Erin Mayo could fit the cliché of your typical artist, but then again probably not. She is eccentric yet grounded, a streaky wild child with a passion to produce. Her art takes on many forms and speaks for itself. From paint to fashion, piano to dance Erin has dabbled in it all. Born in the Shadow of the Devil, Walnut Creek California, Erin’s parents were never short on creativity and adventure and if you ever get a chance to hold a conversation with Erin Mayo you will soon realize that mess of apples didn’t land far from the tree.

“Creativity was greatly encouraged by my mother, I think because she needed all of us to be occupied and stay out of trouble, she ran a daycare out of our house and there were tons of kids living in my neighborhood. My sisters and I are all so different, and also the same. I believe my mom instilled in us her creativity, and I don’t mean pen on paper necessarily. She was always thinking of fun things to do, crafty projects to make, and our house had a strong feeling of who we were and where we came from and what our relatives had done and fought for, etc. We were definitely appreciative and grateful for all we had. I was lucky to have had dance lessons from a small age, piano lessons from 5 till 21 (I still play but an waiting to get my piano moved from my parents to my new house in Martinez), horseback riding, softball, pottery, modeling, painting classes, rebuilding cars with my dad, taking trips in his airplane, and trips around the world with him on business. So thanks – mom and dad.”

From an early age Erin knew what was up. She wasn’t just a doodler like the other kids, to her even at a young age art had more meaning then just funny characters.

“I completely credit my mother and the schools for having those art programs because it really instilled me with the sense that my artwork and talent were worth something more than just doodling. For someone like me who didn’t excel at general education, liberal arts was my saving grace. Both my sisters are super smart, so I really held onto my gifts and pursued them.”
Did she ever, Erin has been rocking runways and Art exhibits all over the Bay Area.

“I love the fashion industry and all the shows and amazing people you meet at the shows. I learned a lot and it definitely helped me in opening that store up on College Ave. People really have no idea what goes on, I suppose that America next top model shows a little, but only a small slice of what really goes down and what you have to do to stay beautiful. Its hard work. Just kidding. No really it is hard and I think people don’t realize what it’s like to have every inch of your body criticized, but it definitely doesn’t make you bashful. Once in a while people (still) ask me to do some modeling for their clothing lines, etc. But I am getting waaay to old to be doing any more runway jobs nowadays. Although I keep getting confused for a 19 year old at my work, so I must be aging pretty well!”

Nowadays it’s grind time focusing on her artwork with the fashion world taking its place on the back burner. Erin and her boyfriend Anthony converted their garage into Erins art studio equipped with a full bar for hosting parties. I mean what kind of art studio doesn’t have a full bar, right? What kind of wild child doesn’t rage from time to time. Give this kid a forty and two bucks and you’ll have an empty bottle, one hustled bartender and an artist full of energy feeding off her surroundings.

“This is so cliché but everything around me inspires me. I am inspired by movies, music, and writing. I mentally take note of lyrics from songs and snippets from poems or stories I read. I find inspiration in watching my dog lay in the sunshine, driving through the refinery to get to the freeway on my way to work, small things that are usually missed, losing everything, finding love, whatchamacallits my favorite candy, all the weird stuff at the local liquor store, ooh I went on this drive with my sister 2 years ago where we drove from here (Bay Area) down to the first mission ever built in California. The religious art, and structures were so amazing. How people decorate their front porches, trailer parks, neon signs, warm weather, people’s stories, working retail and being in contact with an unnatural amount of humans and personalities and emotions daily.”

Never boring Erin mixes it up working with all she can get her hands on, but yet still maintains her own noticeable style when it comes to her work.

“All of them seem to have those real thick definite lines in there somewhere. That’s been there since I was little. In the past couple years I have been trying to eliminate those thick lines, but now I’ve just accepted them, and accepted that I am not a “realistic” type painter. So jealous of my friends who are, well not jealous but try to tell them how lucky they are and how awed I am. It’s easier for me to get started without a blank color. So the layering adds interest for me, inspiration, and in most cases meaning that only I am aware of. I use a lot of pages from superstitions, language flash cards, hand stamp poems and words, and most recently and most exciting comic books!”

From off the wall to personal pieces it’s all there in front of us, but we may never be able to distinguish between them. That’s the beauty of it that’s what makes Erin, Erin. Not all of Erin’s work though winds up in her portfolio. Not even some of her favorites

“Azalea Path, it was a painting I did of my mother, and probably one that I have worked the longest amount of time on. I found a photograph of her at her high school prom and just started painting. I really prefer to paint large, it’s much easier for me and I feel like the painting has more of a real presence, especially in that case. She has a quail coming out of the folds of her dress, and words in creek written on her right arm. Hand stamped on there is the poem “Azalea Path” by Sylvia Plath. I think it was my favorite because it had the most meaning to me, the most personal. It was shown at a Juxtapoz issue release show in sf. It was only my second real art show. Some lady who owned an art gallery was interested in it. Unfortunately I had a lot to drink and didn’t get a good photo of it (didn’t think it would sell) and don’t remember her name or her galley. I think I rambled on about my mother and the muscogee nation and all kinds of nonsense but she bought it anyhow! (Laughing).” When the art store (in Oakland) went bankrupt and was bought by blick I snatched the plastic light up letters from the sign that came down and painted on them. Wish I had a pic of those. So many paintings are given away and never photographed. But I don’t regret. I am sure they are appreciated wherever they are.”

As are we. Be sure to check out Erin’s work at the Amsterdam Café in San Francisco. Her art will be on display running from April 12th through May 6th 2010 and if you happen to be the proud owner of “Azalea Path” we’ll gladly pass those photographs along! Lower Branch