Ivan Colin is a muralist and abstract painter based in Bellingham, Washington.
Bio
Ivan Colin is a professional visual artist based in Bellingham, Washington. He was inspired early by the graffiti culture and markings etched on walls in his hometown, Napa Valley, California. Just a short drive away, the murals of San Francisco and Oakland left a lasting impression, with massive walls transformed into free outdoor galleries that had his imagination in awe.
Even with that early inspiration, Colin didn’t believe art could be a real career. He went to Linfield College in McMinnville, Oregon, to play collegiate soccer and study Business Marketing. But the pursuit felt empty, and he lacked the enthusiasm to stay in class. In search of something that he could do for a lifetime, he found himself pulled into the art department. Surrounded by other artists and guided by inspiring professors, his doubts began to diminish. What started with graffiti letters evolved into fluid, abstract, and organic paintings, marking the start of his lifelong journey as an artist.
Ivan draws inspiration from dynamic movement, fluidity, and forms found in nature. He works as a full-time artist creating murals for businesses. Proudly married to Sarah and father to Romy.
Artist Statement
I am an abstract painter with an intuitive approach to mark making and the intention to discover anamorphic forms and contours that reference the natural world.
The process starts with stream of consciousness and freedom of outcome. Once the surface has structure, I begin to pull out ambiguous shapes. I isolate facets of the painting by adding vibrant tones, deep shades, and luminous highlights. I aim to reveal an imagined realm, leaving room for individual interpretation.
My work suggests rather than tells the viewer what to see. Each painting is a window into an ancient hallucinatory experience intended to propel the observer’s spectrum of reality.
Cascadia Daily News - From ball to brush: Soccer Player leaves artistic mark (feature)