Today we’d like to introduce you to Rilwan Akande.
Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
From what I remember the first recognizable piece of art I ever created was in the second grade. The drawing was a picture of glasses with wind spinning in between the glasses. From that point on art became a passion of mine. From elementary to post University I’ve always been a creator. I remember being a kid and taking a paper to trace images off of the tv from shows like Dragon Ball Z, Digimon and etc. Superheroes were a big part of my childhood, and I tried to get my hands on every comic book and movie I could find. Fast forward to college, and I had to decide on a major, I chose computer science reluctantly because I believed in the starving artist narrative at the time, but after one semester I chose art and never looked back. The first few semesters were rough honestly I was trying to figure out my style and voice, but I eventually got the hang of it. Summer breaks were the times I experimented the most with different styles hoping to create something new. I applied for my school’s graphic design program three times and was rejected each time, but I took that as a blessing in disguise. That led me to take an alternative route in school, and I ended up enrolling in an advanced drawing class in which I found my current style.
Please tell us about your art.
I view my art as a meditative practice. My process is very free flowing as I use micron pen use to create my images. There are elements of spirituality I like to blend into my pieces, but the inspiration for each image can come from a variety of sources ranging from what I hear on a podcast to an image I see online. I utilize texture and the human figure to create portals to other worlds, creating complex pictures and stories with my art. The heavy pen work gives birth to unusual and sometimes elaborate designs with hidden imagery. I like to spark curiosity and create wonder with my work. I have a vague concept when I begin to draw, but I prefer to work intuitively with my mark making. My mind enters what I like to call “the flow state,” however, I am not losing my conscious ability to create my art. Artists such as Alex Grey and Salvador Dali, who work with themes of symbolism and metaphor inspire a lot of my art. Repetitive imagery is constant throughout my work. Much of what I create depends on how I feel about something in my life and I feel that sometimes I am a channel for a specific message needs to be communicated to the viewer.
As an artist, how do you define success and what quality or characteristic do you feel is essential to success as an artist?
I define success as an artist by communicating a message that you are internally satisfied with while living your raw and honest truth. I believe all artist’s need persistence in order to succeed, this path can be a frustrating one at times, but if you’re willing to commit and stay the course, I feel that your hard work will pay off eventually.
How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
My Website is rilwanakande.com
Facebook: RilwanAkandeart
Instagram: great_vibez
Etsy: IllustrateTheInk
DeviantArtPage: ObiRilwanKenobi
Contact Info:
- Website: rilwanakande.com
- Email: ril.akande@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/great_vibez/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rilwanakandeart/
Image Credit:
Rilwan Akande
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