Just earned my first certificate for participation in my first art show! I feel very accomplished and proud to have taken part in this show. I may not have won anything but the fact that I got my art out there and shown to the public is all that matters to me.
Thinking about my masterpiece project and what its about I come across the question on who or what is considered an expert in such a very open subject like Street Art and Graffiti. But I've come to learn in the Graffiti world the expert is the artist. You don't have to be a huge world famous artist to be an expert in Graffiti, as long as you have a great can control method, a quick hand for fast pace work, and the will and drive to write where ever seems relevant for you and your reputation status to be expressed. It's pretty simple to become a Graffiti expert but its another story to become a real "Writer". "Writing" is what Graffiti is mainly known for; tagging, bombing, writing, getting up, all these terms basically mean getting out and putting yourself or your "name" out there into the world for everyone to see and know who you are. The reason why I say anyone can become an expert in Graffiti but its a different story to becoming an expert in writing is because you need to have experience in writing to become an expert. You have to have done the dirty work; hopping fences, scaling walls, hanging from bridges/billboards, just going the distance to put yourself out there. I know artists who will go the distance and I know those who stray to the side and watch. Writing is illegal but it has an ongoing itch that seems to never be scratched. The more and more you go out running with a can wedged between your jeans and boxers or jacket pocket trying to cover that can from being seen and having to run or hide when you suspect "The Man" is around. It sends you a huge dose of adrenaline that leaves a rush you can't find doing anything else, it feels so good doing something that seems so wrong to most but not to yourself. No one will ever understand the expertise of Graffiti. The only way to find out is going out and trying it. (Which I don't recommend you try) But what I do recommend is going around your community and getting to know your Graffiti underworld. Every city or town has one some where and once it's found, admire it and focus on it. Read the Graffiti and try to understand what the artist is conveying, the answer may surprise you.
I'm not sure what caused me to create this drawing but I love cartoonism and the cartoon style of professional Street Artist duo Dads and Myla which I will be posting a resource on more information about these artists. But this piece is just an infusion of ideas from other artists added with my own. I love this piece a lot and can't help but smile in joy over the very uplifting cartoon character. With it's simple quote "Doesn't This Just Make You Smile?". Comment your thoughts on my work I love hearing feed back and be honest, I don't mind a true opinion, it's the best way to go.
http://digg.com/video/banksy-with-syria-video?utm_source=nextdraft&utm_medium=email
I was just exposed to this video of a collaboration with political graffiti artist Banksy, Idris Elba, Cristiano Ronaldo and other celebrities coming together to put this visual exposing the crisis of Syria through Banky's graffiti art work. This is so dope because it shows Graffiti being used for its purpose in a good way to help support and bring to the public about the seriousness of the crisis in Syria. Must watch most definitely!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BwN91itBhc&feature=youtube_gdata_player
This little graffiti video masterpiece is of two of the UK's biggest Graffiti artists Aroe MSk and AVK1 doing a commissioned art video to promote the new Breaking Bad DVD. So for all you Breaking Bad fans who haven't heard about this DVD, well your welcome. The reason behind this video is because Graffiti art is more than just paint on a wall we could use graffiti as a way of promoting or advertising to the public just like what the producers of Breaking Bad did. So next time you see a graffiti piece ask yourself this question. What is the artist trying to convey or tell me?... The answer may surprise you.
If anyone is around the Santa Maria Town Center Mall area go take a quick cross over the street to the library to check out these bad boys created by yours truly, in the Shepard Hall Art Show. Which will be open til the 26th of this month. I'm not the only artist in this show, other students from Righetti and other schools through Santa Maria have art pieces in this show, so I highly recommend anyone to take a quick trip and check out the art show, you won't regret it! The show is usually open around the same time the library is. Which is mon-thurs from 10am-8pm, fri-sat from 10am-6pm, and sunday they're closed, it's located in the Shepard Hall but for a bit more help for those whomay have some trouble finding the show. As soon as you walk into the library look left. Thanks for the support. :D
I have committed myself to Graffiti art
and trying to break the barriers of it's
vandalistic, defacing reputation. I
understand to most people graffiti art is a
criminal act and has no connection to art
or at least fine art, but I beg to differ. Art
wouldn't be here without graffiti. The first
written graffiti pieces weren't done on
Subway trains in New York City around
the late 1970's they were done in caves by
the most rawest artist ever, good old
Neanderthal. While cave paintings are
historical artifacts of the past, they
display the same concepts of graffiti,
because graffiti artists put up these
pieces to represent who they are, what
they can do and how they can do it.
Graffiti is a very expressive form of art,
it's a true art form that challenges the
limits of all art by painting what you want,
where you want and how ever way you
want to. I love graffiti for the pure fact that
it's different, because I don't believe in
what is considered fine art to amateur,
because what you can see the streets is
far from amateur and I bet many fine
artists who have tried spray painting have
all had issues mastering the infamous
can control that you must learn before
even writing your name.
The tools I'm using from the fall
semester are just basic tools for research
and networking use. Right now, I'm just
trying to learn and understand the art
culture of graffiti. I just want to focus
primarily on the whole meaning and
fabric of graffiti. What makes the artist
tick? Why do they risk their life and
freedom for just a quick moment of
fame? Why do these artists put their heart
into an art form that only displays their
art for a short amount of time before it
reaches the infamous buff or getting
covered up. I've researched a group of
artists starting from the world famous
Seventh Letter Crew devised by the
collaboration of two graffiti crews known
as AWR (Angels Will Rise) and MSK (Mad
Society Kings). These two crews started a
movement by showing their art to the
world after countless runs with the law,
all these artists are now respected and
known for who they are and what they
can do. Which is honestly the whole point
of graffiti, getting recognition for your art.
What I will need to do to make sure
June brings a sense of triumph for me
would have to be to continue on my
research and to hopefully have my plans
and ideas either in the making or just
completed. I have a lot of plans and ideas
to show my art and bring the raw nature
of graffiti to life. I have already started
with my new art series called "Graffiti
Isn't Black & White", which in my drawings
depict images of graffiti art and graffiti
artists running in the streets and showing
what the underground lifestyle of graffiti
is like and how graffiti adds life and
culture to it's public canvas by displaying
everything in black and white. But the
graffiti art which is in vibrant open colors.
But I have one plan up my sleeve and that
is to leave this school with my artistic
mark on it. I want to take part in a mural
project on the school because I'm tired of
looking at the plain boring walls that
make Righetti High School. We need
some spirit, some fun, some creativity to
this school. Our colors are purple and
gold yet I hardly see purple and gold any
where? I want to get more information
and talk to the principal of Righetti to
hopefully see if they would be interested
in my plan.
I love speaking about my project to
others, because it's so different yet full of
so much opportunity. I feel just by talking
to others about my project they already
can see the passion in my eyes when I
start talking about graffiti, and I know
they're listening because they can relate
to it and understand it after I break it
down and explain in detail. I'm very
talkative, so I don't mind explaining and
giving detail to those who are curious or
interested in my ideas. I've already gotten
feed back by others in my class and
everyone of them have told me something
that has shown that I love what my
project is and I'm passionate about it.
Like one time in class when we were
saying all our projects and when I talked
about mine, Shane Cheverez steps up and
agrees with what I say and expresses
how he can see that I'm well passionate
and very into what I'm pursuing and doing
for my project. But I do try to express how
my availability to collaboration, because
as a part of my project I want to expose
my art skills and talents to others by
offering collaboration like painting
posters or giving the artist's point of view
on something like Shane Cheverez's study
on what makes people so happy in what
they do and love.
The steps it will take for me to get this
project up and rolling would be starting to
talk to more classmates on collaboration
and letting everyone know that they have
an artist whose up for free commission.
Another is getting connections with the
principal and other school officials and
talking to them about my school mural
idea and even speaking to the Santa
Maria art committee or mayor on another
huge project I have had in mind for quite
some time now. Which is developing
graffiti safe zones or what I would call
"Street Smart, Street Art Spots", which
just like the Venice Beach art walls, would
be open for young artists with the itch to
paint and to express their art on these
legal art walls or buildings or whatever
the city be willing to offer if accepted. I
just need to start talking and networking
with people, because my plans and ideas
can't get started on their own. So i'm
going to start drawing my plans and ideas
of what would look good for the school
murals and show our principal to see his
opinion on the subject and as for the
"Street Smart, Street Art Spot", I need to
find out who would be in charge of the art
activity in Santa Maria and anyone else
willing to help.
For my personal learning network I
would need more artistic minded people
and those who are in power to help me
with my plans and ideas. I'd need to get to
know more people who are interested in
my project and that are willing to stand
behind me and help me in these
endeavors. But as a young artist I need to
start building an audience and fan base
for my art work. I need to start talking to
more people about letting me display my
art in their galleries, shows, or buildings.
I'm also trying to focus on small
businesses I can speak to about
commissioning art pieces to go up on
their establishments not just for art but
for commercial use as well. I know graffiti
art can be used in commercial use,
because my favorite graffiti artist AROE
MSK has already been commissioned to
paint a advertisement pieces for the
movie "Planet of the Apes" and the DVD
release of the hit show "Breaking Bad". I
just want to stop talking about what I
want to do and start doing it, because I
know times ticking and I'm not going to let
another second slip away.
Work Cited
www.theseventhletter.com
www.aroemsk.com
Shane Cheverez (classmate I spoke to and got feed back about my project)
www.venicebeachartwalls.com
www.pbs.org, article "The History of American Graffiti:' From Subway Car to the Gallery" by Saskia De Melker
