While his work may be too “west coast” for a certain corporate coffee shop to display, Jeff Bertrand doesn’t seem interested in compromising his art for commercial success.

The paintings are, admittedly, somewhat weird and graffiti-like, but they are also colorful and unique and Bertrand’s characters always have meanings behind them, generally “poking fun at society” in some way, in the artist’s own words.

“I really like the low brow movement out West,” Bertrand said as his work hangs overhead at J.J.’s Market in Nashville.

His bizarre characters have been compared to cartoons such as “Ren and Stimpey,” “Futurama” and old Tex Avery work.

“I think that’s cool, I’m definitely into old cartoons,” Bertrand said.

One Murfreesboro restaurant took notice of his style and welcomed it, actually commissioning a mural in front of the building.

Just a few months ago Bertrand decorated the wall in front of the Sonic Drive-In on Tennessee Boulevard with some of his original characters, including cartoon-like figures with hamburgers and hot dogs for heads playing music and a squirrel with a large container of French fries.

The restaurant approached him about creating a mural for the wall.

“It’s cool, it attracts people,” said Amber Allison, part of the Sonic’s management.

While the city has raised concerns over the legality of the painting, the employees and customers seem to like the uniqueness it adds to a fast food restaurant, typically very uniform and cookie cutter.

“I wish it would go all the way around the wall,” Allison said. “It’s really neat.”

The artist said he wishes more urban areas were filled with colorful and stimulating graffiti.

“It was just a nasty old brick wall before that, why not have something nice on there,” Bertrand said.

As he worked on the wall, other projects seemed to fall in his lap.

“I kept getting stopped by people wanting commissions,” the artist said. He doesn’t have quite enough commissions at this point to support himself financially?Bertrand’s a tire technician when he’s not painting?but he doesn’t paint for the love of money anyway.

“I paint because I enjoy it. It’s my outlet,” he said. “If it turns into a career, great.

“A commission work is more for them (the customer) than for me, but the work I show is what I want to do, it is what it is.”

Another significant commission is a mural displayed at the Hendersonville skating rink.

Bertrand also decorated an old pair of Adidas as part of an exhibit traveling the country with the Sneaker Pimps.

After seeing a feature on another local artist, Charles Clary, in the first issue of The Murfreesboro Pulse, Bertrand contacted him and the two have collaborated on some pieces and have more in the works. He has also worked with Berk Gibbs, another featured Pulse artist.

In addition to his painting, drawing and even tattooing experience, Bertrand is now in cosmetology school. He sees hair styling as yet another way to express himself artistically while making a living.

While some of his pieces were stolen from Hair of the Dog in Nashville during the businesses’ closing process, he just hopes someone’s enjoying them somewhere.

“I kind of see it as a compliment,” Bertrand said.

J.J.’s Market will display his work until June 22 and the artist is always looking for new places to exhibit.

For more information, visit myspace.com/jeffbertrand or call (615) 720-1878.