Meet Dylan Gordon | Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Dylan Gordon and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Dylan, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
My initial encounter with art, or at least the idea of being an artist came quite fatefully or by coincidence (depending on how you view it). It began late into my high school years, by grade 10. I had been failing my subjects and struggling to find any real passion or interest in any of them and so naturally during class I would begin to slip away into another world – a dream world. I found myself in that world a lot and still do, however what had made the world of difference is how that place became something I could channel into pictures and drawings.

It was during a maths class and I was sat right at the back nodding off to this other world when all of a sudden as if it were and instinct or calling, I picked up my pen and began scribbling away in the margins and on the blank pages of my textbook. Instantly, I was hooked. From that precise moment onwards I couldn’t stop drawing. I was drawing just about everywhere I could and on anything I could. I began to develop a stronger visual vocabulary and one that I felt was uniquely mine – seeing as before I had never taken art classes, had been influenced or had known really any other artists or that it could be a career (albeit a daring one).

So I followed my heart and I followed my eyes and my hands, and I let it be. I had blissfully succumb to my new life, a new life spent drawing and not in the shadows of an academic giant which always brought me down and haunted. I felt free by art and it helped come out of my shell and into myself. It opened me up completely and funnily enough helped with my schoolwork among other personal issues. I helped me think, as if the drawings were backlogged in me and by doing them (the drawings), I was unclogging my soul and my mind. It made me feel real and awake again. The colours more vibrant, the feelings more visceral and the information which flew past me everyday more obtainable.

By the time matric had arrived, I had been drawing solidly, everyday, for at least 7-5 hours a day, for 2 years straight. I was lost in it, and as I began to show the people around me what I was doing I began to receive support and my peers encouraged me to go on – assuring me I had a gift for this. I had accumulated a lot of finished artworks by the end of my matric year and had even sold a few (including my tattooed maths textbook which an overseas collector bought from me). Needless to say, I was set on becoming an artist. It was the only vocation I saw myself in, for the rest of my days. I still feel the same way.

After my first month out of school, I had a large portfolio of work. I wasn’t quite sure what to do with it all. How does one just simply become an artist? Where does the money come from? Where does the exposure come from? I had so many questions, which happened to be all practical and logical in nature. My dad recommended I take my work to a local gallery on the off chance they could sell it or let me exhibit. So I took my work over and to my delight they agreed to a pop-up exhibition. The exhibition was a major success and it was the final push sending me head first into the life of an artist. It was the very beginning of an ongoing journey of creation, beauty, pain, struggle and success.

I am now in my 3rd year out of school, and in my 3rd year of creating art. There have been a lot of ups and downs but I have learnt a lot and evolved along with my work – something which I’ve felt happens naturally. I’m grateful that I’ve come along better for it. In my 3 years I’ve sold most of my pieces, had 4 more exhibitions following and am now moved to Capetown (raised in Pretoria). I am in search of more opportunities and ways to learn and be influenced. I am here now because of art, and because I never stopped. I worked hard at my ideas and these images. I still do. I’ve devoted my life to this calling and in return it fills me up. It lights my fire. I have my parents to thank, as well as my friends, patrons and supporters. People are crucial, they are vital to who you want to be and what you want to become. I am lucky to be surrounded by these kinds of people, who believe in me. I have also made the effort to seek these people out and to befriend them, because if you want to be driven to do anything you need to firstly have the desire and secondly the right people to flame that desire. I’m rambling on and I’ve written this hopefully not too poorly.

To summise, my thought process was non-existant to begin with. The point was that there were no thoughts, it was intuition and feeling. If something just feels right, and you have a calling – answer to that. Trust yourself, take a risk, work hard and keep hot on its heels and you can’t go wrong…and if you do go wrong, you can at least say at the end of the day you tried. You fought hard and went down honorably and without regret or remorse. Alternatively, if you go wrong you get back up and tackle it from another angle. What’s of utmost importance when working as an artist, from what I’ve gathered in this short time, is to just never stop. Keep creating, regardless, you will Reep what you sow. Follow your heart, trust yourself, listen to those who have something to say, be open, be humble and work hard.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
It is safe to say that most of my work if not all of it is drawn completely from imagination. I draw my inspiration from dreams and glimmers of the surreal and divine which appear in everyday life. I really enjoy irony and poetry and I feel, especially living in Capetown there are a lot of painfully ironic and poetic scenes happening all around. The same goes for the whole of South Africa and Pretoria (the town I grew up in). There is a lot of inequality and social issues in this beautiful country and I believe that there’s a lot to be said for these issues. Although I am completely steered by my imagination, it’s the world that surrounds me which constantly feeds my visual vocabulary and my ideas about life and humanity. I’m drawn a lot to the idea of characters and against my own will I find myself drawing a face or character of some sort when faced with a blank paper.

My practice consists mostly of drawings, illustrations and occassionally painting. My favourite mediums are ink (pen), watercolor, charcoal and oils and recently oil pastels – in that order. Since I began drawing at school and at the back of classrooms, I find that pen and ink drawings are my first love seeing as I would draw with whatever I had or whatever someone would lend me – which of course was normally a bic pen or something of the sort. I made do with just about anything and although I believe in investing in good materials…I don’t believe they make the artist or the artwork. It’s the heart and mind which make a good artist.

My work sets itself aside from other artists work because it is uniquely mine. It is not conceived from source material, research or any real life objects but rather purely from the heart and imagination. I never studied and I never took art as a subject in school and so my work has a raw individuality to it. It is distinct and it’s my own language. It’s the same to me as how each person has a unique walk, talk and quirk about them. It feels as if for me, making art is as natural and organic as those things might be. it is breathing, eating, sleeping. It is something that comes naturally to me.

I attribute the success I have had on my short career as an artist to persistence, patience and support from family, friends and patrons. It wasn’t easy to get where I am currently, the challenge was (as it always is for a lot of artists) the money and sales side to the game. You need a voice and an image, a reputation perhaps. Although I’m reluctant to say the word brand when it comes to art, you need a force behind your name. For me, these things are a continuous effort. Slowly but surely I’ve garnered a reputation and brand for myself and what was helpful was knowing who was buying my work and who was interested (a target market). This was something that came overtime and through careful observation. Generally speaking I’ve found myself in a good spot with regards to an audience and target market – this is because the work I create is nuanced and inclusive. The work rejects the idea of politics, race, creed etc. It is eclectic and other worldy, welcoming to any wondering eyes. This is the work I enjoy making, work that is human and spiritual. Work that is transcendent of language, colour, culture etc. After all, I believe this to be one of art’s greatest purposes, to be able to communicate something whether it be a story, feeling or idea, without the use of language. It is a bridge between us as people, the free world where we can all meet and celebrate life in all its tragedy and beauty. It is a place of refuge, a place for everyone.

What I’d like the world to know about me is that I am passionate about what I do, I love what I do and that I am extremely grateful to wake up and do it. With regards to my work, I’d like to let the world know it comes from a good place, the deepest parts of myself, my heart and the desire to put something beautiful out there. My story is about following your dreams and fighting for what you love. It is about listening to yourself and embracing the world we live in and the people we live with. It about celebrating these things and honouring them in your own way. Being yourself and accepting others.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Tough question, I’m horrible with itineraries. I enjoy spontaneity. Otherwise I’d definitely have to say the galleries, the local pubs, the beach (promenade), a hike and whatever the city has to offer – which is a lot.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I don’t know where to begin. I’ve had so many people in my life who have been so supportive and so kind along the way. My family. My mom and dad who have always encouraged me and taken an interest in my life and in my dreams. They have shared this passion of mine with me and I can’t begin to thank them enough for all their patience, wisdom, kindness and love. My brother, who I’ve always looked up to. I love my brother and I know that if ever I needed anybody, he would be there for me – and I for him. The same goes for my friends, who are incredibly supportive and encouraging. Never ceasing to lift my spirits. I’d like to thank my patrons and supporters. Without your support, making art and making this dream work would be if not impossible, ludacris and short-lived. I’d like to give a shout out and special thanks to the Trent Gallery, Stuart Trent, Nano Le Face, Plastic Shamans, the Jonkers, the clan Gordon, the nomad plane, Lucky Rodridogs, Baddies, Mimi van der Merwe, Pretoria peeps and Capetown peeps!

Thank you all!

Instagram: @dylly.g

Other: Email address: dylangordonart@gmail.com

Image Credits
Photo by Nicholai Thomas