Mike Biagiotti of Long Beach CA on Life, Lessons & Legacy

We’re looking forward to introducing you to Mike Biagiotti. Check out our conversation below.

Hi Mike, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy day to share your story, experiences and insights with our readers. Let’s jump right in with an interesting one: What is a normal day like for you right now?
Right now I’m blessed to be able to focus on creating art and growing my brand. A normal day for me is waking up (not too early!) having coffee, working out and then looking at what needs to be done based on upcoming events. That can be creating new original art pieces, playing guitar, writing songs, or focusing on the development of my art brand OIL Beach. I’ve set an intention of starting to surf again after covid caused chronic ear issues and took me out of the water. I hope to cycle that back into my normal day soon.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Mike Biagiotti. I’m a self-taught artist originally from Long Island New York, but primarily grew up in Southern California in the surf/skate/punk/DIY/street scene. I’ve lived in Orange County, San Diego, Los Angeles/Hollywood and have now been in Long Beach for 18 years. My art is heavily influenced by Southern California and combines the energy of the surf/skate/punk world with the energy from the cultural diversity of the region. It’s a combo of both tribal and modern. I take abstract elements and combine it with elements of street art. When I started hanging out in Long Beach what struck me about the city was how it was unlike any other city in Southern California. It seemed to blend the diversity of the region into one amazing place. That feeling is what let to the creation of my art brand name “O.I.L. Beach”… which stands for “Only In Long Beach” and plays off of the grittiness of the city and it’s beaches, the oil derricks still pumping around town, and, of course, the classic car culture. In October of 2025, in association with the Long Beach Creative group I curated a show titled “Long Beach Vibez” at the Rod Briggs Gallery. The show featured Long Beach themed work from over 50 artists. Opening night exceeded expectations with over 250 people in attendance! The sense of pride in community was palpable. I plan to put together more shows in the near future.

Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
As a child I saw myself as someone who needed to keep his opinions to himself. Someone that needed to be humble to a point of a virtue becoming a flaw. Growing up in the punk/DIY/surf/skate scene the worst thing you could be was a “sell out”. Again this can be looked at as virtue, but if you push it too far it holds you back from being successful and rising to your full potential. I had a tendency to be a people pleaser. Maybe to be “too” nice. I had to learn to let go of this.

Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
I lived in Los Angeles for 15 years doing music and art. In 2003 I traveled with the Lollapalooza Tour around the US showing my art and selling merch on the concourse. Unfortunately, it led to me filing bankruptcy. Because of this I gave up on the idea that I could succeed as a full-time artist. To climb out of the financial hole I found myself in, I got a corporate job and got comfortable having a stable income and things like health insurance! After doing that for almost 20 years I realized that was not my life purpose. This is why I’m now pouring myself back into my art and music.

Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? How do you differentiate between fads and real foundational shifts?
As you get older you becoming aware of the ebb and flow of trends. You can see the similarities in the “rebellion” of the newest generation with that of the older generations. New generations SHOULD think the previous generations are full of shit for not solving the world problems. They SHOULD be outraged by the current state of affairs. But as you age you see that each generation inherited the same evolving pile of shit problems as the previous. The problems date back many generations. In the now it’s almost impossible to see the origins of some problems. Real foundational shifts address this. Unfortunately it’s usually only the true visionaries who can see or feel these issues and push us into a new era. And often it’s by accident! And with the rapid growth of tech into the everyday lives of people there are a whole new set of problems coming no one can even attempt to predict.

Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. When do you feel most at peace?
I feel most at peace when I’m in the flow of being creative. This can be the act of painting, taking photographs, writing lyrics/songs, playing guitar or performing. I’ve also experienced peace while doing things like surfing and snowboarding. The common thread is that in each activity I’m completely in the moment. I’m not concerned about past or future. Being in the now is where I always find the most peace. I think that’s generally a true statement for everyone.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.oilbeach.com
• Instagram: @oilbeach
• Facebook: oilbeachlb
• Other: vimeo – https://vimeo.com/mbiagiotti