Meet Paul.
Paul is a lot of things: the co-owner of Fireball; a fierce advocate for East Kensington and the surrounding community; the mastermind behind WEIRDO; and a cool dad (Happy Father’s Day!). He’s also an artist with an incredible ability to bring his dreams — no matter how wild, weird, or wondrous — into reality.
Even before his days of printing show flyers in the dining room of his apartment on Front Street (if you saw a flyer for the Barbary circa 2008, that’s likely where it came from), Paul was committed to making art accessible and inspiring for as many humans as possible.
Breaking down the barriers of typical art shows, Paul created BIG ART SHOW, a traveling collective of creators and performers who travelled to cities across the US, making space for artists of any skill, medium, and age to share their work, come together, and amplify their voices.
Since then, Paul has found ways to continue that work, with a greater focus on East Kensington and the surrounding neighborhoods. WEIRDO brings together thousands of people each year and is a love letter to the community that Paul, his family, and their business call home.
If you see him at Fireball, or anywhere, really, stop and say hi. Possible sure-fire conversation starters include: David Byrne, Twin Peaks, Gumby, pizza, city gardening, and ice cream.