Q&A:

What is your art background? Do you have any degrees? If so which?
I was mostly self taught and always encouraged by my Mom who is also an artist. I actually failed my high school art class and even got kicked out for good because I couldn’t follow directions. You’re not suppose to paint the Mona Lisa blue, I guess. I went to a summer program at the Art Academy in San Francisco right out of High School. It was pretty cool until a crack head broke the window of my car and stole my final project and all my art supplies. After that I went to the Art Institute in Denver for about a year and was just over it. Have to say most my education came from Jedi’s. Ethan Anderson at Volcom and Jamie Heinrich.
Could be the man in the gray suit. That neighborhood looks pretty localized and I think the boys like it just the way it is… not blown out and no tourists. You know someone that lives there…?

How did you get hooked up with doing graphics/art for Lib Tech?
I started doing art for Volcom in the early 90’s when I was like in 8th grade. Through Volcom I met Jamie Lynn and Mike Parillo. It was always a dream of mine to eventually do art for Lib Tech someday. They boosted my confidence to quit being such a pansy and submit some art already. So, I did and got three boards graphics that season. 1999-00. I was a happy camper!

How does skateboarding and snowboarding relate to your art?
My biggest inspiration ever growing up was sk8 shops. That was a kids art gallery! My first deck was a Santa Cruz, Rob Roskopp, strictly for the graphics! All of my allowance went to buying sk8 stickers with the coolest artwork and Garbage Pail Kids. Skateboarding and art was what my life revolved around! When snowboards first came out, their graphics were pretty gay! I almost shit my pants when I saw my first Lib Tech board! It was the Cat Man. Again, had to have it strictly for the graphics. My art style was definitely formed and was inspired from years of sk8 and snowboard graphics..

Is your art in any galleries?
Yeah, like i said, kid’s art galleries. Snowboard and Sk8 shops world wide.

Do you sell your art? If so how would someone get your hand on some?
I mostly sell canvas giclee prints of my art. I bought a big plotter a few years back, it’s a fun toy! Pretty much all of my art is available on canvas and affordable. Just hit me up at RYNo ART FAN PAGE

Where do you get your ideas from?
I’ve always been drawn to animals and sea life. Most of my art has at least two eyes a fin/claw/tentacles or four to eight legs.

How long does it take you for a painting from start to finish?
Sometimes the stars are aligned and I can finish a piece in a night or two. Right now I have a piece that is staring at me as I speak that I started a few months ago. I’ll either finish it someday or Frisbee it off my deck.

How many paintings do you do on average in one month?
For a while, on a good month, one if any at all. I was doing a lot of freelance graphic design work to pay the bills and usually just boring logo treatments and art that was not from my own ideas. It started really getting to me! I used to paint almost everyday at one point. I am now back on track doing as much art as I can. Weather it is a painting or just drawing in a sketch book. As soon as you turn something you love into a job, if you’re not carefull, you can lose the love!!

What mediums do you prefer to use?
My paintings are mostly all acrylic and some air brush. I really enjoy using these oil pencils I have though with sketch book art.

What other artist from past and present inspire you, do you admire?
When I was younger, I was really inspired by an old friend, "Katch" who now does all the art for his sk8 company, Natural Koncept. He use to live in Tahoe and I remember just being in awe going through his sketch books. I have also always been a huge fan of the comic book, "Heavy Metal" There are some insane artists that do the art for that mag!! Another artist I really like is Ralph Steadman who did all the art for Hunter S. Thompson books like Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. 

What was your worst painting/drawing experience you ever had?
Pretty much every assignment I ever got from my High School Art Teacher, Mrs. Hatfield.

What was your best?
It was pretty rad to have the opportunity to do the T.Rice boards this year but I have to say the first time I saw my art on a Lib Tech board was pretty unbeatable! 

Have you ever gotten in trouble for a painting or drawing, if so how?
Well, besides the permanent marker mural I did on the back of my Mom’s white suede couch when I was five, I also have a bunch of art from High School that actually have an "F" on the back for FAIL!!!! Yup.

Last words:
Definitely a huge believer in the big circle, what goes around comes around.