ERIK VAN KOBRA - Past, Present & Process.

PAST & PRESENT

In 1996, while working as a graffitti artist I landed a tatttoo apprenticeship and it's been my job ever since. Throughout my career as an artist I have been involved in wide range of projects from mural and set design, clothing and logo design, organization and curration of art shows as well as a multitude of media broadcast and newsprint features. I have always been and continue to remain almost entirely self taught in my knowledge of the arts.

I currently reside as the studio manager of a custom tattoo shop in Victoria BC and continue to work every day as a non starving, hard working artist.  I work within a hierarchal artistic philosophy in various mediums - primarily painting, tattooing, illustration & photography.

PROCESS

Painting: A large majority of the painting work I've done in the last ten years could be described as comtemporary abstract expressionism. I employ the use of poured enamels and acrylics on large scale canvases with high color contrast and bold visual impact. Although the group of artists I draw inspiration from is vast , for the purpose of brevity Jackson Pollock, Hans Hoffman, Mark Rothko, Franz Kline and Wassily Kandinski would be atop the list of my main influences. An in depth artist statement can be found in my painting gallery - link to my statement here.

Tattooing: I was taught during my apprenticeship that art and originality comes first and I continue to work with that ideal today. I never reproduce any of my own artwork and I attempt to always remain consistent with my clients concepts. Exceeding my clients expectations can be both challenging and rewarding as I strive to make my tattooing be distinctive as my own artwork and unique as thier own permanent piece.

Illustration: From as far back as I can remember, animation, movies and music of all kinds has kept me inspired to continue creating. From early video games, pop-art, and now digital media; the pool of influence continues to grow. With my roots firmly grounded in graffitti I use mostly public domain imagery and a cut/paste/remix style. Creating a bold, colorful and nostalgic feel gives tongue-in-cheek nods to everything pop culture.

Photography: My camera has virtually become a part of everyday life. It captures everything from the mundane to the extraordinary and as an artist it is a vital tool in the portrayal and development of my work. I attempt to use photography as a continuation of my artistic toolset by focusing on compositional elements of structure, light and abstraction.  I use photo manipulation to achieve moods and colour tones that tie daily life to the rest of my work.