Kyle Irving creates his colorful statement paintings by employing aspects of graffiti, comic art, street art, and gestural drawing. His sense of movement and energy become the unifier in his work. This energy reveals

itself in both the application of paint on the canvas and in the subject matter of his signature swerve or the billows of a mushroom cloud.

A far cry from his current practice, Irving got his start studying drawing fundamentals and realistic portraiture at Oakland University. It wasn’t until after graduation, however, that Irving started to test the rules he learned to follow. He discovered his appreciation for graffiti and began to develop his own style with spray paint. Irving was motivated and inspired by his newfound artistic freedom; as well as the fun, and even danger, of sneaking out at night to practice.

Irving’s work has evolved from rough and sketch-like to bold and stenciled. He strongly relates to the credence “art for art’s sake,” believing that his work does not need to have a deep meaning to be credible. “I don’t create on the psychological level; I do it for me and for fun. I don’t want to be what other people think an artist is. As long as I love what I am doing, I’m winning.”