There have been but a handful of moments in my life where something or someone has truly had a profound effect on me and the way I view my ever-evolving existence. Discovering art and music, especially punk, (70's & 80's punk that is) and learning how to play an instrument is one of those moments. The first time I rode powder on a snowboard, spending the whole day front- flipping through the snow, being stuck and digging myself out, but on the last run of the day finally figuring it out, getting huge turns in all the way down the mountain and being the most stoked I might have ever been in my life, is another. Recently my sister and her take on life and the current adventure she's on have had a major impact on me. There are constant sources of inspirations around at all times but only few that leave lasting impressions on us. That being said, I just might have stumbled onto one of those moments...
Enter David Hale, a 23-year-old artist/bowl-shredding enthusiast currently calling Athens, Georgia home. I came across his work a while back and was immediately drawn to it. His original style and unique vision of the natural world were, and still are, very much appealing to me. The thing I love most about David's art though, is a certain intangible quality it possesses. Obviously his work is extremely aesthetically pleasing and his artistic talent is overwhelmingly evident, but the underlying theme is what I feel is most meaningful. The best way I can describe this quality and what I think David's art represents is illustrations of life experiences. Feelings, emotions, thoughts, good times, bad times, people, places, objects, nouns, verbs, sights, smells, laughter, music, beliefs, earth... all of life's wonderfully different experiences manifested into images that speak and reveal the source of the inspiration from which it was created. The results are truly amazing paintings and drawings that leave you wanting more.
David was one of the artists I originally wanted to feature when I started HS, so I got in touch with him earlier this summer and he was more than willing to submit himself to my inquiries. I sent off a shitload of questions to him about his art, skating, and music (naturally) in hopes he would answer a good majority of them. Well, as it turns out, he answered all of them. And interestingly enough, it was his words in the answers, more so than the art he creates, that have had a pretty positive and influential impact on me. Now, don’t get me wrong, his art inspires me in every way imaginable, but the things he had to say, his optimistic, positive outlook on life and the profoundness in which he spoke are what really struck me. When he sent me his answers I read through them like 3 times in a row, just thinking, “Wow.” My favorite response, and one that I feel sums up very well what I’m talking about here was to the question, what is your favorite medium on which, and with what, to create art? “Life, and I normally try to lay it down on existence.” Yeah, I know… I thought the same thing.
So will this unique experience with David Hale truly have a lasting effect on me? Only time will tell… but as for the now, me living in this moment, I am feeling very inspired.
The Arts...
My name is David Hale, and I am here, now.
Hybrid Sessions: How did you get involved with art?
David Hale: It's just what I did. I picked up things and I drew with them, like most kids; the only difference from most is that I did it a whole lot and never really stopped.
HS: What and/or who were some of your early influences/inspirations to create art?
DH: My influences have been quite eclectic since I was young, it is pretty hard to pinpoint certain things. Although I did draw from a whole lot of cartoons and comic book stuff, I also was really into drawing directly from life and from my imagination as a child... I filled up sketchbooks like crazy with a massive variety of things. I always had a pretty sincere and intense energy, so I dove headfirst into everything I did. When I was real young I always liked to sign drawings “to god, from david” -- somehow that explains really well what it is like to be a child and creating art.
HS: Were you ever or are you still into the classic artists? (Picasso, Van Gough, Monet, Matisse and what have you) If so, did any of these OG’s play a role in your art upbringing?
DH: My parents, although supportive of art, are not art-lovers in a classic sense, so I wasn't really introduced to these artists until high school and, truly, college. By that time modern visual culture had infiltrated my brain so fully that most of my inspiration from these individuals comes second, third, fourth hand. Now that I have a stronger grasp of these origins I find more direct inspiration, but this is also eclectic and there aren't any particular artists that are all-consuming inspirations.
HS: Was there ever a moment in your early years when you saw a piece of art and thought to yourself, “holy shit, that is the raddest thing I’ve ever seen, I want to do that.” Or were you more gradually introduced to art, more and more into it as you got older? … Kinda the same question as the first I guess… If there was a moment, what was it?
DH: It's hard to remember particular moments of seeing other work and being totally inspired. The only moment I really have early on that was such a vivid experience is the first painting I ever did the first week in kindergarten. I remember having the teacher squeeze out the primary colors, and just seeing them was unreal. I painted myself going down a water slide, and it was pure bliss. If there is any moment that fuels me, that is it -- no words can explain that feeling.
HS: So you did the whole college, art school thing… Do you think that really helped you develop and progress as an artist or do you think you could have gotten to where you are now by just painting and not going to school?
DH: I think it helped in the way everything has helped, to get me to the place I am now, which I am content with. Could I have got here without that experience? No, but that doesn't mean it was necessary. It is just something I did; it brought me to now.
HS: Was there one individual teacher or professor, or any other individual during college that especially aided in your development?
DH: Jim Barsness, for sure, that guy is a complete bad-ass on so many levels. His work is completely mind-boggling, but what is even more impressive is that he is just a guy who is awesome to hang out with, I never sensed even the slightest hint of ego from him.
Also
Kris Davidson, aka Kris D. He mentored me for awhile, when I was about 18 to 19, and it is impossible to imagine where I would be without that experience. He introduced me to so much, including performance painting and the possibility of being a professional artist at such a young age, not to mention the vocabulary of synchronicity.
What connects those two is that they aren't just great artists, they are great people and great friends; those are the people you learn from.
HS: What advice would you give an aspiring art grom who is torn between art school and just goin for it?
DH: “If they ask you to achieve it, is it for them or for you?” -- Saul Williams
HS: Education vs experience?
DH: Experience is education. Your education should be an experience. If you start separating the two, you probably aren't learning much.
HS: What inspires you now?
DH: Everything, it might sound ridiculous, but it is just so unfathomable when you open yourself to it, all of it. The way the cycle unfolds, it's impossible not to be inspired by everything.
Obviously, as seen through my work, birds are currently speaking to me, and since the mystery chose to speak to me in that way, I figure the most direct manifestation of my communication is through a similar image, but it's merely a vessel for so much more.
HS: Do you sit down and try to think of things to draw and paint or do you wait for inspiration to strike and go from there? What usually ignites your desire to start a piece?
DH: I'll answer this question vaguely as well, because the process seems to lend itself towards that. I just draw or paint when I am at my studio or on stage, or wherever there is something in front of me that demands it. Yeah, there is preparation and premeditation involved, but that might as well be painting too... things seem to come and go in the cycle. Certain inspirations come to life while others perish, but like a cycle they normally return on schedule.
HS: Once you have an idea in your head of what you want to paint, how do you go about transforming those thoughts into images? Sketch, outline? Any pre-painting rituals or do you just go for it?
DH: Definitely no rituals... I never do things the same twice... I just don't operate that way. It differs so much from piece to piece, and more so from series to series, so I would have to explain to you by each individual piece. Typically though, I work loose to tight in multiple layers, trying to leave enough room for the painting or drawing to speak for itself. Sometime I use sketches, but more often I do not. I also use photographs, for the birds mostly, which I normally pick out about midway through the process, so they work with the overall movement of the piece.
HS: What is your favorite medium on which, and with what, to create art?
DH: Life, and I normally try to lay it down on existence.
HS: I remember reading on your site a while back that you were apprenticing for a tattoo shop. Then just the other day I read on your constantly updated (haha), updates tab on your website you axed that and decided to focus all your energy on painting. Talk a little about this experience and how it all transpired… Do you think you will ever give it another go?
DH: The apprenticeship was a great thing to do, I learned a whole lot, both about tattooing and where life was taking me. But, it wasn't the right setting for me to work in, and to learn the things I wanted to learn -- not to say what I learned wasn't beneficial. I was working over 50 hours a week at the shop, and it just sucked the creativity out of me.
Actually, tattooing has come back around to me. Full circle. I recently set up a private tattoo studio here in Athens, and have begun in the past few weeks tattooing family and friends, under the alias
8fold. I have found that this is a wonderful learning environment and allows me the freedom to gain experience in a way I feel really comfortable with and in healthy mind state. I feel like tattooing is all too often thought of as a commercial art form, and this sacrifices its nature as a sacred art form. By working on my own terms, I am able to focus on the aspects of tattooing I feel are significant to our growth as a collective. It is something I am really excited about and very devoted to; I can't wait to do it more, and see where it takes me.
HS: Your work seems to draw heavily on the influences of the natural world, especially the ocean in your earlier work and winged creatures more recently. Talk about your love affair with mother earth…
DH: I suppose that is just the way the world has spoken to me since I was young. I always found so much beauty in those things. I had a creek and lots of woods in my backyard growing up, and luckily my parents took us outside a whole lot, the natural world kind of just took seed in me. As my life unfolds, the way the natural world takes hold changes with the same fluidity, and I find inspiration in different things that all speak to the same source.
HS: Are there aspects of your art skills that you would like to improve on?
DH: I find art skills to be life skills, and thus I would like to develop greater wisdom and compassion during my time here.
HS: You fairly recently did a big installation/art show entitled “
Flutter,” and the obvious theme seemed to be everything avian. Talk about this experience, and what went into making it all happen. Had to be a ton of work… How did you feel about the outcome? What was the inspiration behind Flutter?
DH: “Flutter” was a whole lot of energy over a brief period of time. Most of that work was created in about three months. The outcome was quite an experience. It was unlike anything else I had done or will ever do again, but I suppose you can say that about all experiences.
It developed from an urge to create a body of work that would come together as one giant painting, so that the individual pieces formed one continuous work. The format refined the avian inspiration and really forced me to delve fully into learning that language. I had a whole lot of fun doing it, and the energy from it has undoubtedly carried me to where I am now. The installation was a particularly unusual element that I would like to pursue again when the time arises.
I'm currently working on another body of work for another solo show that I will probably do here in Athens.
Flutter Installation
HS: You have quite a few
performance paintings up on your site. Is this something you really enjoy doing? What is the atmosphere usually like during these performance paintings? Is it hard to paint live with a bunch of people hangin around?
DH: Performance Painting is a beautiful thing to do. I wish everyone could try it out at least once in their life. It took a while to get comfortable with, both mentally and technically, but it is a great means of interacting fully with live music. Actually, I have been cutting back on my time spent doing it lately. It is a challenging experience in non-technical ways; like all performance arts, it is difficult to maintain ego. People will inevitably be drawn to what you are doing if it is a pure art, but it can become easily tainted by improperly placing this energy and making the artist feel somehow superior to those watching him or her, thus negotiating the initial purity in the art form that actually spoke to your “fans.” I feel like I can maintain my ego more effectively by limiting my devotion to performance painting. Plus, sometimes I just want to get loose and enjoy a show with my wife.
HS: How would you describe your style as an artist?
DH: Eclectic.
HS: What do you hope people will take away from your art?
DH: I hope they will be reminded of a time they spoke to the mystery.
Some tunes and shredding...
HS: Who are some bands/artists you’re stoked on these days?
DH: Let's see...
Dubconscious,
Bonobo,
Abyssinians,
Groundation,
The Jungle,
Pixies,
Hot Pink Money Shot,
Born Ruffians,
Toubab Krewe, and
Rancid.
HS: (This might be a little tricky) If you had to compare your style as an artist, to the sound of a band, who would it be?
DH: Not even gonna try, you tell me.
HS: Well, perhaps the appropriately titled band,
Eclectic Approach? Or maybe
Bedouin Soundclash...
HS: Music is huge passion of mine, I have to have it playing all the time and I’m constantly searching for new bands… Are you passionate about music or is it just something to fill the silences?
DH: I am passionate about it, but I kinda let new music come to me, I don't pursue it too heavily and I am not normally extremely particular about my music. But I love it unquestionably.
HS: You and Doc Brown are cruising the time/space continuum in the
Delorean and you have the chance to go back in time… What band do you see live?
DH: Bob and the Wailers, no questions asked.
HS: Are you a lover of all the musical genres or do you migrate towards a selected few? Which ones don’t you like?
DH: I listen to an insane array of genres, but I find my self most often in the reggae spectrum, it's kinda my tried-and-true fall back. It gets the heaviest rotation. There aren't any that I leave out, maybe polka or reggaeton, but who knows I might stumble on some mind-boggling polka tunes, or some reaggaeton that leads to my overall enlightenment. I try to stay open, there is a lot of quality tunes out there. Actually, now that I think about it, all contemporary music on the radio sucks, so that's the genre I don't like: new, shitty radio music.
HS: What was the first… probably cassette tape… you owned?
DH: I think it was Kris Kross, whatever album everyone had, and it rocked my fucking socks off. I also had a handful of shitty Christian music, like DC Talk and stuff. But my first CD was Sublime, “Sublime,” which was a little bit of a step up, and slightly redeemed my musical taste.
HS: Did you ever listen to Vanilla Ice? Don’t lie now…
DH: Hell yeah, the first time I heard “Ice Ice Baby” was at this street festival in Alabama (go figure) and these kids were breaking to it. I thought it was the most spectacular thing I had heard and seen to date. I was like 10 years old, and basically that guy made a career from the 10 year old market.
HS: What’s the best live show you’ve seen?
DH: Dubconscious at my wedding.
HS: Is punk really dead?
DH: Is bathing and giving a shit yet mandatory?
HS: All time favorites?
DH: Bob
HS: To me music and art are constant sources of inspiration. I think the two are pretty interchangeable in terms of how people draw influences from each. Do you find inspiration to paint in music?
DH: For sure, that's why I performance paint. Painting is my way to create music.
HS: Which came first… the artist or the skater?
DH: Artist. That led me to skating.
HS: What got you interested in skating?
DH: Suburbia and an unsettling need to express myself against the status quo.
HS: I’m sure the arts take up a large portion of your time… How often do you get out and skate?
DH: Not too much, depends on the week, but normally a few times a week, I cruise as transportation on my mini a good bit, and bomb hills pretty frequently. I go through phases, depends on how focused I am on it.
HS: When you see a pool full of water, are you thinking of how nice it would be to take a dip or how you can get away with draining and skating it?
DH: Swim then skate, best of both worlds.
HS: Skating pools and bowls is definitely my cup of tea… Have you always been into skating tranny or were you ever into the street scene?
DH: Tranny is it for me, it is what made me fall in love with skating. I do like bombing hills though, but I suck at everything street, mostly cause I suck at ollies.
HS: What tricks do you have on lock these days?
DH: Really I suck at skating, but I can lay down some pretty big backside and frontside early-grabs, and I am known to stomp some bonelesses here and there... mostly things that involve less skill and more speed.
HS: Tricks you wish you had on lock?
DH: Handplants, damn I wish. And huge lay back tail slides. Yummy.
HS: Favorite skate video?
DH: Never been too big into videos, always loved the Gravity “
Flow” video though.
HS: How do you feel about the direction of skating these days? Do you think all the commercialization is good for the sport?
DH: Skating for me is just something I do, same as anything, so I try to avoid getting hung up in all the commercial aspects of the activity. The all-encompassing nature of our consumptive culture can consume whatever pleasure you take in any activity, so I think it is best to not empower that culture any further by avoiding applying to much energy to it, positive or negative. This can be difficult, and I find myself overly opinionated about trivial matters, but it is something I am attempting to address. Things come and go, who am I to say what is good and bad?
HS: Where’s the best pool/bowl/spot you’ve ever skated?
DH: My favorite spot is the
Skatepark of Athens, it's our local public, free, concrete park. So many good pockets and transition, I could skate that park my whole life and never run out of things to do. I have been lucky enough to skate some incredible parks throughout the country, and there are so many good ones, Louisville is unbelievable.
HS: Anything other thoughts on skating?
DH: Try it out. It seems to work for me, it might work for you.
HS: How’s the surf in FL?
DH: Sucks. That's part of why we moved.
A few randoms...
HS: In the instances when you’re not making art or skating… What do you like to do?
DH: Hang out with my wife, walk, read, ride my bike, hang out with my wonderful friends, birdwatch, dream, so many things; art and skating are really minor parts of my life in a lot of ways.
HS: What would you be doing if you weren’t an artist?
DH: Who knows, probably remembering to eat more often.
HS: What’s a typical day like for David Hale?
DH: I try to keep things typically atypical on a daily basis.
HS: If you have to answer one more question are you going to smash your computer?
DH: Actually this has been surprisingly enjoyable, words sometimes have an ability to generate clarity that is otherwise sometimes difficult to achieve.
HS: Ok one more… What was your favorite cereal growing up as a kid?
DH: It was an ever-changing spectrum of fortified sugar in a variety of shapes and colors.
HUGE thanks to David for taking the time to answer all my questions, very throughly. If any of you are interested in purchasing a piece, you can do so through
David's website. I hope you all enjoyed this, be sure to peep the rest of David's work!
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