Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Michael Chavez. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Michael, thanks for joining us today. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

I’ve always had a creative side throughout my life. Growing up I would sketch out ideas I had for skateboard graphics, band merch, and even some short cartoons and stories. During highschool I took a computer graphics course and then a screen printing course after, however I was still lacking the fundamentals for art and illustration. I didn’t begin to draw seriously or even progress at all until college. Miramar College is where I learned all the fundamentals of 2D Design and Freehand Drawing.

If I had wanted to, I probably could have sought out art learning resources on the internet before I went into college to learn how to draw and illustrate at an earlier age, however I’m glad that everything happened when it did. Learning these skills in rigid college courses instead of on my own allowed me to divert energy away from thinking about what I had to learn next, and let me focus on the subject matters, themes, and styles I wanted to play with and develop on my own.

Where I truly developed my own style in illustration and design though, was at SDSU. In one of my graphic design classes taught by Arzu Ozkal, she encouraged us to include hand-drawn elements in these call-to-action posters we were designing instead of solely relying on computer programs. That’s when I found the value of combining the handmade with the digital, and I have been combining the two ever since, namely drawing illustrative elements in by hand, while including textures I modified with raster software, and sometimes including real photos I’ve taken, or text with actual typefaces when needed.

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

My name is Michael Chavez, creatively known as Vezael. I am an Illustrator and Graphic Designer born and raised in the Mira Mesa neighborhood of San Diego. I have been creating graphics and illustrations for about four years now, having worked on various design projects with friends, some freelance work, and a whole lot of personal work on my own.

I began creating art pieces with a very explicitly political slant. This caught the attention of many on the internet throughout the United States and abroad. I would create illustrations with text depicting whatever political idea I was fixated on at the time, or whatever was making big news at that moment. These pieces really resonated with others, and it was awesome to connect with so many people over something that was important to me and I felt was important to the world as a whole. However, I became burnt out by this venture and after about two years I decided to turn my creativity in a new direction that fulfilled me more.

I let my passion for community guide me on a new path with my art that documented the world around me and how I viewed it, instead of making declarations and commands of what I think should be done from a political standpoint. I began to fall in love again with my Mira Mesa neighborhood that I’ve lived in and experienced my whole life, and it allowed me to attain a better understanding of my neighborhood, my city, and even myself.

Currently, I focus my attention on my newest project called Dissolve. Initially, Dissolve started out as a creative outlet to release thematically and aesthetically cohesive illustrations relating to ideas of community and how I viewed the world around me with deliverables created such as posters, zines, stickers, and digital prints. Dissolve was heavily centered around concepts of community unity and DIY. Having been part of various subcultures that revolve around these same ideals, I knew it was imperative to keep DIY and people power at the core of Dissolve.

Now having evolved into a clothing and art brand intended to supply the kinds of people I see in myself and those around me, Dissolve is a brand meant for the creative and unrefined. Dissolve is feeling the human touch, seeing the perfect in the imperfect, and existing outside common conventions. Dissolve is for the graffiti writers, underground musicians, street skaters, political printmakers, and anyone who values the unity of the people around us in doing what we love despite its lack of digestibility to the common public.

dissolveitall.com

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

My favorite part about being an artist is connecting with others through my creative endeavors. I have met a ton of really amazing, inspiring people throughout this journey, and it feels great to connect with like minded creatives and come together to make something bigger than ourselves.

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

I really have to hand it to Shepard Fairey from OBEY for inspiring me to do what I do. Watching his documentaries and interviews as a youth really inspired me creatively in ways I didn’t know how to express until now. I really resonated with his creative journey and seeing him do everything himself from designing, to screen printing, to putting up his own printed material on city walls.

I’ve always loved doing everything myself and I’ve always loved printing my designs out with whatever method I had at my disposal. Although I don’t care a whole lot for his message, I greatly admire his artistic path and what he’s done creatively. This has led me to establish my brand Dissolve and really turn it into something I can be proud of through connecting with others while retaining a very DIY approach.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.dissolveitall.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_vezael
• Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@vezael