Biography

Born in Ventura County, Erik Abel grew up within a few minutes of the sunny beaches of Southern California. From the time he was able to hold onto a crayon, he was drawing… and he’s never stopped.

With an unquenched thirst for knowledge and understanding of the world around him Abel assembles his experiences into a unique visual language. One which alludes to some primitive yet thoughtful origin. His relaxed technique and nature-based subject communicates a sense of wonder, experimentation, discovery and balance.

Being heavily influenced by and involved in the surf/skate/snow sports industry and working as a freelance graphic designer and art director for over 15 years, Abel’s method of bold, graphical imagery fused with his loose brush, pen and pencil work seems to find a growing niche of it’s own in the fast rising “Urban Contemporary” art movement. Among the clients his style has attracted are Billabong, Oxbow, Reef, and Surfing Magazine.

Elements from inspirations such as the ocean, ancient civilizations, cycles of nature, plants, symbols, systems, and mid-century design are combined to create visually pleasing works of art. Abel notes, “I strive for a visual balance in my work, making art is a form of therapy for me. I’m a pretty simple guy, I like to create things that make me feel good and are pleasing to my eyes and my insides. I don’t paint to express my disgust in politics, or pollution or world affairs… it’s actually the opposite, I paint to help me cope with my disgust in politics, pollution and world affairs. Making art just takes me to that happy place where everything is good.”

Recently returned from over 2 years of traveling and exploring New Zealand, the Tongan Islands, Australia and Indonesia and Fiji, Abel is back in Ventura, California living and working at the WAV artist community, and has been in a creative frenzy. Erik currently shows in galleries throughout the U.S. and plans to continue traveling the world, making art and searching for that perfect wave.

RESUME:

Erik Abel
Born 1980, Ventura County, CA
Currently lives and works in Downtown Ventura, CA

EDUCATION
Southern Oregon University, 2000-2003, BA in Painting
Ventura College, 1998-1999, Fine Art & Design Studies

SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2010
Surfing Heritage Museum, Costa Mesa, CA,”The Fluid That Binds Us”
2008
Art Whino, DC, “Ripple: Art Affecting Oceans” Surfrider Benefit
Red Brick Gallery, Ventura, CA, new work
2006
Thinkspace Gallery, Los Angeles, CA “Public: Collection”
2003
Mobius Gallery, Ashland, OR, “Systematics”

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2011
Couch, Santa Barbara, CA, “Freedom Riders”
Hawaiian Salt, Kauai, HI, “Summer Aloha Reception”
Ventura Museum of Art, Ventura, CA, “Splash”
Green Flash Gallery, Cardiff, CA, “New Wave”
2010
Billabongs Design For Humanity, Hollywood, CA
2008
Gallery 1988, San Fransisco, CA, “All in Together”
BLVD Gallery, Seattle, WA “Trade Bloc”
2007
DVA Gallery, Chicago, IL “Picks of the Harvest: Chicago Invasion”
Art Whino Gallery, Washington DC “Grand Opening Group Show”
Thinkspace Gallery, Los Angeles, CA, 3-Person, “Global Storming”
Brian Marki Gallery, Portland, OR “Urban Smile
The Life Gallery, Portland, OR “We Must Learn to Speak as Prophets”
Wind-up Gallery, Mesa, AZ, “The Rising”
Orange County Center for Contemporary Art, Santa Ana, CA “Untitled Love Project”
The Hive Gallery, Los Angeles, CA, Featured Artist, February
Thinkspace Gallery, Los Angeles, CA “Picks of the Harvest: Batch 4”
The Venice Contemporary, Venice, CA “Group Show”
2006
Create:Fixate, Hollywood, CA “Alive in Los Angeles”
Thinkspace Gallery, Los Angeles, CA “Square Foot Show”
Thinkspace Gallery, Los Angeles, CA “Picks of the Harvest: Batch 3”
Hangar 1018, Los Angeles, CA “The MAX”
Cannibal Flower, Los Angeles, CA, Ongoing Monthly Group Exhibition
Hive Gallery, Los Angeles, CA, Ongoing Monthly Group Exhibition

SELECTED CLIENTS
Billabong
Reef
Oxbow
Surfing Magazine
Patagonia
Oddica
Rockstar Energy
Third Drawer Snowboards
Five Axis Mfg
Roberts Surfboards
Glissade Snowboards
Wahoo’s Fish Tacos
Endemic
Beachworks
Maui and Sons
Coastal Classics
Laurelwood Brewing Co.

PUBLICATIONS
2010
Fluir Magazine, Oct 2010
Surfing Magazine, Last Ride Illustration, Oct 2010
Book: Torso, Featured shirt design
2009
Tide Magazine, Nov 2009, 10 Page Interview
2008
Surfing Magazine, Vol.44 #11, Last Ride Section & Vol.44 #12
Book: Invision 2, Another Sky Press, Featured Artist
2007
Juxtapoz Magazine, San Francisco, CA, Issue #80
PDX Magazine, Portland, OR, December 07
Citizen LA, Los Angeles, CA, Vol 2 Number 1
Los Angeles Downtown News, Los Angeles, CA, Feb 5th
2006
Oddica Magazine, Orange County, CA, Inaugural Issue
2003
3AM Magazine, Ashland, OR, art and design featured in issues 1 & 2

To view articles in the press, please visit the PRESS category on the Abel Arts Blog.