We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful DAAS. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with DAAS below.

DAAS, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

One of the most meaningful projects I’ve worked on was the Color, Way of Love project in China during the years 2017 and 2018. It happened at a moment when I was just starting to get more recognition as a muralist internationally and also during a time when I was relocating back to the US from living in Japan for over 10 years.

The project, which is sponsored by Nippon Paint Co. Ltd., brings international artists to China to paint murals in Shanghai and also in rural areas, rarely visited by tourists or travelers. The rural painting aspect of this project brought me to a couple of elementary schools in remote parts of Chengdu and Anhui. This gave me an opportunity to interact with the students and locals, helping me to understand more deeply the impact that public art can have as a bridge between cultures and how it can play an important role in communication and human connection.

Being able to see the reactions to my art of joy and amazement on the student’s faces, was something that I will always keep close to my heart and remember as a high point in my career.

DAAS, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I consider myself a Public Artist with a dominant focus on muralism. One of the main things that separate my work from other muralists beyond my particular style, I believe, is my focus on community engagement and how the artwork impacts the well-being of the people who view it on a daily basis.

Over the past 20 years of working as a professional artist, I’ve come to understand that what we put into the public realm, as creatives, has a tremendous impact and therefore comes with a responsibility to be sensitive and thoughtful about how it affects the community. The most important goal I have as an artist is for each mural to make a connection to the people and the place in which it’s located.

Having a successful career as an artist is a constant struggle, there are many peaks and valleys, all of which I believe make you stronger and more resilient over time. I had plenty of financial, mental, and spiritual challenges on this path, but my unwavering belief in myself was the key to getting through the rough times.

The most valuable lessons learned over the years tend to focus on the constant pursuit of elevating the quality of craftsmanship, building professional relationships, and being open to other people’s ideas and concerns in relation to the work being created.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

I look back at my decision to leave Japan and return to the states after 12 years as probably the most impactful choice thus far in my career. At that time, I was struggling to advance professionally as an artist and growing frustrated at the lack of opportunities available. I knew that if I really wanted to pursue my career as a public artist and muralist, I needed to be back in the states where I didn’t have barriers to communication and cultural understanding.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

There are several books that have helped me along the journey of being creative and making a living through art. Probably the first and most impactful was “The Artist’s Way” by Julia Cameron. I read this very early on when I decided to focus on art as a career and it helped me to understand that although being creative is very spiritual and personal, it takes work and discipline to maintain constant creativity in our daily lives.

Other books that have helped me to understand the business side of art are:

The Artist’s Guide To Public Art by Lynn Basa
ART/WORK by Heather Darcy Bhandari & Jonathan Melber
Launching Your Art Career by Alix Sloan

Contact Info:

• Website: http://www.artofdaas.com
• Instagram: @daas
• Twitter: @artist_daas