Evan Mendel is a painter, muralist, and street artist, born in 1988 and raised in the valley just outside of Los Angeles CA.  Evan’s earliest artistic influences came from cartoons and comic books, which then evolved into skateboard graphics and graffiti.  Growing up Evan was heavily influenced by the cultures of skateboarding and surfing.  From a very young age Evan was immersed in the scenes, thanks to his father being heavily involved in the culture and business, working as a manager of a skate/surfshop when Evan was born and throughout his childhood.  These countercultures inspired and shaped Evan’s sensibilities and perceptions as an artist.  

The discovery of graffiti as a young teen had a huge impact, shaping and defining Evan’s practice to this day. The tools, approach, and stylization learned through years of painting graffiti directly impact his aproach.  Graffiti slowly evolved into an interest in fine art, specifically development of figurative and abstract based painting.  Through years of self-teaching, studying and application through trial and error, Evan began creating paintings that explored the marriage of figurative art and abstract expressionism.

The influences of skateboard and surf culture, specifically the DIY aspect of it, led Evan to start showcasing his paintings through pop up exhibitions, and eventually got him invited to be involved in group shows around the Los Angeles area.  Evan has showed in esteemed gallery’s such as New Image Art, The Seventh Letter Gallery, Subliminal Projects, and The Lodge. Evan had his first solo show at the Studio Space/Gallery of renowned muralist and designer David Flores in 2016. Evan’s paintings have been collected by celebrities such as Ewan McGregor, Jamie Foxx, and Maiara Walsh.

The practice of graffiti also evolved into more large scale, mural based work starting in 2017 with his first mural painted in Ventura, CA.  Evan has painted numerous murals around the Los Angeles and Ventura County areas, as well as traveling to paint in Memphis, TN. The mural work is a direct reflection of his fine art, rejecting the commercialization of modern Muralism, Evan’s mural paintings aim to communicate emotion and expression that is in line with his studio practice.

Evan currently lives and works in Los Angeles, where he is continuing his exploration of art making and expression.