Meet Austin Wade: Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Austin Wade and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Austin, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
I was brought into the world by two artists. My dad runs a dance company in Cleveland, Ohio called Inlet Dance Theater, and before that he taught dance and toured the country in a modern dance company. My mom is a multidisciplinary artist. She spent my young years as a potter, but has dabble in everything from painting to jewelry making. Now she’s refinishing and hand painting vintage and thrifted furniture. It’s just in my blood, I guess. I’ve never cared about sports or law or medicine or anything like that. I grew up around artists, so it’s just what came naturally. Recently, though, I decided to step back from freelance graphic design and to dedicate all my time to painting and street art. That’s been really refreshing and fun.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
The past year has been weird for me in an internal way, unrelated to COVID, though I probably wouldn’t have had all this time to reflect without it. I make art pretty efficiently in a hundred different styles, and I’ve never been able to stick to one thing. I actually took the time, and still do daily, to research my favorite artists and their careers. Seeing how their work evolves and how intentional they are about the things they do. I’ve been investing in art books and trying to connect with these people. What I’ve noticed most is that there’s a clear intention in every artist about how their work evolves. An artists work always looks like “their” work because they put a strategy behind it. I think. At least it seems that way. So, I’ve been learning how to connect my different ideas and make sense of them. I’ve mapped out a plan for the next 4ish years of how my art will evolve so that it makes sense and I’m not switching my style every month. You can’t have a cohesive story like that. I’m learning to really stay in one style and subject for a long time before I move on to the next thing. I’m always creating in different styles, though. Just being intentional about how and when I present them. I don’t really think my art “stands out” particularly. I mean, it will when I get to the streets, but that’s a surprise for now. Though if you look at all my contemporaries and people I study – mostly pop artists – you’ll see they’re not very different. KAWS is doing what Warhol did and putting a Frank Stella twist on it. OBEY is doing what Russian constructivists did but in an American climate (I know he’s moved on some but still). Joshua Vides is doing what Roy Lichtenstein did but in his own voice and a much more grand scale. We all just copy who we like and combine styles. It’s never been easy. I’ve never had money. I’m riding on the last drop of unemployment and praying that this next stimulus comes soon I can pay my car and rent for May. But that’s what it takes. Grinding it out, painting every day and just believing that it’ll work. As far as what I’ve learned in this fine art chapter, I can’t say much yet. Some techniques and stuff, and a lot about the artists I look up to, but nothing too personal yet. It’s still new. My favorite thing I’m clinging to right now is when Daniel Arsham talks about how he “created his own opportunities”. I don’t know anyone in LA and I have absolutely no connections here, so I have to build my own doors to walk through. I kinda love that concept.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
For sure we’re going to Tacos Tu Madre and Hi Lo Liquor. Hi Lo has my favorite mezcal and wacky fun beer to try. Probably would go to Laguna Beach, Abbott Kinney, for a drive through Topanga Canyon and Mulhullond Drive. I dunno, it’s hard with everything closed. I’m a museum junkie. I could spend all day at the LACMA and The BROAD. Oh and Uncool Burger oh my god. Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
It’s hard to pick one person or thing to give credit to, so I’m gunna break the rules and say both of my parents. They’ve always been incredibly supportive. Any time I have a new artistic venture they’re right behind me offering input or some minor financial investment. Just the other day I was telling them how I want to paint on bigger canvases and they bought me a few since I can’t afford them. They’re also both incredibly inspiring in their own right. If it weren’t for them always bringing their awkward silent little kid (me) around with them to art shows and artsy stuff, I wouldn’t feel this confident in my ability and connections. Shoutout to Derek Hess and Marty Geramita too. I interned with Derek and his manager Marty (mostly Marty I won’t front) for 8 months and I learned a crazy amount from them. Now they’re a text away if I ever need help figuring out something or want to use their gallery in Cleveland for a show. I probably wouldn’t feel so confident in my art if it weren’t for their support and constant encouragement. How cool is that? Derek Hess likes my art. Wild.

Website: http://www.austinxwade.com

Instagram: @austinxwade

Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/austinxwade

Other: TikTok: @austinxwade