Today we’d like to introduce you to Mikie Poland.
Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
I grew up in super tiny town in Iowa. I lived on a 2 block street that has the highschool at one end and the graveyard at the other. I was suspended in 7th grade for drawing cartoon erotica. I’ve been drawing since I could hold a pen and have been playing in bands for super close to 20 years. I’ve been making stuff forever. I moved to Chicago when I turned 18 to go to SAIC and learned how to think and talk about the stuff that I make. after school I focused on music as well as art, touring with my 2 bands, GIVNG UP and STATE CHAMPION. for the most part I am bouncing around on tour or making art for random things that come my way.
Please tell us about your art. What do you do / make / create? How? Why? What’s the message or inspiration, what do you hope people take away from it? What should we know about your artwork?
I make drawings and zines and paintings and soft sculptures and sewn things and screen printings and websites and weird videos and music and random things to try and sell and i just write down ideas in my shitty handwriting or make any type of crap that seems appropriate at whatever given moment.
I think there are parts of this world that are totally unjust and upside-down and backwards and sometimes I make art to try and stop or combat the piercing anxiety that comes with thinking about those things. sometimes I make work that is fun or absurd. sometimes I make things that try to drive a specific feeling/ meaning to the viewer. I think humor is super important, but I try to deal specifically in the type of funny that makes you cry later. I want to make things both challenging and accessible. I want to make things that consider the viewer. I’m just a link in a chain. I have questions and I hope my questions encourage others to ask questions. I make stuff because I am inspired by others that make rad stuff and I want to inspire the next person in line making rad things. the role of the artist at their best is to pull back the veil on what goes unseen, to try and bring some sort of definition to things which refuse to be defined. it’s a goal that continues to be just out of reach. I guess something that has helped me to not become discouraged in this pursuit is to be ok with at least just making something that can bring someone some joy. making an object or an image that people want to be around can be good enough. there’s something pretty cool about that.
We often hear from artists that being an artist can be lonely. Any advice for those looking to connect with other artists?
I would say yes. being an artist can be lonely. I am actually pretty introverted. I do most of my art making as a lone, singular person, but there are social aspects to art making. they are totally necessary and it’s important to make yourself get out and be social and build art communities. go to art openings. go to punk shows. tell people you like what they do and that what they do is important. meet up with friends to sit together while you make your own separate things. do that until you realize you want to make things together. Start a website or a blog to showcase artists you like. start a gallery in your apartment. start throwing punk shows in your basement or garage. start a band with your friends no matter how shitty you are at music. start a weird puppet TV show with some bffs without knowing the first thing about any of it. if you are an artist, you have something to share. don’t be afraid to share it and don’t be afraid to use what you have to build something rad with other people. just do things and don’t be afraid to fail. failing is huge. you should be failing all the time. (disclaimer: I never had an apartment gallery. all that other stuff though, I have done.)
How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
mikiepoland.com — there’s a bunch of art/ crap that you can see/ buy
also go to …
mikie.aethletics.com — earlier portfolio work
givingup.castlemorbius.com — music/ band
tushoodles.com — buttons
castlemorbius.com — web art
Instagram @mikiepoland
Contact Info:
- Website: mikiepoland.com
- Email: iamasnake @ hotmail (dot) com
- Instagram: @mikiepoland
Image Credit:
Mikie Poland
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