk #KeepFighting #SobrietyWins #DogInMe #Muralist #AustinArtist #PurposeDriven
Jon didn’t wait for opportunities, he created his OWN!
He turned his art into a business, a purpose, and a reason to stay alive. When it’s something you built, you’ll go all in to protect it.
If you started your OWN thing, what would it be?
If you’re building something currently, let us know that too!👇
#IAmRedemption #JonMcKenzie #StartYourOwnThing #BuildWhatYouLove #CreativeEntrepreneur #PassionDriven #PurposeWork #AustinArtist #RecoveryAndPurpose #SelfMade #Muralist #EntrepreneurMindset #SobrietyJourney #MakeItHappen #RealTalk #KeepBuilding
