Nonstndrd Creative Projects is a multidisciplinary creative practice by 2022 Los Angeles Public Library Creator in Residence,
Kwasi Boyd-Bouldin.

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PROCSSS
A bi-weekly newsletter on making art, photography, & the independent creative hustle.

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https://nonstndrd.myshopify.com

For creative &/or collaborative inquiries:
kwasi.b (@) nonstndrd.com

What is Nonstndrd Creative?
I created Nonstndrd as a way to get my artwork out into the world on my own terms. I began making small zines and prints over twenty years ago when I worked at a copy shop (Kinko’s) for a few years. As time passed, my skillset as a designer and my work as an artist matured in unison, providing me with the opportunity to blend the two practices in my personal work. From the very start, I designed each iteration of the many websites I’ve owned over the years and laid out every page of the books and zines that I have produced.

The conjunction of these two disciplines into my creative workflow is an essential component of the work I produce. The books and websites that I make do much more than present my work, they have become an extension of the work itself. I create my artwork with distribution in mind, so much so that the printed book or limited edition print are pieces of my artwork in their own right. Refining and reinterpreting this premise is the foundation of Nonstndrd Creative.

Artist Statement
My artwork is multidisciplinary in nature, incorporating drawings, paintings, and photographs to create work centered around place and identity. Early experiments with graffiti eventually led to other mediums, creating a foundation firmly rooted in street culture. In the decades since, I have continuously refined my approach to produce a complex body of work that blends the disparate yet interconnected components of my creative practice.

The work I produce consists of hand drawn illustrations, painted abstract compositions, collage, and photographs. The mediums influence and overlap with one another resulting in finished pieces that come in a wide range of formats, from traditional paintings to digital prints and zines. The intersection of these disciplines is an essential component of my art. My fine art work is greatly influenced by my photographic career. It remains the main way that I document my experiences and serves as the inspiration behind the paintings and collages I produce.

The shift in focus from representational work to abstraction was gradual. A desire to distill my work down to color and shape opened the door to new ways of expression. As my abstract work evolved, I found myself reintroducing my line drawings and photographs into the compositions I created. The result is the ever evolving, multifaceted artwork that has come to define my practice.

Select Exhibitions & Residencies

If Belonging is a Fiction
January 2026 - March 2026
Village Well Books & Coffee | 9900 Culver Blvd., Culver City CA 90232

“At Home with City of Ghosts”
September 15, 2023 - December 22, 2023
https://www.dfac.org/exhibit/at-home-with-city-of-ghosts/

Nomadency: Digital Artist-in-Residence
August 2023
Dunedin Fine Art Center | 1143 Michigan Blvd.Dunedin, FL 34698 - USA

2022 Los Angeles Public Library Creator in Residence
https://www.lapl.org/events/exhibits/creators-residence

Creators in Residence Exhibition
October 16th, 2022 - Spring 2023
Los Angeles Central Library | 1630 W 5th St, Los Angeles, CA 90071

“What Will America Be?”, National Gallery of Art
September 13, 2022
Presenter | https://www.nga.gov/calendar/lectures/exhibitions/landscape-photography-climate-crisis.html/2022/09/13/1800

Folk Medic II: Panacea
December 11th, 2021 - February 20th, 2022
Subliminal Projects | 1331 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles 90026

Adobe Creative Residency Community Fund
July 2020 Recipient

Nonstndrd Creative Publications
Self published books and zines.

The Public Work (2021-2023)
A series of three self published photography zines documenting the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the Los Angeles urban landscape.

The Library Zine (2022)
An art book produced as a part of the 2022 residency with the Los Angeles library. Distributed for free through the library, the book featured illustrations of each LAPL branch organized by geographic region.

Secret Schematic (2023
The first art book designed under the Nonstndrd Creative umbrella. Features paintings and illustrations paired with a parable about the fragmentation and potential reunification of the African diaspora.

Archival Recordings (2024)
A series of 4 printed zines published for paid subscribers of the digital newsletter. Featuring current photography and work from my archive going back 15+ years.

Character Arc (2025)
Character Arc is a limited run zine published in Spring 2025 featuring 30 drawings created from 2012 to 2023.

Portraits (2025)
The first collection of my illustrated collage portraits to be (self) published, featuring work created throughout 2025.