Meet Ten to Two
This post is courtesy of SHOUT OUT LA
We had the good fortune of connecting with Ten To Two and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Ten To Two, what’s your definition for success?
I define success in the amount of fun you’re having. Just like surfing and art the people having the most fun and positive experiences appreciate the people around you and make smiles!!! Life is to short to over think everything. As my main message behind my art is to Enjoy all the little moments in life. If your doing that your the richest person in the room!
Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Photography was my first love in art, and I began studying the Dada movement early on, fascinated by how they embraced the world around them to shape their creations. This approach really resonated with me. My work often combines photographs from surf and travel adventures, found objects, paint, pen, neon lights, and whatever else sparks inspiration on any given day. One piece, for example, started with an old rusted crab trap I found while surfing—I dragged it back, lost myself in the process, and turned it into something meaningful.
For me, art is about transferring a piece of my soul into something the world can interpret and make their own. My journey hasn’t been easy—I’ve faced homelessness and hardship. At one point, I was working on a series for the Virgil Catherine Art Gallery in Hinsdale, Illinois, and I spent days riding trains and sleeping on the streets to capture the images I needed. Art is who I am, and I pour my heart into each piece. Every dollar I make from my art goes back into funding new projects and adventures, honoring the collectors who support me.
The biggest lesson I’ve learned is to create art for yourself, not for anyone else. Don’t force it. The right people will find your work, and the right markets will open up for you. Art deserves to be seen, and the world needs us “crazies” to keep pushing boundaries.
Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Well if my good buddy was coming out we would go eat at my boys restaurant in Atwater Spina and would drag them all over Malibu def grab a coffee at bluebottle dtla and then go look at some street art! Typical days around here!
The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
So I had a super super rad teacher in high school that put a camera in my hand and the rest was history!!! Penny Brisco really taught us how to go into the world with a camera and tell a story!!! The darkroom felt right at home. Then along my path of chasing waves I ran into Cory Whitlock down in Oceanside ca and dudes a true ocean man and really taught me the ropes of surf photography and what to look for in a frame for surfing and sparking that feeling of stoke like your in the ocean.
Image Credits
Logan Newell
Ten To Two