Surf Artist
Erik Abel
With an unquenched thirst for knowledge and understanding of the world around him, Erik Abel assembles his experience into a complex visual language, one which alludes to some primitive yet thoughtful origin. Abel's rough style and obscure 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 10 years, Abel's method of bold, graphical imagery fused with his loose brush and pen work seems to find a growing niche of it's own in the fast rising 'Urban Contemporary' art movement.
Elements from inspirations such as ancient civilizations, cycles of nature, the ocean, plants, symbols, systems, mechanics, icons, and politics, combine to call attention to his findings about our past, present and future.
Originally from Ventura County, California, Abel returned to Portland, Oregon in early 2007 to professionally pursue his passion for art. He currently works in his home studio and shows in galleries throughout the country.
