Behind the paint, Winnipeg window artist spreads Jets playoff spirit across the city
Posted April 25, 2025 5:08 pm.
Last Updated April 25, 2025 8:56 pm.
Across Winnipeg, Jets fans are waking up to a city decked out in blue and white, and if you’ve spotted any of that game-day artwork, chances are it’s the work of one artist. When it comes to windows, this local talent has been putting his unique spin on playoff spirit.
“It’s like waving your flag, saying I am a part of what everyone else is doing here, and that’s where guys like me come in handy,” said Rick Eastland, a cartoonist and illustrator.
“I was identified right in kindergarten by the teachers and the other students, they said, ‘Wow, you’re the artist.’”
Eastland‘s creative journey began when he started painting windows for free meals, living in Calgary. But what started as a barter system quickly blossomed into a 38-year career.
“I started thinking maybe I should do it for money and decide where I am going to eat instead, ha-ha yah.”
Rick and his family moved to Winnipeg eight years ago, and he quickly noticed the local pride around the Winnipeg Jets. Drawing on his past experience, he began knocking on doors, offering his window paintings to local businesses, and his timing couldn’t have been better, with the Jets enjoying a solid run, and now, Rick’s art has become a staple IN the city’s playoff spirit.
“People like artwork and cartoons, and if you can do something fun on the window for people, there is a ton of windows out there, so there is work for sure,” he explained.
This playoff season alone, Rick has painted around thirty businesses, each window telling its own story of Jets pride. He has added a little extra to all his work as A reminder that the journey to get here is worth celebrating, no matter how far the Jets go.
“It’s an 82-game tournament with 32 teams, and you guys won, so I am putting this on all the windows I paint to remind everyone that even if you don’t win the Stanley Cup, this is worth celebrating.”
Rick is keeping his fingers crossed for the Jets to go far in the playoffs. And with his art filling so many windows across the city, he’s confident that, win or lose, Winnipeg’s pride will continue to shine through.
