Dakota Cates (aka Wizard of Barge) is one of my favorite artists I’ve discovered through social media. Like most dopamine-craving humans, I spend too much time staring into the digital void; however, when my incessant scrolling rewards me with WOB’s art, I’m always glad I went on the endorphin hunt. Funny, poignant, beautiful, and sometimes a bit crass, Dakota’s weird world of wondrous wizards and wacky creatures never fails to push away the storm clouds of the modern malaise. I took a mystic journey into his DMs recently and we kicked back a six-pack of questions.
Michael Sieben: How did you come up with the name Wizard of Barge? Did you consider any other names before landing on that?
Wizard of Barge: I just love fantasy and wizards, and "Barge" was the battle cry from my skate crew back in Houston. Like, if you're scared to try something—just barge it, man! I had no idea it would end up being my artist moniker until it was way too late to choose a less-confusing name. Oops!
Your art has a pretty upbeat tone. Does anything bum you out?
I'm sure I get bummed just as much as anyone else, but that's exactly why I like to inject positivity and humor into my art—to combat the shitty chaos lords that wreak havoc on our lives. It’s kind of a reminder to myself to not take it all so seriously and just enjoy the ride. There's enough bummer stuff to look at out there without me cloggin' up your eyeholes.
When you were developing your individual illustration style, who were some artists that inspired you?
I got into art from skateboarding, so you were actually a big influence on me early on, along with people like Ed Templeton and Neckface. I also fell in love with a ton of fantasy artists like Skinner, Moebius, Frazetta, and really anyone drawing wacky creatures.
If you could work on a project with an unlimited budget, what would you conjure up?\
I grew up on cartoons, so that's probably at the top of the bucket list for me right now. I'd love to make a full universe around my characters and see what they're up to on any given day: Follow some goblins around as they pull pranks in a dungeon, observe some door-to-door cultists trying to recruit some new members before the end times. You know, everyday happenings in the Barge realm.
If you had a time machine, what advice would you give to the 12-year-old version of yourself?
Follow your stoke! It's too easy to see your dream job and think, That doesn't happen to people like me. It held me back from really putting myself out there and going for it until I ditched that mindset. Oh, and don't trust farts!
Who would win in a battle between Harry Potter and Gandalf?
Gandalf all day, man! He's fighting armies of orcs and giant demons while Harry is, uh… doing homework?! And how are you going to call yourself a wizard without a long, magical beard? I mean, I don't have one either, but that's just because of genetics. Thanks, Dad!
Check out more of Dakota’s art on Instagram: @wizardofbarge or visit his site: wizardofbarge.com
