HELLO AUSTIN, THANK YOU FOR JOINING THE 4BYSIX INITIATIVE AND FOR TAKING THE TIME TO SPEAK TO US. TO START, CAN YOU TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOUR UPBRINGING BETWEEN THE URBAN LANDSCAPE OF LOS ANGELES AND THE WINE COUNTRY AND HOW IT INFLUENCED YOU TO EXPLORE THESE CONTRASTING ENVIRONMENTS THROUGH PAINTING? HOW DID YOUR ART PRACTICE BEGIN TO TAKE SHAPE FROM THOSE EARLY EXPERIENCES?

I’m a city guy at heart, but living in Los Angeles as an adult has made me truly appreciate Northern California and the rolling hills. Both scenes are important chapters in my life. I’d like to think that rural scenes as well as urban life have found a symbiotic relationship in my work.

AS IT IS EVIDENT THAT COLOUR AND TONE PLAY A CENTRAL ROLE IN YOUR PRACTICE TO EVOKE A SENSE OF PLACE AND FAMILIARITY, IS THERE A PROCESS OF SELECTING THE TONES AND PALETTES YOU CHOOSE WHICH RESPOND TO THE ENVIRONMENT YOU’RE CAPTURING?

When I began painting I explored many colours and tones. Over the years I’ve narrowed it down to a more limited palette that I think eludes to warmth and nostalgia, like fond memories. Working with more limited colours, at this point, I think I just know my way around them. I know how to find what I want and how they play against each other.

YOUR PAINTINGS BALANCE FIGURATION WITH A DEEP SENSE OF ATMOSPHERE THROUGH STYLISED BRUSHSTROKES. HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR STYLISTIC APPROACH AND HOW HAS YOUR METHODOLOGY EVOLVED AS YOU’VE SOUGHT TO CAPTURE THE FEELING OF FAMILIARITY AND COMFORT IN YOUR SUBJECTS?

There are always elements of my paintings that are pretty tight and realistic, but I never want anyone to forget that this is a painting. If a stroke has a texture or a movement that I like, I make an effort to protect that element along the way. As the years go on, I’m able to cultivate more of these moments.

CAN YOU TELL US WHAT DREW YOU TO COLLABORATING WITH 4BYSIX, AND HOW THEIR MISSION WITH INTEGRATING SUSTAINABILITY WITHIN THE ARTS ALIGN WITH YOUR OWN ARTISTIC VALUES OR THE THEMES YOU EXPLORE IN YOUR WORK?

Sustainability is so crucial in modern times. Any way we can cut back on garbage is incredible. But the whole concept reminds us that we don’t need expensive materials to make art. Real creatives can always find a way.

HOW DID YOU FIND WORKING ON THE TARPAULIN? DID THE MATERIAL AND/OR TEXTURE SPARK ANY DIRECTION FOR THIS WORK AT ALL?

Painting on this new material was a really interesting experience, the slow drying time caused the under-painting to sort of blend with the actual painting of the figures. This seems like it could have been a disruption but turned out that all the different colors had this sort of cohesive element. I really do love what it led to.

CAN YOU TELL US MORE ABOUT THE ARTWORK YOU HAVE CREATED ON THE TARPAULIN? WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO PAINT THIS SPECIFIC SETTING AND MOMENT?

The painting was based off an old black and white film photo that must have been at least 60 years old, the photo has no source. Its free spirited nature resonated with me. I got the energy of a European summer vacation, but also the way the mountains are reminiscent of the California landscape. We can create countless narratives about the dynamic between the three characters.

THE COLOUR PALETTE YOU HAVE CHOSEN IS MINIMAL YET EVOKES WARMTH AND HUMAN INTIMACY, WAS THIS INTENTIONAL TO HIGHLIGHT THE TONE OF THE SCENE YOU HAVE DEPICTED?

I think I just achieved what I was looking for with a sort of narrow palette, the colors are so complementary for me. The color choices came natural to me and I didn’t stew on them for long. Those sorts of instincts are often right.

AS YOUR PRACTICE CONTINUES TO EVOLVE, WHAT’S NEXT FOR YOU? ARE THERE ANY UPCOMING PROJECTS, THEMES, OR DIRECTIONS YOU’RE EXCITED TO EXPLORE IN YOUR WORK?

In the past I’ve done a lot of work with single figures and more recently I’ve been exploring the interplay of multiple figures and the tension that can create, both in composition as well as narrative. It’s a direction I plan to explore more.