Shop Friends: David Polka
"My creative process - whether it’s a small drawing, large canvas, or a 30 ft mural - always starts with a rough sketch that gets refined several times before I settle on a final composition. That gets polished up, transferred to the work surface, and from there it’s an organic process..."
David Polka is an Oakland-based artist and graphic designer with a striking portfolio of drawings, paintings, and large-scale murals exploring both abstract and figurative themes. He’s been a longtime supporter of ILE and his bag rotation features a few special one-offs you won’t find anywhere else. We spent a recent afternoon at David's studio to learn more about his creative process and check out his go-to ILE pieces. Check out our interview below:
David, tell us a bit about yourself, what you do for a living, and your creative practice.
I’m originally from New Mexico, and have been living in Oakland since 2011. I’m an artist and graphic designer as well as an avid cyclist. Both of my parents made art, and my mom was an art teacher so they really went out of their way to nurture and support my creativity. I started skateboarding and writing graffiti around 7th grade, and was introduced to a whole new world of art and design that forms the foundation of my artistic influences. I got my BFA from the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque. During my time there I also played in several bands and got really involved in the local fixed gear scene, organizing races and events.
Once I moved to the Bay Area I dove into working full time as an artist and became really active with painting murals and showing my work in galleries. My creative practice encompasses paintings on panel and canvas, mixed media drawings on paper, commercial murals, and occasional illustration and branding projects.
What does your creative process look like? What are some current projects or themes you're exploring through your art?
My creative process - whether it’s a small drawing, large canvas, or a 30 ft mural - always starts with a rough sketch that gets refined several times before I settle on a final composition. That gets polished up, transferred to the work surface, and from there it’s an organic process involving lots of decisions about what gets done first, what color goes where, and what little details can make everything click.
I often work in a sketchbook but am just as comfortable in ProCreate on the iPad; both have their pros and cons and I find they work best for me when they complement one another. Lately I’ve been experimenting with making mural designs in Adobe Illustrator, creating compositions by arranging and rearranging different shapes, which feels a lot like playing with tangrams or cut paper.
I’m currently expanding on a new body of work on canvas. After years of painting on wood panels I wanted to try something new and am really enjoying the different experience canvas offers. The first series was totally abstract, now I’m introducing some figurative elements that show up in my other work. I’m also continuing a series of drawings inspired by traditional tattoo flash designs, exploring the visual language of iconography and archetypes.
Finally, I have another body of work that’s currently simmering, a series of really dense, intricate paintings that are decidedly darker and more political than my previous work. I’m in a bit of a tug of war between the conflicting impulses to crank up the detail to 11, or to explore the possibilities of simplification, reducing the images down to their most essential parts and doing more with less. There’s a sweet spot in that tension, though, and finding that groove is an important part of my practice and what makes those long hours in the studio totally worth it.
What ILE pieces are you carrying? How do they complement your daily life?
I have a custom Radius in MultiCam Black X50 with MOLLE, and lots of smaller accessory bags, totes, etc. I’ve got a Porteur Rackbag that I’ve used for daily commuting and as my mural supply bag for the last 8+ years. Just got an Arid Duffle that I love to use while traveling. And of course, the terrier tote (from a past archive sale) for my little dude. They’re all really well made and thoughtfully designed, get lots of compliments, and make me feel a lot more stylish and organized than I actually am.
Check out David's work at:
davidpolka.com
@slowcoolassault
Photography by Vicken Donikian
