Indoor Mural Project artist Chor Boogie interviewed the twenty-six artists of Art Official Truth for New York Optimist, and we thought we’d share some answers from APEX, Aaron Nagel, and Akira Beard:

Chor: Why do you do this thing called Art?
Aaron Nagel: I have to, there’s really no other way to put it.

Chor: Do you consider yourself a humble artist ..or a self centered artist ? Tell the Truth..
Aaron Nagel: I’m not sure those are opposing traits. I think at heart, most artists are probably pretty self-centered, myself included. I think it takes a certain person to be able to spend so much time working on their own work, in their own world, in search of self-expression. but I don’t necessarily think that means the self-centered are not humble. I think as an artist, I am incredibly
humble…there are examples of better painters than I am everywhere!

Chor: Why do you do this thing called Art?
Akira Beard: It took me most my life to realize there is no choice in the matter… I do it because it is the most natural feeling quality I possess.

Chor: What do you Feel you bring to the table of the Art World ?
Akira Beard: Empathetic unapologetic expressions focusing on the struggles and the victories of our immediate everyday living.

Chor: What do you Feel you bring to the table of the Art World ?
APEX: I bring to the table of the art world…..a hungry motivation to create original works of art for people to digest

Chor: Do you consider yourself a humble artist ..or a self centered artist ?
APEX: I consider myself as a humble artist, I create art but i did not create the world i do it in, I have to be humble.