Today we’d like to introduce you to Xavier Walker.
Xavier, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I’ve been drawing my whole life. In college, though I realized doodling during lectures helped me retain the information better than taking notes. I’d remember things the professors said in relation to parts of drawings I was working on at the time. Soon I was drawing every single day, and on anything, I thought needed a face or a design. My images around the city started to get recognized by friends and then by strangers till people wanted my art on their album covers, band shirts, show posters, and then later on their buildings. I went to full-time artists in 2017 and have been trying to grow my art and spread humor and color as much as I can.
Has it been a smooth road?
My addiction to drawing wasn’t always welcomed by all my employers. Especially when they weren’t paying me to draw. I’ve been talked to about sketching at work only to find the same drawings I was reprimanded for hanging in my manager’s offices though. The move to do art full time was especially difficult. To leap the security of a job that pays well but takes away from what you feel you should be doing isn’t a unique struggle by any means, but it is a scary decision to make. There are highs and lows. Right now I’m just trying to let the world know what I’m doing in my little Texas studio, and hopefully, they’ll like it.
We’d love to hear more about your art.
I’m a graphic designer when I need to be. I’m a fine artist when I get to be. I work with paint, ink, and digital mediums. When I first started out I had several characters I’d draw on walls. Most notably my cartoony all-seeing eye. I’d draw it everywhere until one day I was hired to do a mural of the character on the Ramen Tatsu-ya on east 6th in Austin. That was exciting. From sneakily throwing that image up in the dark to being on a crane doing a giant version of it in the day time. It definitely felt like a new chapter for my career.
This year I’m working on a comic series for Riley Gale’s (Power Trip) comic/illustration anthology due in 2020 and a show at GDT Studios in Fort Worth.
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
There’s great food. A constantly growing and changing art scene and some good people. At least until they get behind the wheel of a car.
Pricing:
- 9×12 Prints are $25
- Event posters $150
- Commissions vary on what the clients want.
Contact Info:
- Email: xxxave@yahoo.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/milly_ray_cyrus/?hl=en
- Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/milly_ray_cyrus
Image Credit:
The photo of me was by photographer Dallas Thate @cheetofingaz on Instagram
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