The Funky Art Cartel is an artist collective dedicated to celebrating creativity in everyday life and highlighting the essential role of art in society. Their mission is to inspire as many people as possible through the creation of vibrant murals. Founded by three artists from diverse backgrounds—theater, visual arts, and music—they combine their unique perspectives to bring a bold, colorful vision to life. Known for their vintage-pop-inspired murals featuring botanical elements, the Funky Art Cartel stands out for its creativity, vibrancy, and fearless approach.
Meet the Members:
Jessica-Charlie Latour Marleau: Visual artist and singer-songwriter.
Maxim Dubé: Theater practitioner and muralist with the collective since 2018.
Alexandra La Haye: Visual artist active in the field since 2010.
About the Project:
In partnership with TurningArt, Funky Art Cartel transformed McKesson Montreal’s spaces with vibrant murals that capture the city’s essence. Inspired by Montreal’s local flora, fauna, and cultural diversity, the artwork combines bold colors and abstract shapes to create an uplifting, dynamic environment.
Grounded in themes of sustainability, diversity, health and wellness, and harmony, the murals reflect the city’s energy while fostering a sense of connection and community. These captivating pieces bring Montreal’s unique spirit into the workplace, turning everyday spaces into a celebration of creativity and local culture.
Tell us about your journey to becoming a professional artist. Was there a defining moment or a moment of clarity when you knew this was your path?
Funky Art Cartel was born from the meeting of three artists with completely different backgrounds who all dreamed of fully living through their art. We came together with the firm intention of making art accessible to everyone and democratizing it in all its forms.
Early on, we realized that murals were one of the most tangible and impactful ways to bring color and art into people’s lives. This realization solidified our path as professional artists.
Tell us about your work. What themes or messages do you hope to convey through your art?
Our murals create colorful, warm, and feminine atmospheres.
We believe in the power of adding elements like vegetation, clean lines, and a multitude of carefully chosen colors to increase happiness in the spaces we transform.
Finding the right rhythm to be productive can be a challenge. What advice do you have for staying productive and focused as an artist?
Being a team of three allows us to maintain a productive pace by combining our individual strengths and dividing the responsibilities of an artist into three distinct areas: artistic direction, administration, and sales management. Each of us fully trusts the others in their roles, which ensures the smooth and efficient running of our collective projects.
On mural production days, we each understand and respect our creative strengths and limitations. This mutual understanding and collaboration enable us to complement one another and achieve multiple murals annually. We like to think of ourselves as more than a team—we're a painting band!
As an artist, how do you measure your success? Can you recall a specific event or milestone in your career that made you feel successful?
We measure our success by our ability to make a living from our art. So far, we’ve never had to go knocking on doors to find work—our style speaks for itself.
We’re fortunate that clients who appreciate our unique approach reach out to us directly through social media and our website, funkyartcartel.ca.
Do you consider yourself, and all artists, to be entrepreneurs? Why or why not?
We see ourselves fully as both artists and entrepreneurs, fully embracing the compatibility of these roles.
We’re passionate about proving that art is a legitimate profession—one that deserves recognition and can even be considered essential. We firmly believe it’s possible to earn a good living while fulfilling the mission of creating beautiful art for everyone, whether on a grand or intimate scale.
To see more featured TurningArtists, return to our blog. To get Funky Art Cartel's art in your space, set up a free consultation with an Art Advisor here!
