Always an Artist: Michiel Folkers

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Using different color combinations and recognizable icons and comics figures, Netherland artist Michiel Folkers creates exciting artworks inspired by street graffiti.

Meet our artist of the month!

He has started painting street graffiti in the late nineties, which later led him to try different techniques.
He refers to his art as quite a chaos, but his stunning pieces are absolutely breathtaking.

We asked him a few questions to get a glimpse into his world.

What inspires you most as an artist?

"Inspiration is always difficult to explain for me. Most artists answer with music, the streets, magazines, etc. I think it just comes and goes without a clue where it comes from and when it knocks at your door. For example, I went to NYC once to get inspiration. You should think it is the best place to get it, right? After days full of art, street art and nightlife I went to my studio and guess what: nothing came out. My father always says: ‘Flying crows always catch something’, maybe this is the best explanation for me personally."

When did you begin creating?

"I start creating at an early age. My best friend was doing graffiti in Amsterdam. He was like a big brother for me and I started imitating him. We went to all the rough places in Amsterdam when we were really young. I think I did graffiti for 10 years until the walls turned into a canvas. In the beginning, it was more like a hobby. Because of the internet, I could leave my (creative) fulltime job for spreading my art worldwide."

Do you have a favorite creation?

"The grass is always greener on the other side. I am never satisfied or proud of my work. I just keep going. Sometimes satisfied for just a couple of hours and then I want to make the next piece better. It can be very annoying. For me, the best thing to do is not to be rational when I am working on a piece. When you see premeditated elements in my work most of the time I will paint over it later."