Interview

Feb 8

Garrett Holz

Garrett knew he was obsessed with painting when he found himself in the high school spray booth at two in the morning on a school holiday. He was in the spray booth painting a custom paint job on a classic car. This turned into concurrent enrollment in college car painting.

He went from there into a 6-year internship with a German master painter. Under his guidance, Garrett was able to learn and master the art of old-world gold leafing, pinstriping, every type of top coat and finish, and everything in between. The mentorship led him to run custom paint shops where they created custom low-rider and motorcycle paint jobs.

They worked on high-profile estates, well-recognized landmarks, temples, and many more prominent buildings. Somewhere along the journey, his passion became a calling. His art was no longer something that he did but something he couldn’t not do.

What is your background and how did you start your journey?

“I knew I was obsessed with painting when I was in the high school spray booth at two in the morning on a school holiday. I was in the spray booth painting a custom paint job on a classic car. This turned into concurrent enrollment in college car painting. From there, I went into a six-year internship with a German master painter. Under his guidance, I was able to learn and master the art of old-world gold leafing, pinstriping, every type of top coat and finish, and everything in between. The mentorship led me to run custom paint shops where we created custom low-rider and motorcycle paint jobs. We worked on high-profile estates, well-recognized landmarks, temples, and many more prominent buildings. Somewhere along the journey, my passion became a calling. My art was no longer something that I did but something I couldn’t do.”

What inspires you most?

“I draw inspiration from the subject of emotion, Love, and fear. Emotion creates sentiment. I use a lot of movement in my work to create emotion.”

“I strive for people to see and feel the feelings they are experiencing and come to a place of understanding.”

What themes do you pursue? Is there an underlying message in your work?

“Emotion, resilience, and never giving up. I strive for people to see and feel the feelings they are experiencing and come to a place of understanding.”

How would you describe your work?

“My metal grinding process and the strategic use of the airbrush create a 3-dimensional piece of art. I make a top coat finish that encases the art in glass. It becomes a piece of art with so much depth you feel like you can reach your hand into it and stir it around.”

Which artists influence you most?

“The creative world as a whole influences me. Not so much by any particular artist. There is so much beauty and creativity in the world. I have learned how to access that and drive it into my work.”

What is your creative process like?

“When I make a piece of art, I’m not making “a piece.” I’m listening to what the metal wants to become. If you tune out all the world's noise and stare into that piece of metal, you can hear it screaming so hard to be revealed to manifest itself. Every puff of air through my airbrush, and every swish of the brush, is performed by becoming one with the piece and uncovering the beauty of what’s been there all along.”

What is an artist’s role in society and how do you see that evolving?

“Artists have a critical role in our society. Take, for example, a bag of chips you see at the store. A graphic designer had to make those ordinary chips look extraordinary by using the creative process. This makes the world a more beautiful place to live in. That beauty brings powerful emotions that inspire people. Inspiration inspires more inspiration.”