Anyone that has paid attention to World Cup downhill will know the name Micayla Gatto.
But did you know that she’sย not just a talented bike rider … she’s also a gifted artist?
Pete sat down with the Canadian downhill export Micayla Gatto to chat different kinds of lines.
Photos courtesy of Adison MacDonald.
Is art something you’ve always been into?
Yes. Ever since I could pick up a crayon Iโve been drawing. My mom would go to Costco and get big rolls of paper, Iโd unroll them across the entire kitchen floor and start at one end and not stop drawing until I got to the other side of the room!
When did art start to become more than just a hobby?
Iโd say when I stopped racing World Cups at the end of 2014, I had more time to focus on my art. It has always been a huge passion of mine, and I went to college for Graphic Design and Illustration. I’ve never really seen it as just a hobby for me, but now Iโm actually making some money at it so I guess thatโs when it became official.
Who or what inspires you?
My surroundings mostly. Nature. I grew up playing in the woods, living on a boat in the summer, and am just the most happiest when Iโm outside riding my bike. I love trying to recreate experiences and feelings I have through art. When I canโt be outside riding or being active, I relive those favourite moments through my paint brushes.
Who’s your favourite artist and why?
Impossible to pinpoint just one! I have a lot of favourites that I draw (no pun intended) inspiration from. The iconic Group of 7 had a lot of influence on me as a kid, as did Robert Bateman. They were my original favourites.
Throughout art school I was more into the Juxtapoz-type artists; a bit alternative to your classical illustration style, and a lot more grungy street art (and a bit dark and weird). My trip to Valparaiso, Chile, really got me following a lot of Brazilian and South American street artists because of their use of bold colour and black linework.
I am also a really big fan of the old surf and skate artists like Mike Giant and Jim Phillips. James Jean is a legend when it comes to composition and linework, so I definitely aspire to be more like him.
I also really love the graphic style of Stickfort (Adam Haynes) and the amazing acrylic work by Chili Thom, a local Whistler artist who just passed away from cancer. There are also a few girls I follow on instagram like Mimi Kvinge, Lauren Hom, and Gemma OโBrien that I love, not only for their talent but for their ability to leverage social media and make their art not only a profession in a traditional sense, but an engaging blog and lifestyle.
What comes first, art or bikes?
Bikes. Hands down. If I could get paid enough to ride my bike full time and make videos and vlogs, thatโs all I would do. Iโd still draw, but bikes come first. The art has kind of just recently become a career path because people seem to like my work, I enjoy it when Iโm not outside, and I can do it anywhere so it really fits my lifestyle.
Can you describe your style?
Bold black line, lots of colour, and a lot of nature/outdoor themes. I think my style is a good mix of all the artists that inspire me. A little bit street, a little bit classical, some spicy colours, and a lot of outdoor inspiration.
Do you have a preferred medium (paint on canvas, pencil on paper etc.)?
I absolutely love acrylic on wood. Thatโs pretty much the only thing Iโll paint with/on. Canโt stand canvas. Hate it. Since moving to Sweden I havenโt painted much at all because they donโt sell the wood panels like they do at home.
So my second favourite medium, and the one I travel with, is pen on paper. Fineliners and Promarkers. People always ask my what special pencils I use etc. Just regular yellow school pencils, printer paper and a white eraser! Gotta have the white eraser. The pink ones should just not exist.
What’s your favourite piece you’ve created and why?
Well shoot thatโs a hard one. I think my favourite piece is always the next piece. I feel like I improve every time I draw something new, so my newest piece becomes the new favourite. I think there has been a few pieces that have really helped my career though, and that is my (photo above) โAdventure Awaitsโ pen drawing of the Black Tusk in collaboration with Lululemon, and my Movement 108 mural of the three circles. Those really gained a lot of popularity and kind of shot me forwards in my career as an illustrator.
“Sometimes you have to create what you want to be a part of”
Who are the Split/Life Collective and what do they do?
The best advice I’ve ever received was: “Sometimes you have to create what you want to be a part of”. And so I created Split/Life Collective. Itโs still very green, but I hope one day to have a lifestyle brand and online space where myself and a collective of other creatives can showcase and sell their work, document their travels and adventures, and inspire other individuals to be more than just one thing.
I could go on and on, but itโs a passion project that has stemmed from the pressure I felt growing up to pick one career path and stick with it. Artist or Athlete, you decide. I thought that seemed pretty lame, and so why not live a Split/Life; balancing athleticism with creativity. Your doing with your making.
What’s your involvement with the Split/Life Collective?
Well, Iโd say Iโm pretty involved seeing as Iโm the creator, founder, producer, web designer, journalist, photographer and artist so far! Like I said above though, I really hope one day to have a lifestyle brand and online space with a collective on unique individuals who live both their artistic and athletic lifestyles to the fullest. Taking resumes now!
How do you see you art developing? Have you created anything digitally?
Since I was 10 all I wanted to do was design topsheets for snowboards and skis, so thatโs my next goal. After that, Iโd love to be able to work full time as an artist and really put in the time Split/Life needs to develop into something bigger.
My art itself will always be changing and developing, so itโs hard to say where it will go next. As far as digital artwork goes, I am trained as a graphic designer, I just donโt really like computers. I try and limit my screen time as much as possible, and to be honest my worst nightmare is being stuck at a desk job on Illustrator all day with the pen tool (sorry designers, I just donโt have it in me).
I need to work with my hands, so even if I do end up going a more graphic route, I would still do all my initial sketches and design by hand.
What would be your best piece of advice to inspire someone to indulge their creative side?
Depends who you are. If youโre not โnaturallyโ creative, Iโd say the first thing to do is take a couple deep breathes and stop caring what other people think of you. Creativity is squashed by self-doubt and insecurity, and if you possess both of those, youโll just keep copying whatever is around you because itโs safe.
For creative types like me Iโd have to say: stop waiting around for the right opportunity, because it will never come. I need to tell myself this almost every day. And lastly, and my most favourite piece of advice: create what you want to be a part of.
“Stop caring what other people think of you. Creativity is squashed by self-doubt and insecurity”
