From Winnipeg's walls to the Winnipeg Jets: Artist designs custom jackets for players' wives, girlfriends
'To be able to see my artwork being worn by the Jets' wives is pretty cool,' says graffiti artist Pat Lazo
Three years ago, Winnipeg graffiti artist Pat Lazo was just learning to how to skate. He never imagined he'd be chosen to create custom jackets for members of the Winnipeg Jets organization.
"I started playing hockey just a little while ago. Learning to skate at 38 years old isn't really too common," said Lazo, the artistic director and co-founder of Winnipeg's Graffiti Gallery. "I still don't really know how to stop."
So it was a surprise for him when in January, Lazo was connected through a friend with Sam Wheeler — who is married to Winnipeg Jets captain Blake Wheeler — via email. Wheeler asked Lazo to design custom-made jackets for the upcoming playoff run for 21 girlfriends and wives of Jets players.
Lazo has been painting murals on walls and buildings around Winnipeg for the better part of 26 years, but he was surprised by the offer.
"Now I have, like, a little bit more of an understanding of the game," he said, but "I didn't expect to be doing anything like this for the Jets."
He was happy, though, that Wheeler decided to invest locally.
"It's so easy to get stuff printed and designed elsewhere for minimal money, and there's all these things online you can order," he said.
"To support somebody who's hand-painting … [and] creating something in your province, I think it's huge."
Wheeler wanted to show the city that support is not just a one way street.
"This city is so supportive of the team that we knew the only way to get these jackets right was to find a local artist who shares that same passion," she said.
"We are so lucky to have so many amazing local artists who deserve every platform to show off their talent."
Lazo's hand-painted varsity jackets sport the Jets logo, a maple leaf on the right arm, and a variety of patches on the back.
The players' numbers and names are done in a graffiti font. The jackets for players who are part of the team's leadership group have a "C" or "A" on the front.
"I thought, well, with every name, that is a new challenge. So it was cool to be able to be creative that way," Lazo said.
"I wanted to make everything a little different, a little unique."
Lazo has been perfecting his craft on different murals across the city, and at times in restaurants, but designing the jackets provided a unique opportunity for him.
"I've been doing [graffiti art] for a lot of years and this isn't … a fad," he said. "It's cool to know that people know that."
Spray paint isn't always an accepted art form in Winnipeg, he said, but he's happy to "get to showcase that it's not a tool of destruction, but … a tool of creativty."
As the women don the jackets through what he hopes is a long playoff run, Lazo knows that he can point to being a small part of this post-season.
"Cheering on the Jets is something my family really likes to do, but to be able to see my artwork being worn by the Jets' wives is pretty cool," he said.
Knowing that others will see his custom work brings a smile to his face.
"I'm pretty proud to be able to have my artwork on the jackets that are going to be seen by so many people."
