Rodney Toy

My Evolving Creative Journey

When I was a boy, I loved to be creative and spent a lot of my time doodling and drawing. Then life got in the way and my passion for creativity was pushed aside in favor of achieving, doing and being.

In 2012 I had the opportunity to step away from my normally hectic life as an executive in Silicon Valley and in the process I was able to explore and re-find my creativity. It started with simple acrylic painting on canvas - I had zero training and my first paintings were horrible but I kept at it and over time I started to be able to translate my ideas into pieces that I could be proud of.

Over time I started to explore different techniques and other mediums, such as mixed media and spray paint. During the pandemic of 2020 I taught myself the basics of screen printing as a way to meaningfully replicate designs and components of my artwork. Screen printing unexpectedly opened up an entirely different method of creative expression as I began to explore custom streetwear-inspired shirt designs and prints.

In late 2020 I left my career in Tech and began to spend more time pursuing my artistic journey. While doing so the escalating amount of “Asian Hate” rhetoric forced me - an American-born Chinese - to take a critical look at myself and how I felt about it ….and how and if I should respond. I decided to use my art as my megaphone. Then in early 2021, I was inspired to incorporate collage into my work after watching a Masterclass featuring graphic designer David Carson who, despite the widespread use of software today within his industry of choice, believes in using traditional hand torn collage to make bold statements in his design work. As I began to explore this medium I quickly found that working with mixed media gave me the potential to produce the type of art I was personally drawn to - graphically bold, unstructured and multi-layered which gave the work depth, and decidedly urban and a little gritty in feel.

My artwork is my skydiving - it energizes me and allows me to take risks with design, color and “putting myself out there” that I otherwise would avoid entirely. My creative voice is evolving and has started to become a stronger and more personal reflection of what I stand for. I love when something (often random) inspires me and I have a vision of how I can translate that inspiration into my art….and then actually do it. Inevitably it doesn’t come out exactly as I had envisioned -- normally something that would frustrate the perfectionist in me - but there always ends up being something about it that is unexpected and ultimately becomes my favorite part of my work. That’s the beauty of this creative journey I’ve been undertaking..

I sincerely hope you enjoy my work, but even if you don’t I hope it stirs and awakens some emotion within you.  After all, as the saying goes -- art isn’t really just supposed to look nice; it is supposed to make you feel something.  

Rodney Toy

Inspirations and Influences

• Contemporary/modern design, mid-century design, street art and murals, surf and skate brands, modern streetwear

• Fave Artist: Jose Parla. Also Peter Horvath, Flore, Dain, Robert Nava, Damien Hirst, Basquiat, Warhol, Takashi Murakami, Gerhard Richter, Jim Phillips, Helio Bray

• Fave Art Destinations: Wynwood Walls, Miami; Shoreditch Street Art tours; MoMA SF; ArtAngels LA

• Other: Executive Board Member, Art in Action

Creative Influences in Art and Cooking

Art in Action Executive Board Member Rodney Toy sits down with artist Melissa Mahoney and chef Greg Kuzia-Carmel to discuss what inspires them with their visual artistry (April 2021)

The Impact of Art on Children

Art in Action Executive Board Member Rodney Toy shares how creating art is a vital component of his life and how it teaches vital life skills such as Empowerment Curiosity, Passion, and Creativity in children (December 2020)