Based in Sydney Beastman is influenced by the beauty and symbolism behind nature’s repetitive patterns and organic lines. One of the most distinctive and prolific emerging artists in Australia, one third of creative group The Hours and co-founder of East Editions, Beastman has exhibited extensively throughout Australia, as well as in the UK, USA, Germany, Hong Kong and New Zealand.

Beastman recently took time to speak to VNAussie, Damo about his upcoming show at Backwoods Gallery as well as all things Beastman…

Damo:  Tell us a bit about your early years and how you got into art:

Beastman: I grew up in the Sydney suburbs, a kid obsessed with and completely immersed in skateboarding. I always had an interest in making art from a young age, was always drawing on everything and messing around with things. Through skating I got into shooting photos and making videos, just messing around whilst out on the streets skating with my friends. Then I began to develop a real interest in the art and design that was a big part of skateboarding culture, as well as all the graffiti I would see on the street. I was really into seeing how the different brands presented themselves in magazines, their deck graphics, logo designs and the way the brands collaborated with artists and photographers etc. I ended up studying graphic design after high school in the late 90s and then worked as a designer for years whilst always messing around with drawing, skate photography and painting. Then it wasn’t until around 2005 that I felt I was creating some unique artworks and actually wanted to show people what I was doing, so I began to get involved more in the local art scene and started showing work in group exhibitions etc. I had my first solo exhibition in Sydney in 2008 and then its all just kept rolling forward from there really.

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