A Prodigious Conversation with Greg Mike
Greg Mike is a contemporary artist known for his signature characters, bold street art, mural paintings, and Loudmouf icon that blends colorful designs with pop culture. His iconic characters exude energy and movement and inspire viewers to feel a sense of nostalgia and happiness. He has painted murals in Atlanta, Miami, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Las Vegas, and the Swiss Alps. His studio work is on view in galleries and museums around the world. Some notable clients include Nike, Coca-Cola, Facebook, Google, Spotify, BMW, and the Atlanta Braves, and collaborators include DeadMau5, NGHTMRE, and Big Gigantic. Additionally, Greg Mike’s work has been collected by Justin Bieber, Diplo, Swizz Beats, and Nina Dobrev.
Currently based in Atlanta, Greg Mike is the founder and creative director of ABV AGENCY, a multi-platform creative studio specializing in graphic design, street art and public art, custom mural installations, art direction and more.
Greg Mike is also the founder and curator of ABV GALLERY, a contemporary art gallery located in the heart of Atlanta’s Old 4th Ward district. ABV Gallery exhibits over 500+ artists from around the world featuring both emerging and established artists with a focus on the New Contemporary movement. Founded in 2010, ABV Gallery has become a cornerstone of Atlanta's thriving art community, showcasing works of art that challenge and inspire visitors.
In 2015, Greg Mike founded OuterSpace Project, an event series that merges public art, live music, design, action sports and culture, which has produced over 100+ murals throughout the city of Atlanta.
I had the pleasure of asking Greg about his favorite thing about making murals, his upcoming show exhibition, and so much more.
UZOMAH: Your internationally recognizable signature style is unique; could you share how you discovered and developed it?
GREG: I grew up watching retro cartoons from Fleischer Studios and fell deeply in love with the rubber hose animation style. The flowing style of the movements mixed with the bold colors inspired me from a very young age. As a child, I’d sit for hours and imagine myself being part of the cartoon world and draw my own characters. As I grew older, I got into skateboarding and snowboarding and became hooked on the visuals and graphics that were featured. I wasn’t big into traditional sports as a child, but I got super involved in the action sports scene. Skateboarding introduced me to graffiti, and I found a lot of similarities to the early cartoon work and graffiti world with the vibrant color palettes and bold, clean line work. I began painting more characters over the years as I preferred it over drawing letters. This is where my most known character, “LARRY LOUDMOUF,” was born. It continued to appear in my work for years, and now it’s a large part of my creative world.
Garden of Gratitude
U: How do you create art that resonates with you on a personal level? Could you elaborate on how this personal connection ignites your creativity?
G: I’ve always felt that art is a major part of me and a way to express personal emotions and thoughts. I’m constantly inspired by everything that I see and do whether that be traveling or experiencing live music or interactions with people or my surroundings. I am always trying to dive into my past experiences and convey those feelings into artwork. I think the more I lean into that the more it inspires me to lean even more toward that direction.
GNARFIELD
U: Your upcoming solo show at the ABV Gallery in East Atlanta in September, a retrospective of 15 years of your work, is a significant event. Could you share what preparations are underway to ensure every aspect of your career is highlighted?
G: This exhibition will be the most important show to date of my professional career for a number of reasons. I have been working on pieces that explore and reference the past 15 years of my career. 5 years ago, I purchased a former church in East Atlanta Village, which I have renovated into our new space for ABV GALLERY, my painting studio, our design agency, a retail shop, and more. While designing the space during the renovation process I’ve been creating it with my exhibition in mind. For me, the design of the building and the layout of the space itself are all part of this exhibition. Most artists just hang their art in preexisting galleries or museums, whereas I’ve designed the entire space and building with my exhibition in mind. Atlanta is my home base, and I haven’t done a solo show here in 10 years, so it’s really special that all the timing has aligned. You can learn more about the new space here.
Greg Mike by Dave Roland
U: Your selection of vivid and bold colors is impressive. Can you describe your process for selecting colors, including whether you go with a feeling or pick them beforehand?
G: It really depends on the work or location of the installation. I have always been a fan of bright colors, which evoke a feeling of happiness. All of my work starts in black and white with line-work, then I’ll usually add a color story that inspires me that adds to the overall piece and aesthetic. I am a firm believer that a piece should first stand strong in black and white ensuring it is balanced with contrast, then any color is just an added bonus. When I am traveling and installing a mural in a city, I will always do some research on the location, get inspired by their palette, and work it into the piece. If it’s a tropical location I may incorporate some teals that match the ocean or if it’s a city that’s known for their sporting teams I may incorporate that into the piece as well.
Denver Walls
U: Can you name your favorite thing about making murals?
G: There’s no better feeling than turning a giant blank concrete canvas into a work of art that has the ability to elevate an area. Colors and characters have a magical way of brightening people's days, so being able to do that really brings me joy. Murals are challenging and stressful at times, but putting the final strokes of paint on them and taking steps back to see a completed project after days of work is an incredible feeling. Lots of time, painting massive outdoor walls can be very taxing on your body and mind, so when you finally wrap an install It’s a very rewarding experience. There are times when I am halfway through a mural, and you face challenges like a lift breaking or bad weather and have to pause and stop your flow, which can create immense stress and anxiety, but it seems like there’s always a way it gets done and I’m happy with the final product.
Loud Life
U: Is there anything someone has said about your art that resonates with why you started art in the first place or gave you a lasting memory?
G: I think what resonates most is when I get DM’s or emails about how my work has inspired people or truly brings a smile to their faces. People saying that they look forward to driving by a mural on the way to work or how a LOUDMOUF phrase resonates with them is what it’s really all about. Also, over the years seeing teachers create lesson plans of my work and characters is a wonderful thing to experience. I am constantly trying to inspire others with my art gallery ABV. It really goes full circle to see it worked into the school curriculum as I grew up loving art class as a kid. If I am able to remotely inspire the youth or an adult or change their mood or trajectory in a positive fashion, then my work as an artist is a success in my eyes.
Beltline Festival ATL
U: What about art makes it such an important part of your life?
G: The world would be such a boring place without art. I think about art 24-7 and from the minute I wake up I surround myself with it. Whether it’s in the car on the way to the studio, hyped to see new murals or graffiti on the streets, or the music I spin when I DJ our gallery events or pop-ups. Art literally saved my life, gave me my purpose and is something I will forever respect and try to help spread to others till my last day on this earth. I owe it my all as it’s provided me with all I ever dreamed of.
Greg Mike by Dave Roland
