lauren asta is a traveling muralist and artist who specializes in illustration, oddity art, doodle art, street art and murals.
ROCKAWAY: Where are you from?
LA: I like to exclaim that "I am a citizen of the world!"... I have traveled so much for work, and lived in so many places. I was born and raised in the Bay Area and I've lived in NYC, Nashville, Chicago, Savannah...the list seems to keep on growing!
ROCKAWAY: How do you feel when you are staring at a blank wall or a blank canvas — and what is your process for doing the work?
LA: If we're walking down a street, it's not unusual for me to touch walls and look closely at brick textures. When I see a blank wall, my heart beats a little faster. Get me up on a scissor lift or boom in front of a blank white huge wall and I'm in my happiest place. All I need is time, good weather and my favorite supplies... then it's game on! I create my murals freestyle and start by painting my character's eyes. From then on it's like an art puzzle that just falls into place and a story that reveals itself!
ROCKAWAY: Growing up what kind of kid were you?
LA: I think I was a mix of many characteristics (just like my characters in my art!). If I was with friends or family, I was the biggest ham. But I also remember the strong desire to want to be by myself in my room to create my own little worlds. I've early memories of my gal pals writing in diaries about boys etc and all I remember is that my journals were filled with faces and doodles. Actually... I am pretty much the same way today!
ROCKAWAY: What inspires or influences your art?
LA: I used to say: "I want my art to look like how Prince's music sounds"... Music inspires me very much. The power of melody, words and lyrics... well it feels very similar to let's say the combination of color and lines and drawn imagery. I also get inspired by humor and humility. I think Jerry Seinfeld is a genius. You watch him and it's so easy to laugh at all the silly things us humans do. I try to convey that in my art.
ROCKAWAY: What are you working on now?
LA: I'm working on a lot of art from the studio these days! I have traveled so much for work the last 7 years, that It has always been a goal to be able to sit in one spot for a small while and just create at home. I’ve been experimenting with screen printing and riso printing.
ROCKAWAY: What's your spring mantra?
LA: An older Mantra is "Flex Your Hustle"... get out and do it while you still can! Another one is "Today And Everyday"... get to know yourself and your art. Once you've produced, produced, produced and have the confidence to be you... be all about it! Also: "This Could Work"... even a decade or two into making art and being an artist, I still make mistakes. But failure is part of the process of the road to success. Failure only exists if you give up. Failure can be the greatest gift because it's a clue... Maybe you're onto something, but it doesn't quite work that way... but maybe it could work this way... Exploration and production are two big key ingredients to any successful artist!
