Chris Yormick (Juxtapoz #74) has been called the constant doodler, but his artistry extends far beyond the playful doodle. But be careful not to call his style ‘street art’ either, because he definitely does not like that. He just wants to be seen as “sincere.”

Roger Gastman: How does it feel to be the readers choice in the Scion “What Moves You” contest?

Chris Yormick: Feels good, very flattering. I want to thank everyone who voted.

You going to Disneyland?

No, but I am going to the south of France. My wife just got her green card so now we can go to her hometown and visit her mom.

You’ve always been an artist, beginning with graffiti when you were a young teenager, then in the skate industry, and in your early 20s you turned to the graphic design world.

Graffiti was a large influence on my early career. Through that and skateboarding I got my first job in the skate industry doing some logos for Underworld Element. Then I learned screen-printing working for my friend in DC. I didn’t want to stick around DC for the winter, so I went to San Diego to couch surf with some friends. We used to skate the Plan B mini ramp, and they would have me cut rubies here and there. I also did a Bonnie Bertino graphic. Mike Ternasky (Plan B owner) must have liked my drawings, because he called me when I got back to DC and offered me a job doing graphics. Sadly, Mike dies in a car crash a week later. I ended up in New York with no money for school. I decided to take a job working entry-level in the art department at Gee Street Records. Then I worked for the Drawing Board (Def Jam’s art department). I leaned toward design because at the time it seemed like a realistic direction to take. I figured design would be something that I could do as a career, and art and painting were something I’d do because I enjoy it. Later I ended up in LA, where I art directed éS footwear, then Skateboarded magazine.

--Interview with Chris Yormick with Roger Gastman in Juxtapoz #74

The Big Payback 15th Anniversary Art Auction artwork will be made available for bidding only online via CharityBuzz.com starting next Wednesday, October 28th and ending Friday, November 20th, 2009.


All Auction info is online at www.juxtapoz.com/auction

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