Today we’d like to introduce you to Wylie Schwartz.
Wylie, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I was born and raised in Solana Beach where I grew up playing soccer, surfing and always creating. I was put into fine art classes when I was four after my parents realized there was no way I could stop drawing on the side of my homework assignments and any other surface I could get a hold of.
I graduated from Cal State Long Beach with a BFA in illustration, all the while learning from some of the greatest minds in the art industry. I spent a semester abroad in the south of France in a little town called Aix en Provence and dove headfirst into the philosophies and meditations of Impressionism. During my time in Aix and surrounding areas, I discovered a new perspective, a way to capture color I’d never known before and developed a new way of seeing this world. This was the catalyst for the celebrations of colors and how they relate to each other that you can find in my work.
During these college years, my mom and I traveled to Zambia to visit a children’s village. My mom would take pictures and keep the children’s sponsors up to date while I taught art. Our work there inspires me to live every day with gratitude and accept life’s challenges for what they are. The people and kids I’ve grown to call friends in Zambia to remind me how easy it is to choose happiness and lift up those around you. Whenever people ask what I wanted to do with this type of career I always respond “leave the world more beautiful than I found it”.
The work I do today draws inspiration from my hometown- salty air, sunshine, and the sea as well as my travels. All my experiences up to this point have fueled a passion for pursuing an art career focused on global and environmental issues with an emphasis on nature and preservation. All the while having as much fun as possible 🙂
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Throughout high school, art became my safe haven. My home life was chaotic and there was a lot of tension and heartbreak in my family. I struggled with chronic anxiety and depression. Art was a therapeutic escape where I could work out frustrations or celebrate wins. I worked to find harmony within my work while navigating these situations that in turn really made me so much stronger.
Please tell us about your art.
The type of work I do ranges from digital illustration, murals, apparel and graphic design. Most of the work I do begins as a digital illustration on my iPad Pro using an Apple Pencil. Using this method, I’m able to take my work with me anywhere I go and work on it anytime. I’m most proud of the mural I just completed at Flower Hill shopping center in Del Mar as well as the exploration of photo drawing I’ve begun to play around with.
My illustrations are unique in the way I combine whimsical and organic concepts with bold/calculated color theory and design.
Pricing:
- 8×10 prints $25
- 16×20 prints $80
- 20×30 prints $120
Contact Info:
- Website: Wyliebee.com
- Phone: 8589266767
- Email: wylie.schwartz9@gmail.com
- Instagram: @wyliebee
- Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/wylieebee/
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