In celebration of  World Oceans Day, we're thrilled to release our latest collaboration with artist Ty Williams: Salt Water Can Fix That. Ty is a Maine-based artist whose work lives at the intersection of ocean, instinct, and ink. Rooted in the DIY spirit of skating and surfing, his freehand style carries the kind of humanness you can't fake, wavering lines and all. His work spans everything from playful ink sketches to large-scale murals and swimming pools, shaped by a lifetime of travel, saltwater, and the ethos of skate culture. We sat down with Ty to talk creativity, submerging, and what it means to find your own path.

As far as that "Salt Water Can Fix That" phrase…that totally resonates with us. What's your take on that ethos?
Ty Williams: Surfing first thing in the morning is certainly the best way to start the day. Especially, if you live in Hawaii or somewhere that allows for it. I live in Maine, so we have waves less consistently, but it could also simply mean taking a plunge in the ocean. Submerging. Getting in the ocean is like a neti pot for my brain and nervous system. I tend to run hot, anxious, cynical, worried at times, so even just a quick head dip can square up my thoughts for a bit.

Love that. Who inspired you to become an artist, and what's your favorite medium?
My parents had me surrounded by creativity and resourcefulness growing up. They were both masters at making things work with minimal or recycled materials. When I got into skateboarding and started seeing the DIY approach to ramp building and board graphics, I was hooked. My dad would build me fun boxes and ramps out of wood we'd get from construction sites, and I would paint and draw on them, as well as on my boards and my own clothes. New England is also rich in the arts, so growing up in Maine I was surrounded by that world, though it wasn't until college that I realized I could maybe make a job out of it. I was always just trying to make things and have fun, and if someone liked what I was doing, that was a plus.

My favorite medium is simple ink drawing and painting. I'm outspokenly a non-tech art person, I don't use computers or tablets, but I've always loved the purity and sincerity of freehand drawing with ink on paper. I love seeing the waver in a line and the humanness in that. I was an avid skate and surf mag reader growing up, so naturally Mark Gonzales and visual artists like Thomas Campbell and Barry McGee were among my favorites.

Do you have a personal goal or metaphorical mountain you'd like to climb, or, wave you'd like to ride, as an artist? Or is every work its own new, individual joy?
As I've matured, I feel like life itself is a mountain, and trying to stay on some kind of path is a climb all on its own. Goal-wise, I'd love to make work that outlasts me and makes people smile. I get immense enjoyment when someone feels inspired or comforted by something I've created, and however long I get to do that, I'd consider myself lucky. I love painting big walls and want to do more of that in the coming years. I'd also love to get organized and make a book someday, but for now I just keep making stuff and putting it out there. As for surfing, I'd love some uncrowded days somewhere remote if anyone wants to put a trip together...or maybe surf the Surf Ranch someday.

World Oceans Day…what does it mean to you?
World Oceans Day is an obvious reminder of the paramount importance of the Earth's bodies of water. Surfers, above all, should agree on that. Being from Maine, I've been up close and personal with the impacts that global climate shifts have had on our coasts and waterways. The Gulf of Maine is the fastest-warming body of water on the planet, our lobster industry keeps shifting north because of it, and we're seeing massive changes in sea life. It can feel bleak and overwhelming, but being informed matters, and making shifts in what we support and consume is a good first step.

How do you Find Your Outerknown? 
I find my Outerknown drawing and spending time in the ocean, anything that keeps the neurons firing away from a screen.

Any Outerknown pieces you're particularly fond of? 
If I'm surfing in trunks, which means I'm probably traveling, I'm wearing the APEX Evolution Trunks. If not the 17" ones, then a DIY Frankenstein version I've had tailored locally. I love them. They feel like I'm wearing nothing, I don't get a rash, and they dry fast enough that I can stuff cash in the back pocket and go about my day. The solid colors pair great with a dress shirt, you could almost wear them to court.