I grew up between two coasts, NYC & Socal/Tijuana. Lately I’ve been painting Mexico City.
I feel like there’s a lot more police in New York and gang culture in California. Tijuana is a little bit of everything: police, deportees, cholos, narco-violencia, everything. Living between them all was like visiting separate, distinct melting pots. Everything I’ve picked up from traveling has all melted down into one name, DALE (the action in Spanish). [842 familia <3 <3 <3]
What I paint is an emotion, a time capsule. It’s the mood of that instant in the five minutes that I’m doing my throwie. It’s a little crazy for me to narrate my process ’cause I’m coming from a different headspace every time.
I’m not thinking about stopping anytime soon. I don’t even think about doing graffiti, it’s part of my daily.
I don’t think there’s too many rules. Don’t go over people and find your own spot, the basics. None of that, get in where you fit in.
A lot of people like to cut the crust out of their sandwiches now, tiptoeing around the dangerous & grimey parts of this lifestyle. Look, Mom, I’m an artist! But it’s sick that it’s starting to get appreciation from other subcultures.
I feel I’m living a mix of many different lifestyles, from frontera life to city life. I take a lot of photos of my surroundings & experiences.
I feel like graffiti’s taken me to many places I never thought I’d see, exist in, or be part of. I enjoy interacting and being part of neighborhoods others might not frequent.
-DALE187 for Dead Relatives.
