Today we’d like to introduce you to Danny Augustine.

Hi Danny, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.

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.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?

My life journey has never been smooth, and my biggest struggles tend to involve family members and false friends. When it comes to family, they want to support my art career, but they don’t want me to talk about the abuse I went through. For them, it’s been better to gaslight and change the narrative than to talk about it. Now with my success and my need to express every aspect of my life within my drawings, light is being shined down on the false narratives that were pushed by family. Sometimes people see what they want and not the reality of the truth.

This is the same with false friends which I’m learning to weed out. Normally, jealousy of my success forms in a way of (why him and not me?). They never acknowledge the hard work or hours I put into bettering myself and my artistic practice. So, Now I keep my friend circle small with people I deem as trustworthy and supportive.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?

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.

Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?

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. – Chicago will always be a place I call home no matter where I may end up.

Contact Info:

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