How Trevor Clare is bringing KW landmarks to life through digital art

For Trevor Clare, art isn’t just about aesthetics, it’s about memory. The Kitchener-Waterloo based digital artist has built a name for himself by reimagining the region’s landmarks, including ones frequented by Waterloo students like the iconic Mel’s Diner, in a painterly digital style. His work captures what many residents feel but don’t always say: that ordinary places can carry extraordinary meaning.

Clare’s journey back to art started in an unexpected place. “I’ve always been an artist, I honestly can’t remember a time when I wasn’t, but I did step away from fine art for close to a decade,” he explained. After a leave of absence from work two years ago, his cousin handed him an iPad. “I desperately needed something to quiet my mind… and that little device became the outlet.”

That outlet grew into a new artistic direction. Immersing himself in online communities of background painters and animation students, Clare was particularly inspired by the Warrior Painters, a U.S. based group who combine gouache and digital media with a loose, painterly feel. From additional influences includingEdward Hopper and modern artists like Mike Hernandez, Clare found himself with a tradition-based style that is bright with digital potential.

For Clare, choosing KW’s landmarks as subjects wasn’t just about architecture. “The places I painted were the spots where I found joy, the locations where I laughed and made memories with friends,” he said. From beloved signs like the Schneiders “Weiner Beacon” to sports arenas and local businesses, his work connects personal nostalgia with community memory. “Capturing them became a way to immortalize their essence. Little did I know that the act of painting these locations would evoke powerful memories from others too.”

The community response has been overwhelming. Clare recalled how people reacted to his rendering of the Schneider’s sign: “Over and over, people tell me the same thing, ever since I was a kid, whenever we were coming back to KW on the 401, we knew we were almost home when we saw it. Some people even tear up telling me that. It really shows how powerful nostalgia can be.”

Both the City of Kitchener and the City of Waterloo have commissioned his work, murals and purchasing pieces for display. One standout project was at The Aud, where two large-scale exterior murals now feature both the Kitchener Rangers and the KW Titans.

Despite publishing a book of his work, The Art of Nostalgia, Clare isn’t slowing down. He hopes to release a sequel soon, with new commissions and community-driven projects still pouring in. Long term, he imagines expanding to other cities taking what he’s done in KW and using it as a “kind of case study” for how art can preserve collective memory.

But for now, KW remains at the heart of his work. “I’ve lived in this region my whole life, and about 15 years ago I moved right into the heart of Kitchener,” he said. “Sure, to some people Kitchener-Waterloo might not seem like the most exciting place, but once you get to the heart of it, you see how strong the community is and how many great stories are tucked away here.”