Lately on the blog I have been covering a lot of sneaker related artwork. From the artist exclusive Nike Lebron Air Max VII to the Anivram Sneaker Art Show in Brooklyn. It was at the Anivram event where I was fortunate to meet a very talented artist named Gaby Zwaan. Amongst all the artwork at the show it was Gaby's 5 pieces that held my interest the most. Soon after meeting Gaby, I decided to interview him & showcase some more of his artwork. Hope you enjoy the interview and artwork below.
Hello Gaby, where are you from?
I was born In Tha Haque in the Netherlands I still live in The Netherlands but now closer to Amsterdam.
How long have you been painting?
I only started in the summer of 2007 so that is 2 years this month. I had a fast career because painting is all I do now, it has become my life.
What made you use sneakers as the subject of a lot your art?
When I started, I looked for something that I really really liked and since I'm a pop culture kid & have 130 pairs of sneakers, the choice was easy. There's cool things, great shape and nice culture surrounding sneakers. Now 2 years later I do lot's more then just sneakers but it's still my first love and your first love you don't forget.
Do you consider yourself a sneaker collector?
Collecting is not the right word. I just buy a lot, just stuff I like. I have about 130 pair of a different brands and styles from cheap to expensive to very expensive.
Which style of sneaker do you prefer (Running, Basketball, Casual)?
I love the Nike Mita and starting to fall in love with the Nike structure. That's the new black if you ask me.
I noticed you did a piece of Lance Armstrong during the Tour De France. What inspired that?
Lance Armstrong is an inspiration no matter how you look at him. When I knew I wanted do a Tour De France piece, it had to be Lance Armstrong in the colors of his Livestrong foundation.
Lance Armstrong is well known athlete in the world of sports. Did that piece bring a lot of attention to your artwork?
Oh yes. The whole project (doing the painting on the climb of stage 16 of this years tour) turned out to be a hit. Press/Bloggers/Nike/Livestrong/galleries all send me emails and lot's of new things coming out of this. One of them is that I had coffee at the Nike European Hq a few weeks ago.
How long did it take for you to finish that piece?
That took about 1 hour. I had to be fast because the tour was about to ride over it so it had to be done by then. I did good preparations and knew what I wanted to do so I went like a smooth painting machine.
Are you currently working on any projects?
Yes, many. I will be in Las Vegas in the end of this month (August) and will do a project at the Magic trade show. I'm currently working on 3 collaborations and got 1 collaboration coming out soon (art toy related).
Thank you for your time. I look forward to seeing more artwork from you in the future.
Sure, no problem, anytime man no matter how big or small I get.You can visit Gaby site HERE
Click here for more pics--->
