Breaking Bread: DabsMyla

In our line of work, we get to meet a lot of interesting people (you never know who’s going to walk through the door). One of the most fulfilling – and inspiring – parts of what we do is that we’re able to surround ourselves with people who carry themselves the same curiosity and creativity we try to bring to what we do at Attica.

‘Breaking Bread’ is a recurring series where we sit down with some of those people and hear about how they approach their passion. Today, we are talking to our very dear friends, collaborators and creative inspiration, DabsMyla.

 What gets you up each morning?

DABS: Lots of things! Most days I’m excited to continue working on whatever it was that was happening the day before. We are so lucky to be passionate about what we do to the point where we are still extremely driven and excited by it every day (well, most days).

We really try to be grateful for every day we get to be here. Gratitude for every moment is something we both really try to focus on as much as possible.

Also… coffee :) 

Where did your love or art come from?

DABS: Mine began at a young age through my uncle’s appreciation of and love for comics and animation art, which I think I absorbed a lot from at an early age. Apart from actually learning about comics and cartoons by going through all his books and videos, it was inspiring to see a grown-up who still had a fascination with this medium. That was something that as a kid I also identified with. I think that message was motivating for me in the sense of seeing that if you choose to, you never have to grow up and you don’t have to lose interest in things that bring you joy as a child. Then as a teenager I fell in love with graffiti and as I progressed down that path, I became more and more interested in developing as an artist.

MYLA: Being an artist was something that was always a part of my life since as early as I can remember! I spent every spare moment drawing and painting and discovering ways to create; my only dream in life was to be an artist. When I was about 17, I met Vali Myers in her studio in the Nicholas Building in Melbourne… she told me about her life and how she travelled to Europe and the USA working on her intricate drawings under lamplight and exhibiting her paintings in galleries all over the world and it really made me feel as though it would be possible for me to do the same.

How has growing up in Melbourne influenced your work?

MYLA: I grew up in Diamond Creek and would take the train regularly into the city where I was inspired by the amount of creativity the city had to offer and the abundance of galleries and museums that were accessible. I loved walking the laneways and arcades in the city and finding cool bookstores and zine stores. I also loved visiting the incredible art supply stores in Fitzroy and learning about mediums and different ways to create. It seemed so cool to me that there were artist collectives such as Roar Studios where artists were working on their paintings in a collaborative space. I would look at the graffiti on the train lines and then when I met DABS, who was the first graffiti writer I met, I had a million questions about that scene! It felt like it was the perfect amount of inspiration and creativity for myself as a young artist.

Your paintings are some of the ‘cleanest’ around. How do you balance your perfectionist streaks with the risk of burning out?

DABS: First of all, thank you. We do try to make our painting as close to perfect as we can. Earlier in our career, we would have to work so hard and so many hours to achieve this finish on our work, and we were also at a point where we were trying to make as much work as possible to be noticed more. Working at that level and that amount in that mentality, we would come close to burning out for sure.

But now I think we treat that process more like a form of meditation and an ongoing exercise in patience. By approaching it with that mentality, it doesn’t seem like something that could eventuate in burning out.

You have ‘made it ‘in LA when many people said you wouldn’t. What drives you?

DABS: When we moved to LA, it was quite close to the beginning of our careers and that was a huge advantage for us. We had nothing to lose by trying at that point and we were so excited and motivated that we just wanted to put everything we had into it. Drive has never been too much of a problem for us because it is the two of us. When you have someone you love by your side, it’s easy to stay driven. We inspire each other in that way.

MYLA: It also felt like when we arrived here we were supported and encouraged by such an incredible amount of Angelenos. Immediately we felt very inspired here and there seemed like there was no limit on what we could achieve/make/do!

We have heard a little rumour that you have never spent one night apart from each other. What’s your secret to maintaining such a strong work AND strong personal connection?

DABS: It’s true, we have never spent a full day apart from each other since we started dating 19 years ago. When we first started dating, we spent nights apart from each other as we didn’t live together but not a full 24 hours apart. And in the 16 years we have lived here in LA, we have never spent a night apart.

It’s hard to say what the secret is for us having a strong work and personal relationship. Personally, we love each other and love being around each other as much as possible. For whatever reason we never really get very annoyed or sick of each other, and so there’s no need to be apart. I love Emmelene so much, and simply at the end of my life I want to know that I spent as much of it as physically possible with her.

And the same can be said for our working relationship. It’s a true collaboration and it really doesn’t work or exist without both of us on deck giving the same amount of attention, focus and input.

MYLA: I feel so grateful every day that I’m able to be around Darren and how effortlessly it is for us to create together. He is truly my biggest inspiration and I feel as though our love, admiration and respect for each other is the reason why it moves in such a seamless and beautiful way.

Besides art, what inspires you? And who inspires you?

DABS: We are so lucky to have so many creative friends around us. The creative community that we are part of is so rich with all different types of people doing all kinds of things…chefs, writers, graffiti writers, painters, musicians, actors, sculptors and photographers.

It’s so inspiring to be around people working in other fields, as well as visual artists. I think this is where we find a great amount of motivation and inspiration.

 MYLA: Yes! We are truly so inspired by all our incredible friends who make our lives so rich and make us feel so loved. We are also energised by the places we travel to and the experiences that unfold before us – we always have something new to add to our work when we come back from an adventure!

You have been to Attica a few times now. What was the inspiration behind your art installation for the backyard area here?

MYLA: We created the installation The Eternal Now at Attica inspired by the feeling of our experiences dining there. It’s a feeling of being in complete awareness of the moment, in awe of the beauty of nature and the experience of the presence. When dining at Attica, as each beautiful, delicious dish is placed in front of you with such thoughtfulness and care, we both have always felt completely ‘in the moment’ during the entire experience – and that is what inspired us to create this for the backyard. A complete circle!

View DabsMyla's work here