SB_issue55_Digital
Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
art<br />
Life’s<br />
a trip<br />
Chances are, if you<br />
follow Paul Tyler’s<br />
journey up the east<br />
coast of Australia,<br />
you will find his art<br />
adorning something<br />
or another, whether<br />
it be surfboards,<br />
murals or stickers<br />
posted on beachside<br />
lampposts.<br />
Known by many as Tyler, the surf artist<br />
is notorious for living the nomadic van<br />
life and trailing behind vibrant, quirky<br />
canvasses wherever he goes. Inspired<br />
by coastal landscapes, his life on the<br />
road and ocean conservation, Tyler’s<br />
psychedelic paintings were originally a<br />
colourful way to relax during a not-socolourful<br />
time in his life.<br />
In a far cry from his current lifestyle, Tyler<br />
used to live in Torquay, Victoria where<br />
he owned a few businesses including a<br />
skate shop, restaurant and café. Tyler<br />
said everyone goes through things in<br />
their life that change their direction, and<br />
for him, it was bankruptcy and divorce.<br />
“After that, I sort of questioned<br />
everything that I was doing in my<br />
adulting. I guess when you live with all<br />
these materialistic things like money<br />
and houses and then you lose it all, you<br />
realise you can’t go through life doing the<br />
same and expecting a different result.<br />
So, I did everything differently.<br />
“As I was going through bankruptcy, I<br />
didn’t have anywhere to live. I guess you<br />
could say homeless, but it depends on<br />
how you approach homelessness. Some<br />
people sleep on the side of the road,<br />
whereas I had a little tent that I set up in<br />
a park in Byron.<br />
“It was kind of sad, but then I started<br />
drawing my art, and I think that brought<br />
me both happiness and something to<br />
ground myself with. More importantly,<br />
my art kind of kept my mind still and<br />
made me focus on drawing with bright<br />
colours and happiness even though<br />
personally, I was in a pretty dark place.<br />
“From that, I learnt how to live really<br />
basically – with needs and not wants.<br />
I have learnt so many lessons living<br />
like that, which I am still learning today<br />
five years on. The solitude is hard<br />
sometimes, but you also learn a lot about<br />
yourself. You need to be comfortable in<br />
your own skin and in who you are as a<br />
person, and you have to be humble and<br />
happy with living simply.”<br />
<strong>SB</strong> / #55 / 94
Change language