Colonel Vernon McRuffe | Newest Team Member
“Being a dog comes with it’s own challenges. Everyone always tells you, ‘Stay here. Don’t touch that. Ew what is that put that down ew gross why’ – but being a dog also comes with perks. Like, I don’t have to pay taxes. So I try to take the bad with the good.”
Colonel Vernon McRuffe is the second dog to join the Unwrap Theatre team, and he’s so excited to be here that he chewed up some furniture in preparation.
A black (with some white) Cockapoo, in just six months Colonel has made friends all around Regent Park, and shared his art with many of the other dogs in the area. The other dogs don’t have the vocabulary that Colonel does, but based on their tail wags they give his work a solid 4.5.
He’s currently looking to expand his artistic practice to multidisciplinary digital mixed media with live spaces.
Favourite movie and why?
“I love the Lion King. And no, not the animated one, the new one – with all the actor animals. Watching these actors really embody their parts while being giraffes or lions, it makes me think that maybe I could do that someday. Sometimes I like to pretend that I’m one of the lion cubs and give a little roar. I’m still working on the pitch and tone to make it a bit more threatening, because right now all my mom does is laugh. I just keep telling myself – acting is an art form that needs practice and time. That whole 10,000 hours to master kind of thing.”
What motivates you to create?
“The people around me, like my Mom and Dad. I’ve been an attention hog my entire life over the past six months, and I find if I do my art they look at me. Sure, they may be telling me to stop what I’m doing, but seeing those eyes on me – it really makes me feel like I’m making an impact in the world. And in their apartment.”
Has your style changed over time?
“I used to be so immature, haha. I remember the good ole days of chewing up toilet paper and peeing on the kitchen floor right in front of my parents. When I think of those days I get so embarrassed. I’m sure everyone feels that way about their childhood, though. Now I try to be more subtle when I steal the toilet paper from the bathroom. That gives me a solid fifteen minutes of artistic exploration before they notice and take it away from me.”
What do you hope to accomplish with your art?
“Total destruction.”
Who in your life inspires you?
“There are so many people in my life that inspire me. The crossing guard next to my apartment, anyone in the dog park while I’m off leash, my grandparents, Toronto pigeons, Garfield… and that’s it. I don’t think I’m missing anyone.”
