We were lucky to catch up with Danny Augustine recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Danny thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.

I’m not much of a risk taker, but I would say I do know when to take a step forward. I believe everyone’s life path has opportunities laid before them to better themselves. Sometimes these opportunities are passed up due to the inability to see past insecurities and a self-defeating mindset.

My biggest move forward, in life, was moving to Chicago to finish my art degree at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. I moved to the city with two months’ rent and a dream. When looking back, I was more gutsy back then. If I made the same move today, I would be overly prepared and things would be less exciting than the unknown adventure of the past. Slowly like a stream to a river, I found my roots starting to settle into the city I felt was so overwhelming and busy, to the current day where I feel I’ve outgrown the 2nd City.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I began my artistic career as the founding member of the visual art major at Alderson-Broaddus University and later earned my B.F.A. from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. My first painting was exhibited in the West Virginia Governor’s Juried Exhibit held within the state’s museum. Shortly afterward, I was juried into the annual catalogue New Art International by Book Art Press. Through out the years, I have participated in numerous exhibitions on a national and international level, In which, had the honor of being named one of the most compelling artists. CURVE Lebanon’s most prominent art, architecture, design, and lifestyle magazine wrote an article featuring my ink drawings, and shortly after GQ British magazine did the same. My most recent exhibitions were in South Korea, and I’m currently weighing on a decision to exhibit in London.

When I begin a drawing, my mind wanders across an internal landscape of memories and experiences. Questions that are difficult to answer in the rational world arise in my mind. Growing up under the unwanted spotlight of my mother’s schizophrenia, along with the abusive hand of an uncle, left me feeling as if I were being examined silently.

To me, my artwork is a means to express my thoughts, feelings, and emotions. I work intuitively, creating textural environments while merging 24-hour rolling news, music, and everyday life experiences. The end results are environments that become a strong expression of my internal self. I express my feelings in every one of my individual works using the Surrealist process of Automatic Drawing.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

I believe we are all born as a creative soul. We create our existence every day. The people that align with a cookie-cutter life, tend to look down on creative professionals due to the freedom of our lives and our understanding of the world around us. Non-creatives tend to lose sight of the soul’s journey due to the blinding comforts of the material world.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

The best thing we can do as a society is to support the arts programs within all our school systems like we do sports. Society is so caught up with wanting to be apart of a team and winning they lose sight on how to come together.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.dannyaugustine.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danny_augustine/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Danny-Augustine/100039882253596/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCY1SWReQazeHEP6lrW8mw5A