Welcome to ‘Get to Know’ where we interview both established and emerging artists from across the globe and take a moment to go deeper and learn about their thoughts, processes, experience, and creative approach.
Today we feature Cam Scale.
Cam Scale is an Australian fine artist and muralist who started his creative journey as a graffiti writer. Born in Sydney but spending ten or so years developing his craft in Melbourne, Cam now finds his new home on the North Coast of New South Wales. His current practice seems to build around his own blend of portraiture – applying oils, acrylics, and sprays to canvas and concrete alike. Don’t be fooled though, my guy still knows his way around a letter.
We sat down with Cam to get a deeper idea of his background and current mindset.
Hi Cam. It’s always best to start at the beginning. Tell us how, and when, you first got involved in making art. You started with graffiti, right? Whatattracted you to the movement initially, and what sparked the segue into your current artistic practice?
Standard stuff initially – I was drawing a lot as a kid, so my folks put me in some art classes early on, and I just dabbled with it. About 16, I found a centre page of a Hype mag in a car park skate spot. This was at a time my mate and I were already experimenting with spray paint. That really sparked an interest.
My folks were less than enthusiastic once they found out what was happening, but at least tried to channel it. Everything else went out the window though. It was all-consuming! I did my best to keep a normal life during the day while spending many of my nights out late. Everything would link back to graffiti in one way or another.
I think a change came after coming back from some time painting and traveling in Europe. After returning to Oz I didn’t really know what to do next – other than needing to adjust my lifestyle or possibly end up with some bad habits or extensive record.
That culminated in a move to Melbourne. A fresh start and focus on a slightly less illegal path to see whether I could make a living from what I was doing.
Where do you call home, and where in the world are you right now, specifically?
I’ve stopped and started this three times now. Life’s been a bit all over the shop lately. Initially on the balcony of our old unit on the Gold Coast. Then a small hotel room in Melbourne, while working on a large portrait wall. And now surrounded by boxes and piles of buff paint in the soon to become garage/studio on the NSW North Coast.
What did you have for breakfast?
Today. Porridge, banana, and honey.
How do you describe your work?
Abstracted realism.
Let’s get situational. Describe your ideal painting scenario? What’s your fave painting environment/surface?
Anything overgrown or abandoned. Those classic hidden gems that are hard to find. Old concrete retaining walls, a decommissioned factory, or bridges surrounded by bush. Anything covered in that build-up of earthy colours and texture that comes from years of weather and neglect. Or just surrounded by nature in general.
Tell me about your colour palette? Which colours are you into?
Muted tones usually. I think it’s a throwback to mixing mistints.
I’m often told my stuff is too dark. But it feels quite poppy to me.
Where in the world have you visited that had some kind of impact on you? Why?
It’s impossible to pick one. I think it’s experiencing the differences in each place that has the deepest effect. Everything is relative, so comparing the massive contrast of a stable Western environment to a remote Indigenous community, developing country or ultra-affluent megacity that really makes you understand what it is for people to exist on this planet, and what’s really important in life.
Show me the best artwork you’ve ever created: Tell me about this piece and why you like it the most.
Probably this portrait of Nost. It was around the peak of his relentless bombing campaign across Melbourne. Not many crews have been as prolific, and he was as a one-man army. I feel the look in his eyes really captures him at the time. Defiant and unstoppable.
Now show me one of your favourite pieces of artwork that another human created. Tell me what makes it special.
Man, that’s tough! So many people out there creating amazing work.
I really like Conor Harrington’s series with the two gentlemen battling over flags.
It sums up this ‘us vs them’ or ‘you are with us, or against us’ mentality that’s in so many aspects of today’s society. The blind battle for a group, regardless of the cause, and to me a great representation of the current status quo.
In your earlier days of graff, no doubt you were lurking around places you shouldn’t be. In these situations, it’s inevitable to run into interesting characters or some kind of trouble. Tell me a story of something ridiculous that’s happened to you, while painting, over the years.
I never pushed the envelope the way others did so don’t have any ridiculously crazy stories. But certainly, had a bunch of weird life experiences. Hiding in crawl spaces, or under the platform with footsteps inches away while desperately trying not to cough. Calling in sick while being stitched up at the hospital. People fucking right by where you’re painting coz, they’ve no idea you’re there. Ending up in a room with dudes shooting up and thinking ‘yuck, how the hell did I get here?” A guy trying not to be ripped out of a car by another wielding a saucepan (still trying to work out where/why he had a saucepan). The list goes on…
But a lot of beautiful sunrises, friendships, and parties as well.
One I remember vividly is painting a well-known northern Sydney back jump on a very tight live line. With the lights approaching we tucked in to let the express pass over so we could pop back up rather than bail across the open area to the bushes, as time was short.
It was all good except it turned out to be a kilometres-long diesel heading north. I was stuck next to the front of an eight-car due to depart, and the continuous thunder of the freights on the other side. While lying flat on my side, looking up at the thin gap of stars it seemed like a good time as any to contemplate existence, as well as the possibilities of something hanging loose from one of the flatbeds.
Favourite letter?
S. I think it’s the combination of flow, less structure, and movement to create it that has more freedom and feel than other letters.
What do you get up to when you are not painting, any hobbies?
Plants. I don’t know what happened but in the last few years I’ve just really taken to them. That or fishing is something I used to do a bit of and want to get back to.
Dead or alive, who is the historical figure that you most admire?
Noam Chomsky. His ability to take overly complex situations, look at them from a neutral position and then articulate it in layman’s terms is remarkable.
What’s bumping in your headphones/ studio speakers at the moment?
Leon Bridges, Black Pumas, Wu-Tang, Brother Ali, Graveyard Train, Teskey Bros. It changes constantly.
Moon landing. Fact or fiction?
I want to believe, but honestly, with the shit coming out about what the CIA was up to at that time, it wouldn’t be a surprise if it was initially faked just to beat the Russians.
We’re at a bar and I’m buying. What you drinking?
Realistically, I’d probably still just have a beer or maybe a Rum N Dry.
What’s the last movie you watched, or book you read?
Movie: Joker
Book: George Orwell – 1984
Favourite quote?
“For me, it is far better to grasp the universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying or reassuring.” –Carl Sagan
How do you want to be remembered (what’s written on your tombstone)?
Just as a person with some sort of morals and integrity.
As for the tombstone? I haven’t ever given it much thought. Maybe just that Sagan quote?
What’s next?
I’m looking forward to getting back to creating new work.
It’s been a year of juggling a bunch of life stuff that has put a big dent in time and productivity. I’m really looking forward to getting back into the creative process and just making art for art’s sake. A new studio opportunity is an awesome feeling.
To stay updated with Cam Scale, visit camscale.com.au, and follow @camscale on Instagram.
Luke Shirlaw is the founder of Artillery Projects – a graffiti art publisher, and visual studio specialising in mural production, graphic design, and content creation. Follow him on Instagram, or subscribe to Artillery’s ‘The Drop’ for exclusive email interviews.
