ReadysetDC A CREATIVE URBAN ENTERPRISE

Words w/ DECOY [Activation 2719]

Reported by Tori

Part three of our Activation 2719 artist features. The opening reception for Activation 2719, a pop-up gallery in Columbia Heights, is this Saturday the 20th. It is being presented by No Kings Collective, and it will be hosted by them as well as us here at ReadysetDC. If you plan to attend, RSVP here.

I think DC is growing in the amount of artists that want to live and work here too. I just really like DC. I’ve been here for eight years now, and have seen a lot of changes.

Polaroids by Tori. All other photography by Brandon Bloch.

TMilko: Just curious- how did you end up with the name “Decoy”?

Decoy: When I was in school in college my best friend and I used to make tshirts together. We would write on them with Sharpies or we would buy cut out letters from places like WalMart that you can iron on. One day we had a bunch of leftover letters, so my friend opened the dictionary up to the “D” section. We chose one word that we didn’t have enough letters for, but on the same page was the word “Decoy”. We both thought it was a pretty cool word, so I put “Decoy” on a tshirt. So once I started wearing that tshirt around Georgia, people started responding to it. They would say things like, “Decccooyyy!” and “Decoy in the house!” when I wore it around. So I kept making Decoy tshirts. I began silk screening and stenciling them, giving them away to friends. Once I started putting art on the streets people would ask me, “Do you have a name?” so I would just say, “I do have a name! I’m Decoy.”

TMilko: How would you describe your artistic style?

Decoy: I would say it’s pop, cartoon. I always say how my art is pop art.

TMilko: Did you have any main influences when you started your art?

Decoy: I’ve always loved art, and I grew up in a very art conscious family. Anywhere we went, my Dad would take us to art museums and push the fact that art is something important in life. It was important to him, so he wanted to push it on to us. I feel like I may have grown up with more knowledge of artists and their style of work and such than maybe most kids do. So growing up my favorite artists were Paul Klee and Egon Schiele, which a lot of people say they can see my line work related back to. I love Roy Lichtenstein, Warhol….

TMilko: That answers one of my questions. You’re a fan of the East Wing of the National Gallery?

Decoy: Ha ha! Definitely! I’ve been in there five times in the last three months. I love people like Keith Herring and Barbara Kruger.

TMilko: How do you feel DC compares to other cities in terms of the art scene?

Decoy: I really like DC. I think DC gives people a lot of options. I think you have a chance to do what you want to do in DC. Sometimes if you go somewhere and it is too big or there are too many people trying to do the same thing you’re doing, then things just seem to get lost. I have friends who have done really well in what they want to do here in DC, but then move and have a really hard time. DC has had its wave of neat things that have come and gone. Like The Fridge right now, I think, is the newest and freshest thing that maybe was lost in DC for a minute. If you look online and see the events going on there, it’s so all-art encompassing. So many different people could go there and enjoy it. I think DC is growing in the amount of artists that want to live and work here too. I just really like DC. I’ve been here for eight years now, and have seen a lot of changes.

TMilko: Do you have any DC artists that you work with?

Decoy: I work with a lot of artists in DC. I love all of their work. My friend Kelly was the first showing and working artist that I got to know. I put posters up around town with him. I love Trevor Young, Cory Orbendorfer, Lisa Marie, as well as many others.

TMilko: I’ve noticed a majority of the street artists are men. The fact that you’re a woman makes you even more unique. Do you feel that women are perhaps under represented or misrepresented in the street art scene?

Decoy: I think we’re making headway! There’s an all-girl graffiti book that’s just as legitimate as the all-boy book. I think there is a lot of girls that put up posters. And you know, in life it always seems like women aren’t always “on top” of the game. But I know girl writers in DC. I think once people learn more about the different processes of putting work on the street, then maybe the have the potential of finding a technique that they like and find fun and easy. Then they can share their ideas and thoughts in a public space more. We’ve started classes at The Fridge.

TMilko: I was going to ask about that. Those classes have been getting a fair amount of attention.

Decoy: Yeah! The people who have come and how much they’ve seemed to enjoy the classes is just incredible. Originally we really thought that it was going to be geared towards younger children, like kids from the neighborhood. But we’ve had to alter the classes because it’s not primarily kids. A few kids have come, but the majority of the class is young adults. I mean every single class there’s young adults. We really weren’t expecting that. It’s been a really neat experience.

TMilko: You talk about people now being given the chance to learn art techniques more. Do you feel that DC’s artistic community is facing any major challenges right now? Are there any major hurdles that artists are working to get over?

Decoy: I think in the past few years DC has really opened up to what they think the public wants. I really think people are open to newer and fresher forms of art. So I truly think that the artists and community are doing a great job right now; especially with giving people walls, space, and murals. Programs are being set up constantly. As far as hurdles go? There are always hurdles. There are always limitations. When a larger group or institutions are involved artistic expression is stifled. Yet the artistic community is still doing a great job.

TMilko: How long did it take you to complete the mural that is off Rhode Island Avenue in North East?

Decoy: That took us almost all summer. We worked for 11 weeks with kids from the DC Youth Employment Program, which was a great opportunity. For some kids, their summer job was helping us paint that mural.

TMilko: I love what you’re wearing. How did you develop your sense of style?

Decoy: I just buy things that I like. I always wear dresses; I think I wear one pair of pants. I think my style was probably heavily influenced from growing up in Europe. I never really thought I dressed any differently, but when I moved to Georgia I started to become aware of the fact that I didn’t dress like everyone else.

TMilko: Did you design your tattoos as well?

Decoy: Not most of them. One of them was drawn by a friend of mine who used to be in the DC band The Monorail. Another one of them was done by my friend Andy. And the one [DC flag] I designed myself. It’s the stars and two bars.

TMilko: Tell me more about the Sherman Avenue wall.

Decoy: It’s really kind of like the first open paint wall in DC. It’s something that I’ve really been trying to get in DC. It’s the idea that if you have a concept for a public piece or if you just want to try something out, you can just go out and do it. It’s a really neat opportunity to go out and have a wall where you can take your time and create something you love. This is a bad connection, but this is how I was thinking about it the other day: There are people who like to shoot guns. Gun shooting is so important to their life that we provide places like gun ranges for them. Those people really want that outlet, and our society has given that to them. I guess I just feel as if this wall is an artistic outlet for people, much like a firing range. People are really scared about letting people publicly put up what they create. People like to have a hold over what it public. So I think this wall is a big step

TMilko: Are there any other projects that you’re working on right now?

Decoy: Art Whino is doing a huge show in March that will be multiple floors divided by state. That will be fun. I have a show coming up in June at The Fridge., which if it all pans out right will be really fun…

TMilko: You seem really excited about that one, like you may have a secret?

Decoy: Well I’m not sure if I can talk about it! But I promise, it’s really fun. And then Albus Calvus classrooms that we’re running are going all through May. I’m trying to heavily work with these classes, so that will be continuing for a few months. We like to work with kids when we’re working on the walls and such, so we’re always trying to figure out ways to reach out to the community.