Interview by John Freeborn
How did your art journey begin?
I’ve always been drawing, and while my father was still around, he was an incredible calligrapher. So, I was drawn to hand styles and lettering. My mother was a naturally skilled painter. I used to love to re-draw band names, and as a young angsty skater, I was known to have a spray can on me so I could hit up a Suicidal Tendencies or Dead Kennedys logo wherever I went. Shortly thereafter, I discovered graffiti, and I became heavily involved.
Tell me a little bit about how you do what you do. What’s your process?
I still do traditional graff pieces today, but as a professional artist I go in more than one direction. I do a lot of sign painting, from well-known restaurants to small businesses, elementary & high schools. I also do plenty of graphic design, murals, and community art events. I teach art to high-risk youth at a San Jose continuation school. Most of my work would be in the Bay Area, but I’ve traveled quite a bit around the US to splash paint. Being that I use a spray can today, a paintbrush tomorrow, and a computer in between, my process varies in technique, but it always starts the same: solitary, coffee, chill jams, and my sketchbook.
What are your creative influences?
In skateboarding, there’s a lot. But the two I’ll throw out are Mark Gonzalez and Tommy Guerrero: lifelong skateboarders with a multitude of artistic abilities.
In skateboarding, there are tricks and style. Is there a parallel in art?
I’m confident every skater who does some other creative activity sees the similarities. Two people do the same trick, and maybe both are super dope, but they do it differently, and some have a style so distinct you know who they are without seeing their faces. Painters are definitely the same: two portrait artists and blah blah—you get the picture.
When you aren’t painting, what are you doing?
When I’m not painting for work, I’m usually painting for fun. Then I’m skating, riding my fix gear, spending time with my kids, hiking, exploring, and all the other beautiful things the Bay Area has to offer. Check out my San Jose based art coalition TWC408 (Together We Create). We put on a lot of community art events and, most recently, have incorporated dance and SKATE competitions/exhibitions as part of the fun.
