Who is Izwoz?

Izwoz is a collaboration of Australian based artists Brad Fettke and Katie Evans. Nick Fettke has also collaborated on many album covers.

What was your artistic socialization / education? What were your influences?

We have never had any sort of formal art training, in 2002 we attended the solar eclipse festival in outback Australia and started going to other trance parties. We were really inspired by what was occurring at these events and wanted to contribute to this phenomenon somehow, so we started painting banners to display at these events. At the same time we started making clothes, the name Izwoz was conceived, a website was made and we started spending most of our time in creative flow. Our inspiration came primarily from mushroom and ayahuasca experiences, these experiences reformed and healed our lives on so many levels and were such great teachers. We felt the need to somehow share and express the inherent value of the entheogenic experience, art was what seemed to come naturally. Creating art inspired by psychedelics for people on psychedelics felt very meaningful and gave us a sense of purpose. There is so much value that can be drawn from the mystical experience, it seems we as a species have barely licked the surface. We feel that as the war on drugs is dissolved, life on earth will flourish.

Technical issues: You are using multiple techniques. Which ones do you like especially and why? What is your current favourite technique?

We are always in a continual state of experimentation with all sorts of media. We started off painting UV banners by hand, acrylic painting on canvas, we moved on to using an airbrush, then started exploring digital media, primarily Photoshop. A few years ago we acquired a digital textile printer which allows us to print on many types of organic fabrics. Every tool has its value, I wouldn’t say we have a favourite, but digital media is the most exciting. Painting with light is very inspiring and we feel it holds the most promise in realising our creative potentials and collective dreams. Animation is something we will be focusing on in the near future.

You are currently touring with Alex Grey. Any anecdote about that?

Exhibiting art with Alex on his Australian tour has been a buzz, He has created such an incredible body of work which validates and provides insight into the importance and value of the visionary experience. His talks were primarily focused on the visionary experience being at the root of all past and present religions. This is obvious to anyone who has had these experiences and done some research, but it was great to see it presented to the public in such a concise way, and so very well received. ‘Religion is a far too important word to leave it to the fundamentalists’-Alex Grey…he now seeks to catalyse a new world religion based on true mystical experience, fantastic! 🙂

What was the most extraordinary project you have worked on?

Not long after we started creating art we started to organise events, it was very rewarding providing this universal service to the community. By far the most reward has come from cofounding Entheogenesis Australis (EGA), a non-profit bi-annual event that provides a space for open discussion about the psychedelic experience. Now in its 7th year, with the last event sold out and attracting over 600 people. The support for this event has been incredible, there certainly is a lot of people seeking this information. Helping to provide a space for community to come together, learn and share continues to be very rewarding. Work has already begun for Dec 2011 and the art budget is bigger than ever, it’s going to be huge! visit www.entheo.net see you there! 😉

Which of your own works is your favourite and Why?

Our favourite work is always the current project, there is something so magical about living through the creative process, how it brings you into the moment and the way that it can redefine reality. Perception and projection are the two polarities that we vibrate between during the process, but the element of intention is where the real magic is. Intention, on a personal and collective level is what we feel will define the future of humanity and earth. To further learn and share how art can facilitate this process is becoming a greater focus for us and we are very excited about what the future holds and the role we all have to play.

– Who is Izwoz?

Izwoz is a collaboration of Australian based artists Brad Fettke and Katie Evans. Nick Fettke has also collaborated on many album covers.

– What was your artistic socialization / education? What were your influences?

We have never had any sort of formal art training, in 2002 we attended the solar eclipse festival in outback Australia and started going to other trance parties. We were really inspired by what was occurring at these events and wanted to contribute to this phenomenon somehow, so we started painting banners to display at these events. At the same time we started making clothes, the name Izwoz was conceived, a website was made and we started spending most of our time in creative flow. Our inspiration came primarily from mushroom and ayahuasca experiences, these experiences reformed and healed our lives on so many levels and were such great teachers. We felt the need to somehow share and express the inherent value of the entheogenic experience, art was what seemed to come naturally. Creating art inspired by psychedelics for people on psychedelics felt very meaningful and gave us a sense of purpose. There is so much value that can be drawn from the mystical experience, it seems we as a species have barely licked the surface. We feel that as the war on drugs is dissolved, life on earth will flourish.

– Technical issues: You are using multiple techniques. Which ones do you like especially and why? What is your current favourite technique?

We are always in a continual state of experimentation with all sorts of media. We started off painting UV banners by hand, acrylic painting on canvas, we moved on to using an airbrush, then started exploring digital media, primarily Photoshop. A few years ago we acquired a digital textile printer which allows us to print on many types of organic fabrics. Every tool has its value, I wouldn’t say we have a favourite, but digital media is the most exciting. Painting with light is very inspiring and we feel it holds the most promise in realising our creative potentials and collective dreams. Animation is something we will be focusing on in the near future.

– You are currently touring with Alex Grey. Any anecdote about that?

Exhibiting art with Alex on his Australian tour has been a buzz, He has created such an incredible body of work which validates and provides insight into the importance and value of the visionary experience. His talks were primarily focused on the visionary experience being at the root of all past and present religions. This is obvious to anyone who has had these experiences and done some research, but it was great to see it presented to the public in such a concise way, and so very well received. ‘Religion is a far too important word to leave it to the fundamentalists’-Alex Grey…he now seeks to catalyse a new world religion based on true mystical experience, fantastic! 🙂

– What was the most extraordinary project you have worked on?

Not long after we started creating art we started to organise events, it was very rewarding providing this universal service to the community. By far the most reward has come from cofounding Entheogenesis Australis (EGA), a non-profit bi-annual event that provides a space for open discussion about the psychedelic experience. Now in its 7th year, with the last event sold out and attracting over 600 people. The support for this event has been incredible, there certainly is a lot of people seeking this information. Helping to provide a space for community to come together, learn and share continues to be very rewarding. Work has already begun for Dec 2011 and the art budget is bigger than ever, it’s going to be huge! visit www.entheo.net see you there! 😉

– Which of your own works is your favourite and Why?

Our favourite work is always the current project, there is something so magical about living through the creative process, how it brings you into the moment and the way that it can redefine reality. Perception and projection are the two polarities that we vibrate between during the process, but the element of intention is where the real magic is. Intention, on a personal and collective level is what we feel will define the future of humanity and earth. To further learn and share how art can facilitate this process is becoming a greater focus for us and we are very excited about what the future holds and the role we all have to play.

www.izwoz.com.au

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