Today we’d like to introduce you to Denniz Polk.
Hi Denniz, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I’ve been doing art in various forms since I can remember. My dad was an artist in his free time. He spent time working with all the same mediums I work with, so I would say there is an obvious influence from him, but aside from that, I would say cartoons and comics, mostly from the ’60s, would be what inspires my painting and drawing style the most. Yearbooks from that era, as well as newspaper and magazine ads and magazines, T.V. bumpers, etc., are a big part of my design and layout styles. I was born in the 80s, but all of that stuff was still around me. All of that era’s design work is kind of like practical effects are to digital effects now days. You have to figure out a way to make something work within a certain limitation, and the end result is limited to what the artist wants to see in the first place, as well as limited to how far you can take something without taking it to a purely computerized level. I got my start as a photographer, designer, artist through punk and hardcore. Those genres are ugly and full of limitations, and it’s what, in turn, makes them mysterious and beautiful. That, to me, describes what I do as well.
Alright, 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?
Literally, nothing is a smooth road for me, but I create things constantly because that’s just what I do. So, I’m not sure if any struggles come from the art side of things or from just life being that way, but money comes to mind. I’m not much of a get-rich-minded guy, but art and financial stability aren’t something you hear much about in the same sentence, and the reasons for that are obvious, I’d say. Punk ethos are always going to be a part of my thinking, so I have totally eaten more hours than I’ve been paid for when it comes to what I charge for work. A lot of times I would rather have a hand in the creation of something than be paid what my time is worth if I see whatever I’m going to be working on as worth it but, I do that to myself. Trying to stop. Staying a step ahead of yourself in order to keep moving with the current might be considered a challenge to me also but at least it’s a useful challenge.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a photographer, writer, graphic designer, painter, and videographer. I think most people would say they know me from all of the years of flyers and posters I’ve made and that’s probably half due to the sheer volume of that kind of stuff I’ve done. I’m proud of most things I do, but I think I’d say I’m probably most proud of what I do with video, maybe. The thing that sets me apart from others in my field is I have a clear vision of what I’m creating and it’s always going to have a human element that comes from my mind and hands. I think you can feel some of the night and day elements to my own personality in the visuals I create. I don’t dabble much in trends, and I make what I see as a personal stylistic choice and apply that to what I know about the subject. So, with me, you’re getting layers of ideas visually. A mix of what I see, what I think, and what I know about the subject I’m working on, plus an even mix of what visually strikes me as interesting as an overall guide,
What’s next?
As far as plans for the future, I hope I have the ability to keep evolving without having to compromise style. I hope to work with more people who are as passionate about their visual representation as I am and just leave the deepest cut on all of this as I can.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imbalancearts/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@DennizPolkIMBALANCEARTS
Image Credits
Denniz Polk
