Mural Artist and Musician develops his sturdiest inspiration from the natural milieu.
When did you start your career as a mural artist?
I first started my artistic career around the year 2013, with drawings and paintings as an amateur. I was self taught and a very enthusiastic young man. It took me around two years to start up with my first wall art projects.
What is mandala to you?
I feel the mandala design has a powerful connotation regarding the cyclic flow of life itself.
Do you choose your colors before you paint or you just go with the wind?
In some degree I choose the colors just before starting with the paintings, making a broad assessment of the color for each element in the design. Later on I do flow with the wind regarding the many different tones I will use for each color.
How do you get your inspirations?
I like to think of my artwork flow as a reflection of that natural world I admire. I believe that the organic and dynamic energy in the natural environment is for sure one of my strongest inspiration.
How do you set up your color palette?
I try and get as much inspiration in the surroundings of each wall, grasping a sense of the colors around and then creating several tones for each color I feel will fit to include in the design. .
Which would you say are your greatest achievements so far?
I recognize that my greatest achievements are those wall art projects I had the chance to work on abroad, visiting other countries such as the United States and Uruguay. These places were a change of the everyday environment and cultural differences which made each piece a special opportunity of leaving my signature far from home.
Who are your favourite mural artists?
I really enjoy and admire the work of Kirileigh Jones from California, USA. I also think Martin Ron, an Argentinian wall artist from my home town in Buenos Aires, is a great artist .
Do you work with Female Mural Artists?
I can say that my closest wall art colleagues in my home town in Argentina are mostly women and I really admire their works.
What inspired you to do what you do?
I think that it’s the pursue of investing my lifetime hours. My limited time in this lifetime should be something to worship and therefore, I had the opportunity of questioning what I was doing with it before I started my artistic career.
It’s vital to me, having a sense of joy in my everyday productivity as a human being and happily. These found this passion for color and expressive artwork and simply putting all of my motivation; a proactivity in evolving and developing my artwork.
What projects are you working on?
These days I have a complete schedule of medium size murals all around the City of Buenos Aires, both indoors and outdoors wall canvases waiting for me to spread my designs. These are specially private houses owners who want to express themselves through my paintings - having a fresh wall art piece at home. I also enjoy the projects I often have, which involves the design of the outdoor front walls of public buildings.
What is your advice to young artists who want to go along the path of painting murals?
I can say what inspired my artistic name "KOKON" came from a Bob Dylan song that goes "Keep on keeping on". I strongly feel that this is something to have at hand on the everyday path through this career which sometimes and specially at the beginnings enhance some rough patches where remunerative work seems to be hard to get.
My advice would be not to be afraid of leading an artistic and expressive lifestyle, be responsible with the commitments you agree on and enjoy every project giving your best for the creative outcome of your artwork.
Are walls the only place you put up your designs?
Besides walls, I also enjoy painting on wood and many other surfaces. Any kind of object is really a canvas I can arrange to design on and this gives me a renewal in the motivation I like to have. Every new object or surface is indeed a new challenge and I really enjoy the versatility I've managed to handle.
What do you do to pass time when you're not out painting?
I'm also a musician. So when I am not painting, I'm taking care of my bands project (Manguala) and my own solo career as a musician (Soy Beto).
Visit Daniel Ephraim's Instagram Page to be updated on his latest works @kokonoficial
