I am trying to show a variety of styles and subject matter and material. I am trying to show a full range of technical ability as well as conceptual thinking. Some pieces have a more hard edge illustrative style. Some are more painterly. Some pieces are invented characters, some are recognizable images. I am always trying to explore and try new things. I am never satisfied with one style or subject matter. I love to experiment. Sometime I feel it get me in trouble because I think people see me all over the place, but I see it as a positive because I am not limiting myself. [Similar to, the more one reads], the larger your speaking vocabulary becomes. The invented characters are the “Myth”, the recognizable images are the “Science” and the “Colors” are what ties it all together. I love my bright colors. I am attracted to Lime Greens, Hot Pinks, Turquoises, Purples. I think my chosen color pallet is a residual effect from all my years of graffiti.

 

How has your work evolved over the past five years?

I would like to think it has matured in both technique and subject matter. I have moved farther from away from taking my influences strictly from graffiti. I have opened myself up to looking at and drawing from other subject matter. For so long I was in a graffiti bubble. Now I look to draw subject matter from my youth, nature, science, as well as the occasional graffiti reference [and create] a more universal image. At the same time I hope the people who have appreciated my graffiti work will still find something of interest in the art.

 

When painting do you approach graffiti differently from your fine art?

Doing graffiti can be very formulaic. You put up your outline, you do your fill in, you do a final outline,  you do a cloud or background or whatever and it’s done. It is a time tested formula. After more than 20 years of painting graffiti I feel as if I have mastered the medium. I have done multiple pieces in multiple styles. I have painted streets, trains, trucks and tunnels with numerous tags and throw-ups. I have painted my way through Connecticut, Washington DC, San Francisco and New York. Fine art is where my head is at this point. It is a new challenge for me to master on both a personal and professional level. There is no one formula to doing it. I am challenged by new materials to work with, a new playing field to compete on, new subject matter to talk about and a new vocabulary to speak it with. Life is about growth and evolution. I am trying to evolve as a creative person. I have to reestablish myself. After years of doing graffiti and becoming well known for it I now have to find a new acceptance for what I am trying to achieve. Sometimes I find this hard because people are so use to seeing you only one way. Just because you are famous in the graffiti world it does not automatically translate to the gallery world. There is a new skill set to master. Hopefully I will continue to get opportunities to practice my craft and prove myself. I would like to become just as successful in the fine art world as I have been in the graffiti world.

I only vaguely follow what is going on in the NYC graffiti scene now. I could not tell you who is most up or who the new kids are. I do know graffiti in NYC is not what it was when I started. It use to be underground and dangerous. There was no Internet, no magazines or books, no special paints or inks. You had to actually go out and explore to figure things out. The quality and quantity of what was being done back then was also better. I honestly don’t see much new stuff in New York that inspires me. The people that inspired me back when I started still inspire me now. I enjoy seeing those people continue to paint. A new piece by Doc TC-5 is always a good thing to see. It is nice to see crews such as TC-5 and TATS and TFP still doing quality work.

I feel it is very important. I like to show that I can produce something that is of a high quality level. I like to show I have skills. I am trying to produce work that people would like to invest in. I also feel technique is important because you should always be working on it. How can I improve my technique? Cleaner, faster, more complex, more loose, bigger, smaller, etc. Working on your technique is one way that leads to growth in what you do. We can not forget “soul” though. All technique without any soul things becomes robotic and predictable. You must have equal quantities of both to reach best possible work.