Saskatchewan

Regina artist Def 3 earns praise for Robin Williams mural

A Regina-born rapper and graffiti artist spent about nine hours overnight creating a tribute mural of Robin Williams.

Danny Fernandez, also known as Def 3, painted a tribute mural of Williams in Denver, Colorado

Danny Fernandez, also known as Def 3, painted this tribute mural of Robin Williams in Denver, Colorado (Courtesy of Danny Fernandez)

If you've ever been stopped to admire a stunning mural in Regina, there's a good chance it was done by Def 3.

Danny Fernandez, also known as Def 3, is a Regina-born rapper and graffiti artist. Fernandez has done several works of art in the Queen City, but his latest work is getting a lot of attention south of the border.

I try to paint interesting characters and I've always thought that he was one of those people- Danny Fernandez

This week, Fernandez joined a friend, Pat Milbery, in Denver, Colorado to paint murals. Their last piece was a tribute to Robin Williams.

"I try to paint interesting characters and I've always thought that he was one of those people," Fernandez said. "Just to pay tribute to all the laughs, I guess. I knew that people would enjoy it because I don't think I've ever met a person that doesn't like Robin Williams."

The response to his mural proved there is a lot of love for Williams in Denver. Despite painting from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m., Fernandez said countless people gathered to admire his work.

"It was crazy," he said. "It slowly just started gaining a crowd and I'm talking like three, four, five in the morning. And then the first news truck showed up and was like, 'Hey can we do a story?' And then just basically for the next hour it was news truck, after news truck, after news truck."

Fernandez said he's happy the mural - which features a picture of Robin Williams' character from Mork and Mindy - made so many people smile.

"It was more of just something we were doing for fun," he said. "Just the whole experience of that and meeting so many cool people and seeing all the people smiling."

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Peter Mills

Journalist

Peter Mills is an associate producer at CBC Saskatchewan. Do you have a story idea? Email [email protected].