Editorial View
The Gallery's Perspective
There’s an elegant hush to this canvas that feels like sitting near the back of a smoky club just as the trumpet solo begins. Two photographic portraits—one of Dizzy Gillespie mid-blow, the other of Miles Davis in profile—are set like Polaroids against a cool, reflective field of brass. The instruments themselves are painted with careful, mirror-like highlights; the valves, tubing, and bell gleam with a metallic warmth that contrasts the softer, almost cinematic grayscale of the faces. That contrast between the tactile sheen of the horns and the intimate, human presence in the portraits gives the work both glamour and tenderness: it honors the showmanship of jazz while keeping the musicians’ quiet concentration close at hand. Small details—a fragment of sheet music, worn edges around the portrait frames—add to the sense of a captured moment, part memory, part celebration. This piece reads as a stylish homage, equal parts reverence and cool attitude, that would settle comfortably into a room where music and design meet.
The Artwork
About Birth of the Cool - Miles Davis/Gizzy Gillespie
Birth of the Cool - Miles Davis/Gizzy Gillespie. From a rock n roll inspired show a Jazz piece was birthed. When I first started the Roque series the mission was to create a body of work that was more targeted to a more refined or higher end look and feel. Although the Roques series has evolved from that initial mission it still finds its way back to its roots every now and then. This was certainly the case with this piece.
I recently had the privilege of doing a unique show at one of my favorite clothing designers, John Varvatos, stores in Costa Mesa, California. Those familiar with my work and Varvatos’ line would not be surprised that the theme of the night was definitely rock n roll, complete with a killer live show by a recording artist named Nicolas Fresard.
During the show I was introduced to the executive editor and some of his associates from a very stylish and refined men’s magazine named Nobleman. From there the conversation turned from our shared love of the Rolling Stones to our other shared interests of the finer things in life such as fashion, cars, design, etc. It was here that one of the associates brought up a jazz piece. Since I had been conceptualizing a Miles Davis piece for quite sometime this obviously piqued my interest. As the conversation continued, I was shown photos of the magazines head office and the concept and vibe started to emerge in my head right there on the spot. With images of Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Jazz and Nobleman magazine coming together at once, the title of one of Miles’ albums just seemed to fit perfectly. That evening truly was “Birth of The Cool”.
Collector Details
What to Know About This Piece
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About the Collection
Blending minimalist design with expressive storytelling, these stick figure compositions use simple yet dynamic lines to convey emotion, movement, and narrative depth. With a playful yet thought-provoking artistic style, each piece transforms basic forms into powerful visual storytelling, creating abstract yet deeply relatable scenes. Featuring energetic, modern conceptual artwork, these narrative-driven illustrations rely on strong composition and minimal forms to evoke humor, introspection, and emotion. Whether depicting whimsical, symbolic, or deeply expressive themes, this unique approach to contemporary figurative minimalism proves that simplicity can be both engaging and profoundly impactful in fine art.
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Image copyright © 2026 by Stickman.
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Authenticity & Documentation
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Limited-edition artwork includes a Certificate of Authenticity when one is issued by the artist, publisher, studio, or authorized source. Open-edition pieces may not include a certificate; this does not affect their authenticity. The Collection Shop sources artwork through artists, publishers, authorized distributors, galleries, and other approved channels. Any additional documentation included with this specific piece will be noted above.
Trevor “Stickman” Stickel specializes in icon based, pop-realism portraits that capture legendary moments, powerful ideas, and raw emotion. His work is described as gritty-yet fresh, complex-yet simple.
Graduating from a Jekyll and Hyde influence early in his career, in which he divided his time between family portraits and airbrush design work on helmets and Harleys, Stickman had the epiphany to combine both styles while reading “According to the Rolling Stones”. Two weeks later he finished his first canvas portrait of Mick Jagger, aptly titled “Please allow me to introduce myself”, which forever changed the direction of his career in the art world.
THE MISSION
The idea or "mission" behind Stickman’s artwork is to create an artistic tribute to the music and to the musicians that have had a tremendous impact on him and many others. Historically, these tributes would have been limited to photos/posters that adorned the bedroom walls of teenagers and dorm rooms throughout adolescence. Stickman aims to create a style of art that brings these iconic figures back into our lives, and in a manner that adults can display proudly in their homes.
THE CONCEPT
The concept is to take a realistic portrait and juxtapose it with a background that expresses the feelings and emotions of the subject. This method also allows Stickman to explore other disciplines of art – many of his backgrounds will include abstract, expressionism, impressionism, realism, pop art, street art, surrealism and quite often a combination of these. This is where he gets to enjoy the artistic side of these pieces, while paying additional homage to some of his favorite visual artists.
THE HIDDEN MESSAGES AND SYMBOLS
In addition to the art itself, Stickman also adds (and quite often hides) his trademarked Stickman symbol (stick figure with devil horns) and the statement "Devil Inside" to the painting.
€¢ The Stickman symbol is derived from Stickman’s last name (Stickel) and a common phrase he hears from viewers, "I can't even draw a stick man". The horns represent rock and roll (his primary focus), which is generally regarded as the devil’s music, and references the duality of man (good vs. evil).
€¢ The statement "Devil Inside" also references this Jekyll and Hyde type of duality. Stickman often feels there is a difference between Stickman the artist and Trevor Stickel
the person. When focused on a subject and working on a piece, he often gets so involved in the subject he finds himself emulating them in the way he dresses and acts,
similar to a method actor.
€¢ The signature on the bottom right corner usually shows the Stickman symbol imitating the subject.
THE TITLE
The title of each piece is often overlooked but may very well be the most important piece of the puzzle. Stickman looks for a lyric that he believes personifies the subject or his feeling toward that subject and from there, begins to create an image and feeling that takes the viewer to that emotional state of mind. The titles are always a lyric from the subject's song but never the title of a song. If the viewer is a fan of the subject, they should almost hear the lyric or feel the emotion of the lyric when looking at the piece. Knowing the title completes the emotional connection to the painting and usually reveals a personal trait about the subject.
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