The Bay has a bit more intriguement with bright colors, keeping block letters funky. It’s a very hip-hop tradition; I grew up listening to artists like Gang Starr & Mobb Deep, which I still love to this day. But as I got older and a little more sophisticated, I got more attracted to punk and DIY shows. Metal and hardcore brought out the more aggressive side of what graffiti can offer.
I still try to hold those traditions, when things are edgy but still fun to look at. I’ve learned about the simplicity letters can offer too.
I’m very grateful to be around a community that’s so strong & forward about being creative. If you keep it real and carry yourself with purpose, everybody’s down to collaborate. But at the end of the day, my intriguement started and has continued to come from the street.
I like to adapt and learn from cultures or subcultures in different cities. Traveling humbles me; every time I leave the city, I see something new and feel like there’s a never-ending learning curve ahead of me. Portland, Seattle, Miami, Atlanta, Chicago – each have their own distinctive interests/culture and styles they paint.
I think people tend to forget about the huge background of graffiti in heavy music – punk, hardcore, metal… People have been making zines since the copy machine was invented; even band logos, I mean, look at Dystopia. Graffiti’s behind a lot of these album covers. I think any kid trying to come up off of it should continue to have that enthusiasm because it’s been proven to be a solid foundation for art, whether you’re painting on walls or sketching on a tablet.
I’ve been sober for eight years. Got sober at 21, I burnt out pretty fast. I started partying in Central America when I was around 16, drinking & doing coke. And when I got to the Bay, everyone around me was off of ecstasy. I think I have to talk about mental health because it’s such a major priority for me – I could give a f*ck if I’m broke or still working nine to five, as long as my mental health is fine, I’d be very content with that.
That being said, I think people forget that they want to picture themselves as painters, photographers, dancers, musicians… But a painter paints. A painter doesn’t just kick back, and a photographer doesn’t have a camera only to not use it, claiming to be a photographer. You have to be an active contributor to that field. Yes, there are going to be times when your income isn’t flowing. Other times there’s a lack of motivation. But as long as you’re consistently taking on projects, you’re still in that wheel of creation.
With all the stress building in my life, I tend to forget I’m doing that and have to take steps back to look at how far I’ve come – but I’m actually in the process, I’m living the lifestyle I wanted to reach years ago. Everything’s just so flaunted on social media that people see your work has traction & decide in their heads that you’re on top. But realistically, what does the top look like? To me, the top is just constantly being onto the next project trying to outdo yourself. And if you live like that, you’ll eventually have people wanting to work with you.
There have always been people intertwining fine art and graffiti. Last year I had the opportunity to showcase my work at a Bay solo show around the dog moniker. But I think long-term, it’s healthy to draw from different creative outlets. I love fine-line flashwork & Chicano art; whenever I get writer’s block, I tend to look at a lot of classic styles. But sometimes it’s good to keep things separate so you understand the foundation of them. Beyond that, if I didn’t start taking photos, I probably wouldn’t understand where to have the perfect lighting, contrast, backgrounds, where to place my subjects…
I learn from what I don’t like and what I do. I don’t get mad at myself, but you have to be honest at times to realize d*mn, that sh*t could have been a lot better. But I try to enjoy the moment of painting more than anything. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve come to appreciate how every day is another opportunity to create. You can’t take that for granted. And I think anybody that has the motivation to do something eventually finds their flow in how they create.
Moving forward, I want to work on taking the time to do what I can instead of rushing. That’s the hardest thing for me. I drink too much caffeine, I’m all over the place <haha>. But yeah, I do like to take steps back to challenge myself because if you don’t challenge yourself, you’re probably not growing, right?
There’s a lot of opportunity for California to grow as a community. Historically there’s always been a sort of ‘unspoken beef’ between big cities, SF and LA specifically. If anything, I want to bring people from LA to SF and vice versa to maintain that connection. I wish I received more opportunities in Los Angeles, which are showing up, and I’ve been super grateful for them. But what’s brought me down more often is expanding my work and having a good time with people who appreciate different art forms, that can recognize we all have something to learn from each other and that we’re not all that different. Those mentalities are what I would like to live for.
Just keep creating. There’s no loss to it. You’ll probably gain more than lose anything.
