If anything good has come out of the Covid-19 pandemic, it has been the extra time that we have all been given. For us it has been something of a creative awakening. It's easy as an artist or designer to be stuck in a rut and not creatively motivated. We've been so caught up with the day to day of running a growing business that we kind of lost track of the joy we had when we were creating something from nothing in our garage!
We both moved to Detroit to pursue a creative career path. Partially because of the inspiration we felt when we both came down here separately. But also because of all the amazing artists and designers who were living here. For awhile now we have been wanting to start a series of designs and one of collections with some of these amazing artists. Artists see the world differently than most people, and they are used to creating with what they have on hand. We want to show people what can be done with reclaimed materials from an artists perspective. We come across so many interesting materials on our salvage jobs. But sometimes the materials are a medium that we aren't familiar with. Our goal is always to save as much from the landfill as possible. So we are hoping with this new series we can help inspire ourselves and everyone else to really reconsider what is waste? And how can we reduce what is thrown out from our job sites?
Our first collab is with TMRWLND. A artist, screen printer, bike rider, and all around good dude. We've worked on a few things together in the past, but we've finally got a collection together for everyone!! Check it out on our Collab Tab.
When did you move to Detroit and why here?
I moved to Detroit in March of 2017. I had lived in Los Angeles for 30 years and I was invited to stay for a week at the 1XRUN loft late in 2016. I spent the week exploring the city and fell in love with the architecture, hand painted signs and the murals I would see daily. When I returned to L.A. I decided to flip a coin to decide if I should just go for it and move to Detroit and start from scratch. It landed on heads and I left shortly after.
What inspires you?
I’m inspired by history and folklore, be it written, spoken or in a visual format. Weathered books, markings on trains, public signage, abandoned buildings, anything that shows evidence of history or a culture of subculture being present. I love to learn new things and I’ve found my inspiration is usually a byproduct of engaging with the world around me.
What's your favorite medium and why?
I love working with acrylic. Comparative to other art making mediums the use of liquid polymer is a relatively newer process and it’s also one that can be used in a variety of ways. I often use the same paint for paintings that I use for paper studies, painting murals and also for screen printing.
Why do you like using found materials? And why do you think it is important to use these materials in your art?
I come from a background of painting graffiti and skateboarding actively in Los Angeles. Those two activities both require you to consider your environment and take notice of details that you might not give thought to otherwise.
When I decided to focus on my fine art practice I chose to take the surfaces I was most familiar with and continue to paint on them in a way that would not be ephemeral, and would demonstrate to the viewer what I see in discarded every day objects.
There is a beauty to working on a surface that has a previous history and to give life to an object that would have otherwise gone to waste.
What your favorite area of the city?
I’ve biked over 4,000 miles in the last year across the city, exploring as much as I can as often as I can. I love the density and vertical nature of the housing in Hamtramck. Highland park has stunning apartments with historic moldings and tile to look at. Mexican town has amazing food and is a great area to bike.
When your not painting what do you do?
I like to ride my bike, take photos of textures and buildings and hang out with my cat.
What's your interior design style? And what do you need in living space to keep you inspired daily?
I tend to lean toward interior design that is sparse and that has clean, defined lines. My home is full of art that I have collected and many people refer to it as appearing like a contemporary art gallery. I love hard wood floors, tall ceilings and lots of natural light.
