Austin Beiv grew up on the tough streets of Brooklyn, where self-expression was usually done through wall tagging, or as they say in Italian, "graffito." He was heavily influenced by contemporary artists like Fernando Carlo, who was well known for his expressive graffiti. This childhood exposure gives Austin's art pieces their signature edge and contemporary look. After graduating from the Pratt Institute in the early ’90s, he began traveling all over America to seek inspiration, whether from a tagged wall or an art museum, embracing all the unique and expressive simplicities life offers.