One of the most common questions I get is: “Where did the XO come from?” People see it on my stickers, in my murals, on my apparel, and even woven into my artwork — and they want to know the story.

The truth is, I never liked the idea of signing my art with my name. It wasn’t about being mysterious or anonymous — I just felt like a symbol or logo was more interesting. Something that could live beyond me, almost like a brand mark, tied to the commercial side of art that I’ve always loved.

From Screen Printing to Symbols

At the time, I was doing a lot of screen printing in my art — pulling textures and layers from vintage newspapers, old cartoons, and found graphics. One character I was obsessed with was Felix the Cat. In some of the old imagery, Felix carried a handbag patterned with repeating “XO” symbols.

I started using that XO pattern as a background texture in my work. It added depth, repetition, and had this timeless, graphic appeal that really stuck with me.

Turning a Pattern Into a Mark

Over time, I went from using the pattern in my art to sketching my own stylized XO. I drew it by hand with a Sharpie — bold, imperfect, raw — and then cleaned it up in Illustrator to create a vector version. That was the moment it shifted from a texture to my signature.

What It Doesn’t Mean (and What It Does)

A lot of people assume the XO means hugs and kisses, or even something tied to fraternity life. That’s not the case. For me, the XO has nothing to do with that — it’s about creating a mark that felt authentic to my process and true to my love of branding, screen printing, and graphic storytelling.

And yes — I know The Weeknd also uses a stylized XO. Pure coincidence. Shout out to a fellow Canadian doing his thing.

That said… everyone does love hugs and kisses — so shoutout XO for carrying a little bit of that energy, too.

More Than Just a Logo

What began as a background pattern has become the mark I put on everything: stickers, murals, fine art, apparel, and collaborations. It’s not just two letters. It’s the symbol that grew out of my own hand, my influences, and my vision of art as both culture and brand.

If you first discovered me by asking “What’s the XO sticker I keep seeing?” — now you know.