Based in Toronto, Mark Philips, known professionally as Cat Dirty, is an artist and illustrator renowned for his vibrant characters and psychedelic style. While we typically aim to feature new artists each year, Mark's unique creative vision and deep-rooted skateboarding background made him an easy exception following our 2024 collaboration. This year, we reunited with him to design the JACKALOPE Mississauga artwork, tasking him with capturing the local culture, celebrating the action sports community, and staying true to his unmistakable aesthetic. From the moment Mark submitted his first mockup, we knew the project was in excellent hands.
Interview with Cat Dirty : The vision behind JACKALOPE Mississauga 2026:
How would you define the "Cat Dirty" universe?
The Cat Dirty universe is a psychedelic world built around intricate detail, strange characters, and immersive visual storytelling. I love psychedelic visuals and detailed linework, creating artwork that requires a closer look and invites the observer to get completely lost in it. The universe is populated by weird, expressive characters that often feel equal parts humorous, chaotic, and surreal.
The theme for JACKALOPE Mississauga heavily revolves around the iconic YYZ airport concept mixed with skateboarding culture. Can you explain how you brought the airport theme to life, revisited through the JACKALOPE vibe?
I really wanted to bring my weirdo characters into the piece while tying them into the airport theme in a fun way that felt true to JACKALOPE’s energy. Instead of having a character skateboarding on a skateboard, I flipped the idea and had the pilot “skateboarding” on a plane. It felt like a playful way to merge aviation and skate culture into one image.
The characters on a poster always tell a story. Would you like to walk us through the design, the figures you created for this visual, and the inspiration behind them?
The characters are really just a collection of random weirdo personalities, which is something I come back to in a lot of my work. I love creating odd, expressive figures and giving them my signature oversized sunglasses, which have become a recurring element in my drawings.
What's your relationship with skateboarding ?
I’ve been skateboarding since I was 12 years old, and I’m still skating pretty much every day even though I just turned 40. Living in Canada can make that a challenge because the winters are so long, but I always find a way. A lot of the time that means sneaking down to the parking garage in my building and getting a session in whenever I can.
Skateboarding has been a huge part of my life and has naturally influenced a lot of my artwork over the years. I’ve created graphics for skate-related apparel, stickers, and T-shirts, and I’ve been lucky enough to collaborate on some amazing projects. One of the highlights was designing Elliot Sloan’s Birdhouse pro model a few years ago. I was beyond stoked on that opportunity. It was one of those full-circle moments where my passion for art and skateboarding came together in a really meaningful way.
Who (or what) are your biggest artistic influences ?
My biggest artistic influences are Robert Williams, Basil Wolverton, Ed Roth, Robert Crumb, and Jim Phillips. They’re legends and the original trailblazers who helped shape the worlds of underground comics, hot rod culture, skate graphics, and lowbrow art.
What inspires me most is their ability to create characters that are weird, expressive, and packed with personality. Their work has a level of energy, detail, and imagination that still feels fresh today. I get so psyched every time I see their art. It reminds me why I started drawing in the first place and continues to push me to create work that feels fun, strange, and unmistakably my own.
Outside of art and action sports, are there any other specific subcultures, music genres, or "secret skills" that feed into your creative process?
Outside of art and action sports, music is a huge part of my creative process. I love creating music and I play guitar in a band called The Dirty Water. We recently put out our debut album on Bandcamp, which has been a really exciting project.
Whenever I hit a creative rut with my artwork, I can always turn to my guitar and making music to get the ideas flowing again. I think that switching between different creative outlets keeps things fresh and helps me approach my art from a different perspective. Whether it’s drawing, skating, or playing music, it all comes from the same place, the need to create and express something.
When people arrive in Mississauga for the festival and look at your artwork, what kind of feeling do you hope they experience?
I hope people look at the artwork and feel energized. I want it to bring out a sense of fun, freedom, and good energy, something that makes them smile and connects with their own personality.
More than anything, I want people to enjoy the festival, have fun, and feel that the artwork adds to the experience. If it makes someone stop for a second, get lost in the details, and feel a little bit of that excitement and weirdness that I love creating, then I’ve done my job.
Where can our readers find your latest art drops, apparel, and follow your creative journey online?
They can follow me on instagram @CatDirty
My website is catdirty.com
And my band is on instagram @thedirtywaterband
