Always finding the punny bone

November 04, 2020 6:59 am • Last Updated: November 04, 2020 7:00 am

By Brian Barganier, Special to The Times

Voluntown-based artist Tao LaBossiere. (photo submitted)

For more than 25 years, Tao LaBossiere has been a self-employed, professional artist.

That is no easy feat, as anyone can attest who has fought the internal struggle to stay creative with constant fresh work that you can be proud of.

And to then have your creativity be your main source of income, well, that is a path only for the passionate.

That’s exactly what LaBossiere has been accomplishing all these years. LaBossiere, who signs his work with his first name, is an award-winning illustrator, sculptor and muralist. He resides at Hartford ArtSpace working as a professional artist. He is volunteer co-director of the Hartford ArtSpace Gallery and founder Art of Tao LaBossiere LLC, a business he still runs alongside his wife and partner, Amy LaBossiere.

LaBossiere was born and raised in Voluntown, where he and his wife own and operate Still Waters Retreat Center, located on Still Waters Pond in Voluntown. He studied at The Cleveland Institute of Art and Hartford Art School as well as attending Norwich Free Academy and Lyme Academy in Old Lyme.

LaBossiere is multi-faceted, but he is best known for his exemplary mural work, which is featured across several municipalities in public libraries, schools and businesses in Connecticut, predominantly restaurants.

In his early years in school, he started illustrating children’s books and quickly got into murals and wall work.

LaBossiere tries to encapsulate a unique experience for each person who commissions a mural. Giant murals put you in worlds the artist creates, whether it’s something symbolic for the business owner, or a fun selfie experience for those who stop to appreciate the art.

He believes that humor is very important in his work, so his pieces always have a sense of whimsy yet express a brand to the establishment. He loves to add small details, like bonus tracks on an album, to all his murals.

He encourages people to explore the pieces to find these hidden treasures. He loves to add secret portraits, a secret signature or details sentimental to whomever commissioned the piece.

Over the last few years, LaBossiere has been ramping up the humor. He now has a collection of 186 illustrations, a wonderful series he calls “Punny Illustrations.” The name says it all. The series features vividly detailed drawings that visually depict a pun in a literal, absurd and refreshingly funny way.

In 2019 his wife, Amy, was doing a “write everyday” exercise, and he took that as a challenge to make a sketch a day. On day four, he made a series of toads arrayed like poles and thus “Toadum Poles” was created. He posted it to social media and it immediately picked up a lot of traction and positive reactions.

This adoration led to enthusiastic suggestions from fans of the series, though LaBossiere is hardly short of ideas. He created 186 original pun drawings, one a day, for 186 days straight.

Just like his drawings, his humor shows his appreciation of details.

It’s one thing to picture what some of these word puns would look like in your head, and then having a giggle to yourself, but to be able to bring that thought to life in a clear, concise and comedic manner is what sets his work apart.

Puns are sometimes brushed off as “dad jokes,” usually greeted with an eye roll and a reluctant chuckle, perhaps because puns are misconstrued as easy jokes with zero fat on them.

They’re a quick jab rather than a slow windup. Effective puns show a strong grasp of language and humor.

When looking at these pieces, the first thing noticed is his illusionary style. In his murals, LaBossiere uses trompe l’oeil — visual illusion in art, especially as used to trick the eye into perceiving a painted detail as a three-dimensional object — and he also creates that in his drawings.

Then, the giggles begin because the word play inevitably dawns on the viewer. Those who seek out his work will find themselves saying the pun out loud, laughing because it’s funny, and watching as others catch up.

Why puns? LaBossiere says it’s the fact that there’s double meaning.

“People are used to seeing life through one perspective. They often walk (through) life, having their own opinions and mind made up of the way things are, however with an illustration … I can create something unexpected that’s a different perspective and if I can make it amusing? The two ... something that’s light hearted? Even better.”

Brian Barganier is a touring writer and comedian. For all his tour dates and to buy a copy of his book, “The Liquor Store Chronicles” go to meatslappodcast.com

Bunny slippers/Dust bunnies. (image courtesy of Tao LaBossiere)

Paws button. (image courtesy of Tao LaBossiere)

EyePhone. (image courtesy of Tao LaBossiere)

Sawhorse. (image courtesy of Tao LaBossiere)