Today we’d like to introduce you to Austin Call.
Hi Austin, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Hello! And I thought you’d never ask! My name is Austin Call as you’ve just stated, some may know me as ‘duhrivative’, and I have been known to distort faces, and other things.
I come from the land of corn. Yes, corn. Indiana. Have you heard? Great culture. Much progress. I spent a lot of time outdoors as a kid in Indiana, (exploring creeks was my favorite) which is one reason I wanted to relocate to Southern California, to reconnect with nature and my inner child. This has not only helped in personal growth but in my artistic growth as well. I feel like my younger, child-like self more often – it feels nice. I digress.
I recall the idea of being an artist from a relatively young age but knowingly detoured myself in college because of fear, outside influence, and potential monetary gain. I studied industrial design, where I went on to work in toy design, consumer products, and graphic design. I became increasingly unhappy working under other people’s creative direction, only to learn design wasn’t the place for my conceptual expression. I left corporate design in 2018 and began creating my own art again – paintings, drawings, and collages. In the off-time of my last design job, I started a throwaway Instagram profile to post weird portrait collages, which I had been making in a different format with magazines, drawings, and random ephemera since I was a teenager. The work of my portrait art instagram unintentionally gained traction and enter: @duhrivative
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Substance use has been an ongoing challenge in my life. I began my attempt at sobriety during the pandemic, which lasted 14 months, only to realize I was being buffered by my non-experiences of the real world. As soon as restrictions started lifting, I relapsed and that’s when the grim reaper manifested. Knowing I sound cliche, my life changed. I am 2 years sober today, which is a goal I set for myself before I moved out to Los Angeles.
My addiction, mental health, and queer experience definitely inform my artistic process, style, character development, and overall absurdity of each piece. Whether I am depicting a celebrity, an imaginative landscape, or a character, I always consider the fact that the work is inspired by equally light and dark times of my life. Creating is just as much about deconstruction and impulsion as it is about connection and catharsis.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I think I am best known for my digital surrealist portraits of pop culture icons. However, as I grow as an artist, my process evolves. I currently use a mixture of digital and traditional processes and my work can be chalked up to mixed media collage.
My process can change but most days I begin on my iPad, collecting found photos and digitally altering them. I print, paste, and transfer photos onto canvas, where I add layers of material. Adding acrylic, oil pastel, and charcoal, I then remove layers by scraping, ripping, sanding, and scoring to reveal a fully formed textural piece that often alludes to the wheat pastings and street art of major city streets.
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
Do not stop. Keep experimenting. Maintain integrity.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.duhrivative.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/duhrivative
