Artist Feature: Stowazen

Welcome to the first of many artist features, where we’ll dive into an artists work and glimpse into their creative approach and overall philosophy of life. We’re proud to introduce a truly unique practitioner of intricate, organic, insectoid ink work. Stowazen, tell us a bit about yourself…

Ink illustration of a red, winged insect in the middle of an intricate motif.

Hi, I’m Stowazen and I’m an artist living in Santa Rosa, California.  

Before I was Stowazen, I used my birth name for my art and had an illustration career. I got burned out on making work for other people. Usually the Art Director would bastardize my vision, leaving me wondering why they asked me to make them art in the first place. So I left that path and made a new one.   

An illustration of a short passageway. A large red insect appears at the end, with a caterpillar in front of it. A ring of red moths fly around the entrance.

Stowazen is a combination of words that represent my mindset and creative process. Sto is from Stoicism, which is an ancient philosophy that I resonate with. Wazen means a way to zen. Whenever I’m drawing/painting, it feels like peace to my otherwise chaotic mind.

Illustration of a moth with two human looking eyes on its wings.

When did making art become a regular practice for you?   

I’ve been drawing since I was six or seven and it’s just been a way for me to have a voice while growing up in an environment I wasn’t allowed to.

abstract illustration that depicts an explosion emanating from a crevice.

intricate abstract illustration exploring organic forms.

Is your process primarily physical, digital, or a blend of both?

I don’t use AI because that is lame and made for people who aren’t creative to feel creative. It’s like ordering a pizza and then claiming you made it.

I use Procreate and also pen, ink, and watercolor mostly.

abstract ink illustration with watercolor, depicting mushrooms and other organic inspired forms.

How often do you listen to music while creating?

When I was younger, I’d listen to music all the time when drawing. Sometimes it’s nice to sit in silence when drawing since my head is already full of thoughts to process. I’m sure my ADHD plays a part in all this. Music inspires me continually.

abstract ink illustration featuring plant like forms.

Is there a particular artist, album, or subgenre that you feel improves your creative flow?   

Lately I’ve been listening to The Barbarians of California, Health, Kylesa. I like to switch up what I’m listening to or just listen to the same album on repeat for a few days.

Have you ever created a work based on a specific song?

Yes, I’ve done that. Mostly it’s channeling a vibe though. Lyrics will inspire me too.

ink illustration depicting vignettes of iconic shots from the movie The Substance. Deformed creature looking into mirror. Eyeball with multiple pupils.

What’s your favorite scary movie?   

Hobo With A Shotgun is awesome. Mandy is a great one. The Substance, Alien, the list goes on.

What’s a movie, show, or book that really scared you as a kid?

My cousins and I would watch horror films together and laugh at them. We knew it was all fake and ever since I realized there is a camera operator, which is how we watch the movies, it kept me from confusing reality with fiction.

an illustrated grid of six fantastically creepy skulls

As I get older, and now that I’m a parent, certain scenes in some movies bother me more than they used to but I can still appreciate the art of horror.

I have an imagination and I have no intent on giving that up.
Stowazen

ink illustration of an insect winged revolver style pistol, pointed at the viewer with one red bullet in the chamber. Above it is text that reads "More than a 10% chance AI could kill all humans within the next decade"

2026 has been a tough year for almost everybody, artists especially. What’s something that HAS given you inspiration in these dark times?

AI art fucking sucks. I have an imagination and I have no intent on giving that up. I’m inspired by people who are in the spotlight, using their voice to make the world more aware of its atrocities. In a way, it’s like we are all up against this machine made art that has no author. It’s so science fiction but it’s real now.

Abstract illustration of a skeletal moon on a dark textured background. Below the moon is a red red plane above a white door, slightly ajar.

Do you find art making to be therapeutic?

It’s the reason I make it. It calms me. It’s therapeutic while I’m sitting down, focusing one a small piece of paper and that feels better than worrying about how terrible the world is.

an illustration of four fantastical insect heads.

A surreal illustration depicting multiple caterpillar type creatures crashing into each other. Above them is an elaborate moth on a red background/

In times of crisis, do artists have a social responsibility to indirectly or directly address current events in their work?

It’s not just an artist responsibility but it’s a human responsibility. My work has duality to it often. There’s a surface level and a deeper meaning that makes sense to me.

Making the work is a response to trauma or a way to process emotion in a productive way when dealing with my anxiety or depression.

Free Palestine. Fuck Donald Trump.

Illustration of a stylized space helmet, pierced by a stake. The closed visor of the helmet shows some simple geometric shapes. Text above reads "FDT".

Two mutated skulls next to each other, covered in a bubblegum like grey material. The text below reads "cognitive dissonance".

A simple typographic composition on a textured background that reads "Oppose Genocide Support Palestine"

What’s the most important thing for a client like a band to consider when commissioning art (such as yours) for merch or album packaging?  

They can look at what I post and if they see something they’d like to use, they can email me at stowazen@gmail.com. I make art for myself only— I’m not interested in drawing someone else’s ideas. If I like something in the music, I’ll consider letting them use one of my drawings.  

Thank you Stowazen, for doing what you do and sharing it with the world. We’re excited to continue following your art journey at Instagram.com/Stowazen