Travis Michael of TM Kustoms – Goalie Mask Airbrushing & Sign Art uses his talent as an artist to bring goalie masks to life. Often a reflection of not only the team but the goalie himself, a mask full of artwork has become a mainstay of hockey.
Since 2014, Michael has been the go-to artist for the Western Hockey League’s Victoria Royals. Royals goalies Shane Farkas and Brock Gould will be wearing masks this season from the Victoria-based artist. As well, the Everett Silvertips also used Michael to outfit their goalies this 
year, including their star netminder Dustin Wolf.
Along with the game day masks, Michael’s talent and WHL connections have led him to other projects, which are close to the artist’s heart. In particular, he has designed masks in support of The Gord Downie and Chanie Wenjack Fund and the Royals’ Pink In the Rink night in support of the BC Cancer Foundation.
Artist of the Royals
For the past few seasons, Victoria Royals goalies have worn masks painted by Michael. From practice masks to game day works of art, the Victoria artist has been contracted to design what he refers to as their “buckets.”
“Every time the club gets a goalie,” said Michael “The Royals Head Equipment Manager Matt Auerbach and Cam Hope [president & general manager send me his information and I contact him to get some ideas sorted out. We pretty much have free rein from there if it’s team-oriented.”
This season is no different, as Royals goalies Brock Gould and Shane Farkas will wear masks painted by Michael.
“Brock [Gould] is probably the most laid-back person to paint for,” said Michael. “Both masks I have done for him, it’s been the first shot, the first design. He’s just been I love it, let’s do it. Which is good because when I design a mask, I work to my strengths. I design to what I’m going to be able to do and execute perfectly. So, it’s nice when somebody knows you’re going to be able to knock that out of the park. It’s great that they have the confidence in me as the artist.”
Farkas’ new mask will sport a crown, something that fits with the Royals theme. “The crown was Shane’s idea. He pitched it and I thought it’s cool because, in the history of the Royals, I don’t think anyone has done the crown.”
Wolf and the Silvertips
This year, the Everett Silvertips contracted Michael to do the artwork for their netminder’s masks. This includes last year’s WHL Western Conference Goaltender of the Year and Calgary Flames draft pick Dustin Wolf.
“It’s Dustin’s first crack at really getting a full say. We were going back and forth on the phone to design it. The backplate features a werewolf and a mountain scene, the front has a giant wolf head. It will have a look like it’s been ripped and torn up, as if a wolf attacked it. It will also show some nods to the city of Everett, we’re putting in the bombers, the stadium, the arena and really cool some navy features.”
Past Masks
Michael has done masks for many WHL players while they were in the league, including a couple notables in Griffen Outhouse and Dylan Myskiw.
“Griffen [Outhouse] was the first person I painted for at this level. The first mask we threw together after literally meeting for five minutes. It was his first season and my first-time painting at that level. For his second one, we kind of had talked a bit more during the season and the ideas progressed. 
And then by the third season, we were total buddies. We went all summer, just going back and forth until we had the right one. Then this last one that we did I think is the best, the one with the lion. Every mask with him was awesome because he had great ideas that I normally wouldn’t do but they were a fun challenge.”
“Dylan Myskiw was another person that was super good to work with, his ideas also were awesome. When he was traded from Victoria to Brandon [Wheat Kings] I sent him a message that if they did not have a painter lined up, I wanted to take care of him because he was a super guy and great to work with.”
The Gord Downie and Chanie Wenjack Fund
In speaking with Michael, it is clear there was one project that was important to him. In 2017, the Victoria Royals partnered with The Gord Downie and Chanie Wenjack Fund to bring awareness to the history of Indigenous people and to help create new relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Canadians. It was a cause dear to the late Gord Downie, the frontman of the Tragically Hip.
Chanie Wenjack was born on the Martin Falls Reserve in northern Ontario in 1954 and went to residential school in 1963 in Kenora, ON. In 1966, at 12 years old, he ran away. His body was found beside railway tracks a week later.
Downie wrote an album based on Wenjack’s escape, Secret Path which was released with a graphic novel by Jeff Lemire.
As part of raising awareness, Michael designed two masks, one that was presented to Downie during a pregame ceremony and the other auctioned off on the CHL website.
“I was contacted by Matt [Auerbach] of the Royals early about the project and the possibility of doing a mask. It was an organization I had no knowledge of and had never heard the story. After doing some research my jaw just hit the floor, not believing this happened in Canada, on my backdoor. I was definitely on board with anything I could do to help raise awareness.”
“The design was a full collaboration between myself, Matt Auerbach, Cam Hope and also the original artist of “Secret Path” Jeff Lemire, who gave me permission to use his art on the side of the mask. It was a combination of different people, going back and forth to come up with the absolute perfect design.”
“I think it is one of my favorites because everybody had a hand in it. The goal was just to bring awareness and we reached a lot of people with the help of the mask. I am very proud of that and thankful for the opportunity from Cam Hope and the team.”
Pink in the Rink
As part of the Victoria Royals’ Pink In the Rink night in support of the BC Cancer Foundation, Michael has been doing special masks to mark the vent and raise further awareness.
“It was actually how my relationship got started with the Royals,” said the Victoria artist. “I just sent the team a random email asking if they wanted to do a Pink in the Rink mask. They got back to me and asked how much I charged. I let them know that it was free if 100% of any funds raised went to the foundation. If they supplied the mask, I’d paint it. So, it all went from there.
“This past year we put the initials of people who had battled cancer such as those who had passed away, been affected or survived the fight. In the end, it was so many people that I was running out of space. It was a nice tribute but shows that amount of people affected by cancer.”
Other Projects
Michael does not just do masks for the WHL, he offers his talents to anyone needing some art done. “WHL, BC Hockey League, the university leagues. Pretty much whoever needs a design done. There is a bit of waitlist, but I am available to take on any new projects.”
The artist still likes to do to the fun stuff. “I still like to paint beer league stuff. It gets fun. That’s where I started, and it’s nice to go back to my roots. That’s where I can get really creative.”
