INNISFAIL– It all began with a desire to share peace with the world.
Paul Hoffman, 64, a retired Olds oil and gas worker who now lives in Innisfail, is an artist and self-professed hippie who paints satellite dishes for a hobby.
He calls them peace projectors.
“I was working down in Olds. I’d drive home every day and about two miles north of Olds on Highway 2A there’s a great big satellite dish on the west side of the road with a happy face on it, putting a happy face out to the world,” said Hoffman, noting his inspiration for painting satellite dishes.
“I am kind of an old peace guy, an old hippie,” he said. “I’ve never been a fan of TV so I wanted to take all these things and the bad news through the TV and put it into something positive. So I made a peace sign (on a satellite dish).”
Hoffman has painted close to 800 satellite dishes since he began five years ago and has also painted images on saw blades and windows.
“A lot of them (satellites) are going to the dump and it’s a way of repurposing them,” said Hoffman.
Interest in his work grew and friends and neighbours began donating their old satellite dishes to Hoffman for him to paint.
Over the years, his approach to painting has changed from freestyle to a more guided framework.
“All of these are stenciled drawings. They’re all just spray paints and stencils,” said Hoffman. “I usually paint (a background) first and then paint overtop of it.”
The local artist now has hundreds of painted satellite dishes hanging along the fence in his backyard. The dishes incorporate bright colours with images and signs of peace, pipeline equipment, wildlife and Alberta culture.
“It’s just my way to put a little peace out into the world,” said Hoffman, noting the worldwide attention they’ve received.
"They’re all across Canada now and they’re in the States, in England and Scotland,” he added.
Hoffman said many of his satellite dishes have been requested through social media, where interest in his artwork has multiplied.
For Hoffman, it’s never been about financial gain.
“People started asking if they could get a dish,” said Hoffman, noting the positive feedback and reciprocated peace signals he’s received.
“It’s really good for my heart. It’s just about putting a little peace out and making people feel better.
“Every day my heart is full,” Hoffman concluded.
For more information or to obtain a free painted satellite dish, contact Paul Hoffman on Facebook or via Instagram, pi_aofa.
