Discovering, collecting, and appreciating art is a truck stop on the way to figuring out who you are. What you like. What you don’t. The feelings you feel. The feelings you don’t. Art makes your soul grow, as Vonnegut once said.
It’s why Huckberry have created an Artist Series, in which they’re partnering with some of their favorite artists to share their stories and create one-of-a-kind, limited edition prints, posters, and tees.
The exclusive Huckberry Artist Series continues with Ty Williams, an artist, surfer, and wanderer who sometimes calls Maine home (but only sometimes).
Huckberry paid him a visit to chat about travel, salt water, truck stops, and art — and to get some insight into the creative mind that led to the creation of the prints, tees, and totes.
Editors note: This article originally appeared on www.huckberry.com for more inspirational stories and cool gear head right over there now
“I seem to work better in a big hurricane of ink and paint”
FIVE MINUTES WITH: TY WILLIAMS
All Images: Nick LaVecchia
Ty Williams on travel…
Traveling in every sense is the thing that keeps me inspired and wanting to create things. I tend to not make a ton of work if I stay in the same place for an extended period of time, because I get stagnant or in a creative rut. While traveling, I meet people which often ends up leading to work. Meeting people in person is so refreshing rather than doing everything over the computer.
Japan is always high on my list of favorite places — over the past 6 years I have spent a lot of time there. This year I would love to check out somewhere I haven’t been and get a good dose of culture shock. I’m pretty open to suggestions. I have always wanted to go to India and surf there.
Who are the artists you look up to?
I really love simple primitive art, like rug prints and tribal paintings — things that are very simple but also excite me and make me want to make art like it. In terms of notable artists, I have been fortunate in my life to have some of the people I look up to be my friends. Someone whose work I love is actually one of my best buds: Ramsey Dau. I also really love Saul Steinberg and Matisse.
How does your surfing background work itself into your art?
Surfing and making things are often interchangeable for me. If I don’t do either for a while, I end up feeling pretty lousy. I also tend to make lots of designs and do jobs for surf-related outlets which happens organically.
Describe your workspace — what do you keep around to stay productive?
I’m a book and magazine hoarder… so at any given time I have a stack of books around me. I pick them up everywhere, thrift stores, book stores, friends. So my work space always is cluttered with books about sharks or camping or old funky jungle books or old cartoons. It’s really kind of embarrassing at times, as I see fellow artists’ photos of their work spaces and they’re always so tidy. I seem to work better in a big hurricane of ink and paint and scanning stuff that looks like someone came and ransacked my table. It’s what works for me though… out of the mess and anxiety sometimes comes an “OK” product.
To read the full interview and to check out Ty’s curated shop head over to Huckberry
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