Artist Interview: Augie WK

Over the next few weeks, we will start introducing the artists participating in the inaugural we. art gathering! It’s always nice to hear a bit more of the artist’s background, their process when it comes to creating and how they’ve evolved over time. In that spirit, we will be posting interviews we conducted with each of the artists so you can become a bit more familiar with them. Super excited to have Monterey-based Augie WK in the mix, scroll down to learn more about Augie and his style!

Where are you from originally? 

AWK - I’m originally from California’s Central Coast, the “Salad Bowl of the World”

How did you first get into art?

AWK - Art always fascinated me, even as a kindergartner, my top two future career aspirations were artist, & astronaut. There’s a painting of me with a palette, painting myself on an easel I remember from when I was 5, I waited til I was in my twenties to paint myself as an astronaut.

What is your favorite medium?

AWK - While spray paint affords me that instant color spark I love to see quickly & efficiently, there’s something satisfying about just drawing with black Sharpies on paper.

What inspires you? 

AWK - I’m inspired by Latino artists of past generations who used murals as a vehicle to display art to the masses. Art could be viewed by the public at large, not kept behind closed doors. I’m inspired by innovators, and bold thinkers like Michelangelo & Leonard’s da Vinci. I’m inspired by musicians and lyricists, who communicate ideas and passion in a way that moves people in all they do. I want to use art to show the uniqueness of my own mind, I think all artists are trying to do something similar.

Why do you do what you do?

AWK - My goal is to live forever though my murals. A creation of my own idea can be seen by all, and continues to influence & brighten a community long after I leave.

What is your creative process approaching new projects?

AWK - My creative process begins with a clever idea or design I think no other artist could approach the way I’d like to. It could be a song lyric, or even just the feeling some piece of music gives me. But I’d prefer to be enamored with the uniqueness of an idea before I spend my time bringing it to life.

How has your style evolved over the years?

AWK - My style has always been colorful, I’m a firm believer in using rich color & imagery to attract the viewer from afar, or even peripherally. Then you’re drawn in to have a unique, more intimate experience up-close. Some of my paintings have meticulous planning involves, while some are just me experimenting with color, seeing how it makes myself or others react. Sometimes I liken it to recording an album in public. I’ll have a loose color palette in mind, but sometimes that’s all I’m equipped with. I like to observe, and then influence the way colors react with one another. I call it “the funk”, and I’m lucky if it’s flowing through me when I paint. This color-play offers each viewer their own personal feeling/ vibe/reaction when they see my work.

What is your lifestyle outside of art? 

AWK - Outside of art, I work as a lab technician. It’s a good balance of my art existing in a free-thinking, creative realm, & lab work oozing with strict parameters. Both skill sets can influence the way I move in both worlds.

If you could travel anywhere to create art, where would it be?

AWK - If I could travel anywhere, it would be to Japan to be influenced by the culture & leave some colorful goodness behind for all to admire. Then Italy to view all the Renaissance-era art & produce something timeless myself. And then all of California! It’s a vast, diverse state with artist scenes within scenes all throughout. I’d love to just interact with all of this state.

Do you listen to music while you're creating? If so, what are some of your current tunes?

AWK - Music is HUGE in the concept form of my art. My partner Jessica <3 and I create art as “The Jams” ever since I realized almost all my work was lyric/song-related. So I’ll carry a little speaker with me while painting and even at work, it’s good to have your jams close by. I like Tennis, Cuco, & Jungle right now. Anything by Weezer.

What role do you think artists have in society? 

AWK - Artists are tasked with bringing new, sometimes radical ideas to the forefront of society. Murals are an excellent tool for making people think. They belong to the public, for all to behold and love. The more public art you have, the more free-flowing the exchange of ideas is, and these areas are rich with culture as well. 

What has been a seminal experience in your art career thus far? 

AWK - A seminal artist experience for me was the painting of “Sabor”, a 22 ft x 60+ ft mural in Watsonville CA in 2019. The word Sabor hangs high above your head, with a rich tapestry of colors below the letters reaching to your feet. Up-close, you’re basking in a serapé pattern, most will recognize from traditional Latin American blanket patterns. The patterns vary depending on where they’re from, & are known for being vibrant, line patterns. This work was holding a mirror to the richness of culture, food, and style of Watsonville. That richness is achieved, harmoniously, using all the colors, all the different people. It’s a sight to behold, and a key moment to show the world what I can do. Convey emotion, and achieve grand technical feats.

Who are some of your favorite artists to date? 

AWK - Some of my fav artists are: El Mac. Felipe Pantone. RIME. POSE. REVOK. Augustine Kofie. Jeremy Fish. PEMEX. BIAFRA. Drew Merritt. Joey Unlee. SOFLES. ColorOrgy. David Choe. 

What helps you get "unstuck" creatively? 

AWK - Trees.

Who are your biggest influences?

AWK - The greats, the artists who knew/know how to make something out of nothing, or make something extraordinary out of whatever you’ve got around. 

Coffee or tea?

AWK - Juice.

Surf or snow?

AWK - Anything by Weezer.

Favorite movie?

AWK - Forgetting Sarah Marshall