Austin Beiv grew up on the tough streets of Brooklyn, where the expression of oneself was usually done through wall tagging—or as they say in Italian, "graffito." He was influenced by many different artists, particularly Fernando Carlo, who was well known for his expressive graffiti. This childhood influence is where the edgy, contemporary look comes from in his artwork. After graduating from Pratt Institute in the early ’90s, Austin now travels all over America looking for inspiration, whether it’s a tagged wall or an art museum, embracing all the unique and expressive simplicities life offers.