Archive for the ‘Interviews’ Category

The COWER Interview

Tuesday, September 20th, 2022

Endless Canvas: How long have you been drawing comics?  

COWER: I dabbled a little bit in comic strips when i was in high school but drawing graffiti pretty much took over anytime i would put pen to paper.  It wasn’t until late 2018 until I saw head lopper and the Crimson Tower in a book store window and picked it up based off the cover. It’s to this day my favorite book.  Seeing Andrew Maclean’s style introduced me to a whole world of comics outside the big two and manga that I didn’t know existed.  I think later that week i drew a mock cover of a comic called Kool Guys as a joke. It had me(Cower) and Apose on the front and when i showed him he ragged on it super hard so of course i had to keep making the comic to spite him.  While drawing the first issue i decided Krime Guys was a serviceable name and also changed Cower to Cowboy. Maybe i should have changed Apose’s name too cuz’ I’ve heard some people aren’t sure how its pronounced. It uh-pose like to oppose something. Perfect name for him cuz he’s always hating.

EC: Do you print your comics or is it just online?

COWER: Glad you asked. I actually just printed my first full length book. It collects the first 6 issues of Krime Guys where Cowboy and Apose fight a evil tech CEO and his murderous robots.  Krime Guys vs The Block Bots. You can get it at KrimeGuys.com 

EC: Does any comic books influence your graffiti?

COWER: Not really my graffiti but my comic influences are definitely Head Lopper like i mentioned before but also creators like Meredith Gran who did Octopus Pie, Liz Suburbia author of Sacred Heart and Michael Sweater who’s favorite comic of mine is Everything Sucks.  They all have their unique way of cartooning with an element of punk/diy/fun. 

EC: Is there a reason you don’t paint characters?

COWER: Same reason as why I don’t really do pieces, its not that fun. I’d rather do a hundred tags than one piece any day. I don’t like standing in front of a wall trying to design some nice looking thing. I get enough of that at home drawing comics. 

EC: What’s your favorite tagging, doing throw ups or piecing? you can only pick one and why?

COWER: Tagging. I’m not sure if i was influenced to feel this way by the Earsnot part in Infamy or if he just personifies my feelings perfectly but his segment in the beginning of that film pretty much sums it up for me.

EC: What got you into doing graffiti?

COWER: Not sure. I always remember getting that little jolt of excitement when seeing it as a kid and it only grew when i started to do it myself.

EC: Is Krime guys just a 2 man crew?

COWER: Kind of. KG has always been a homie crew but ya this Krime Guys era is Apose and I holding it down. Shout out to Clam though he’s a founding member of the crew and came up with KG which originally stood for Know Good back in 2010/11. Ironic cuz’ we sucked.

EC: What’s the scariest moment you had out there bombing?

COWER: Definitely the multiple times people have put guns to my head and told me they were going to kill me. I should also take this time to express my gratitude  to Apose for saving my life more than once. He’s gonna cringe at me saying this but I’m truly blessed to have him as a bombing partner.

EC: What are the biggest loves and hates in this sub cult called graffiti?

COWER: Biggest loves are definitely the friendships you make when you go through some gnarly shit with someone. Nothing shows peoples true character like a live or die moment and I’ve been lucky enough to meet some people with real character.  Biggest hates is all you other weirdos out there being weird. Cut it out.

EC: Are you wasted when yo going bombing?

COWER: What a rude question. Does my shit look like i was waisted when i painted it? 

EC: Do you have goals in graffiti and life?

COWER: No goals in graffiti. I think if you’re looking to get something out of graffiti besides a good time with your friends you should find something else. In life I’m not sure. I’m already doing all the things i love. Just gonna try to keep it going.

http://krimeguys.com get your copy here.

ELAB INTERVIEW

Tuesday, June 8th, 2021

ENDLESS CANVAS: What was your favorite cartoon growing up and why? Has it changed now that you are older?

ELAB: Ren & Stimpy, the Simpsons, Batman the animated series, Hanna-Barbera reruns, loony toons reruns, muppet babies, teenage mutant ninja turtles, Bevis and Butthead. The list goes on and on. I couldn’t pick just one. I watched way too much television as a kid. Once I was a little older (12-13), I got really into anime. My friends and I would go to the mall and rack anime vhs tapes. Akira, ghost in the shell, ninja scroll, all the classics. Then we started grabbing stuff just based on the box art. I ended up with a lot of henti.

It’s changed now that I’m older in that I don’t watch nearly as many cartoons. I still love them, but when the tv is on it’s usually horror movies. I’ve always loved horror movies, I was a little mall goth as a kid. 

EC: Do you have any video editing education? I really dig you reel vids on the gram btw

ELAB: Thanks! No, I don’t have any real video editing experience. A while ago a buddy of mine suggested that I make reels instead of IG stories. I like how frantic I can make them. It’s a fun time waster.

EC: Why yellow and black?

ELAB: Caution, warning, danger, keep out, poison. I don’t know. I’ve always been fond of that color combination. When I made my first round of vinyl stickers years and years ago, nobody in my hometown was doing anything with plain text. The few people having stickers printed all made them with just their regular tag on them. I wanted mine to be ugly and official looking, sterile. Like the city was responsible for them. I was hoping to blend in with the boring information that you’re usually bombarded with. I thought if my stickers looked industrial they would sneak past the buff. 

EC: How many stickers do you put up or make in a year? 

ELAB: Depends on the year. I’ve put up more that 10,000 in one year, and couple years later didn’t put up any. The past few years my numbers have been way down, the low thousands.

EC: How often do you go out slap, tag bomb whatever you call it? And what do you call it getting up or bombing? Just wondering.

ELAB: I never really go out specifically to put up stickers, it’s just something that I do whenever I’m out of the house. Stickers and cutty tags during the day, night time is for spraying. I don’t really call it anything. 

I spend less and less time walking around doing graffiti. The crushing weight of nine to five drudgery is taking its toll. 

EC: Characters over letters right?  just kidding don’t answer this…lol

ELAB: Nah, characters AND letters. I’m not very good at either. Sometime in like, 2019, I made a decision to start painting more characters. I hadn’t done one in a while and wanted to challenge myself a bit. When it’s a chill spot why not push myself a little? I’ve been making letter based graffiti for the majority of my life, if a piece has a little character and a nice little background it makes for a more well rounded finished product, in my humble opinion. None of that is really necessary, though. I like ugly graffiti.

EC: Do you like to work collaboratively and if so with who?

ELAB: I paint alone quite often, but I like to work with other people too. I don’t know if hanging out with friends painting graffiti together can really be considered collaborative, everyone’s just painting their own piece on the same wall, but if so than I guess you could say that I collaborate fairly often. Not surprisingly, my most frequent collaborators are my friends and crew mates. Usually these days I’m painting with Blief, Freska, Osker, or Melske, but I’m down to spray with anyone as long as they’re chill.

EC: Do you draw in a black book?

ELAB: I always have a sketch book going, I’m always drawing, but I haven’t drawn a fully actualized, like, complete piece in a book in a long time. I usually just get the rough outline down and then go paint it. I miss black book sessions with the homies, though.

EC: What artists influence you right now and why?

ELAB: I try not to be too influenced by other (graffiti) artists, but it’s pretty much impossible. I’m often stuck in the graffiti ego headspace, where there’s no biting allowed, but that shits ridiculous. If you’re doing traditional letter based graffiti you’re already biting out the gate. What I do is far from reinventing the wheel, but I’d like to think that I’m putting my little spin on it. At some point I started going back to my first artistic influences, old cartoons, comics, album art, advertisements, random bootleg shit you see just walking around.

My friends and crew mates definitely influence me too. We’re not copying each other’s style, but if we’re actually friends than we’re gonna be critiquing each other, usually just ball busting, but seriously too. Most of the people I paint with are better than me, we’ve all been in it for long time, and my friends are a great resource that I for sure take advantage of. I’m not afraid to ask my homie if my shit looks off, like, “does this arrow make sense? Is this bar too wonky?” I might not take the advice, but at the very least it’s great to have someone to bounce ideas off of. 

Then there’s influence outside of style. Their approach or attitude. It’s gotta be fun, you should try different things, and don’t take yourself seriously. 

EC: Does music influence your art work? And how? Who?

ELAB: I’d like to think music influences my art, but I’m honestly not sure. If music does influence my art I’m not sure it’s evident in the final product. Like, what I’m listening to may effect my mood while I’m painting or drawing, but I don’t think it changes the actual piece. I listen to all types of music (except new mainstream country), but rap and metal are definitely my go-to genres. That said, I try to make friendly art, happy colors and whatnot, but the music that I listen to while making it can be pretty aggressive. I’ve painted walls at a preschool while listening to All Pigs Must Die. I recently painted a nursery and was bumping Benny the Butcher the whole time. They still turned out playful and cute. 

EC: Blow up the bay or save it? lol

ELAB: Don’t blow it up, but it doesn’t need saving. The bay is doing just fine. The rent is ridiculous, but the weather is perfect. There’s fun stuff going on here that isn’t happening anywhere else. I’m a transplant, so obviously I’m biased since I choose to live here. Where I’m from is awesome, but also rapidly changing and dealing with many of the same issues as the bay i.e. gentrification, so I understand the frustration. I just try my best to be zen about it, except that change is inevitable, and find my own fun. 

EC: What’s your favorite Kinks song? 😛

ELAB: Less Kinks, more Wicked Lady.

EC: Are you a video editor? I really dig your short videos on the gram have thought about doing a 10 minute short or work with other artists? 

ELAB: I’m glad you like them! I’m not a video editor. I have a lot of fun on my phone, but making something more substantial would be awesome. I’ve always been interested in making videos, and editing in particular. My friends and I used to make skate videos as a kid, but I’ve never owned a camera, or even a real computer. I’d love to make a short film, or a music video. I just bought my first computer (an iPad whatever), but I haven’t used it yet to edit anything. I’m always really far behind on technology. 

Interview with THE LOST CAUSE

Sunday, March 22nd, 2015

(The following is a conversation between Asker and The Lost Cause.)

tlc1
(Photo Credit: PSSA)

The Lost Cause, a.k.a “T-L-C”, started as a graffiti writer and consistently built up a body of work transitioning into characters, stickers and technicolor murals. Noted is his “Winston the Whale” character, who appears in multiple variations on stickers, t-shirts and the naughty list of local street sign scrapers. Recently, TLC’s work has taken an interesting turn as his characters have become more ornate and complex, appearing in cities across continents.

I first met The Lost Cause in a small paint jam in Portland. He had an immediate enthusiasm and an infectious sense of humor. We had been talking for a while about doing an interview and it finally happened when he started working on a project outside the house I was staying at that day. After a surprise wake up call (TLC turning on all the lights to the basement) I stumbled outside into the summer heat of 2014 and hit the record button.

Asker: This is Asker 3 Dots the Third, sitting here with The Lost Cause. I’m looking for something to eat, I’m pretty hungry, TLC woke me up at 11:11.

TLC: Good morning.

Asker: Now we’re sitting here, TLC’s painting a car.

TLC: I hate it, it’s covered with spiders.

Do you have arachnophobia?

Asker: No, actually I like spiders I think their great.

Wait, are you eating something?

TLC: Yeah, I’m eating a tuna sandwich.

tlc3
(Photo Credit: TLC)

Asker: Can I try some?

TLC: You want this other half?

Asker: I’ll just eat a bite. (chews sandwich, starts coughing)

TLC: (Laughs)… what’s wrong with it?

Asker: This is gross, I want some waffles.

So, how long you been working on this style? I feel like the stuff you’ve been working on now is different than the original work you were doing on the streets. There’s more patterns, there’s more of a resonance.

TLC: What does that mean, resonance?

Asker: Resonance is like…

TLC: I have a limited vocabulary.

Asker: Sometimes I make up words, sometimes I use words and then I’m like “wait, is that the right use of this word…”

TLC: I used to use the phrase “affirmative action” because I thought it just meant to do something.

Asker: That’s like when you’re a minority and they put you into school because they’re trying to fit a quota.

TLC: Right I learned that afterward. But before I just thought affirmative action meant “we need to do this”, so I would be hanging out with friends and I’d say “we need to take affirmative action!”

Asker: (laughs)

I’m gonna start saying that.

TLC: Don’t, it’s risky business

Asker: So what projects are you looking forward to lately?

TLC: Forest For the Trees.

Asker: What’s going on with that?

TLC: A bunch of people coming into town and painting walls. Get to hang out with NoseGo and Curiot. Get to meet all these people, I’m stoked.

Asker: Have you painted for other mural festivals before ?

TLC: Nope, this is the first one.

Asker: Whoah!!!

TLC: Yeah brah. Oh snap!

Asker: I mean it’s not like mural festivals happen all the time in Portland either.

TLC: Yeah, this is the second one for Forest For the Trees.

tlc2
(Photo Credit: PSSA)

Asker: What would you think if I did this?

(takes spray can and paints line across arm)

TLC: Ahhhh, why’d you do that… you want me to do your whole body? I could do a series of nipples running all the way down.

Asker: How long do you think it would take to wash off?

TLC: Well there’s that solvent downstairs, should only take 30 seconds.

Asker: Solvent!? That stuff’s wicked…

TLC: Yeah, I use it on my hands sometimes. That’s probably why I got teeth falling out of my head.

Asker: Yeah, maybe I shouldn’t have done that.

TLC: I got a wicked gum disease going on and I’m pretty sure it’s from licking my brushes after using mineral spirits.

(more…)

R.I.P. AKO

Sunday, March 9th, 2014

AKAYO “I hate the police they all can suck my dick

Endless Canvas: How many years have you been doing the art thing? (how many years have you been writing?)
AKO: I’ve been writing since 1994 and creating art pretty much my whole life and doing it for a living since 2006-7 i think..My mom is a artist so i started young.

EC: What graffiti artists influences your work? if you could go into some detail how they helped you out that, would be awesome.
AKO: My influences come from the streets of San Francisco and the Bay area. Revs, King Tie, Kr, Mr. McGee, Felon, Rem, Dug one, King Dream where always big influences in my graffiti. Growing up in the Bay I was exposed to the best graffiti in the world and thats all I saw growing up, we didn’t have internet back then so local graff was it. But my big influences in graf are my folks and friends like Serch UTI RTH, Smear, Rekoil, Otis, Graffia, Musk, Susr, Ceze, Branded, Melo and all the homies..

EC: What influences your work other than graffiti?
AKO: Skateboarding, making films, traveling, life’s ups and downs?

EC: Is beer good or bad?
AKO: Beer is good. I don’t drink much I’m way more of a stoner than dranker but beer is kool. Where the weed at?

EC: When was the last time you paid taxes?
AKO: Last year, I did some stuff for a few companies and had to pay taxes. Taxes suck. They just raised taxes here in california

EC: Rate your love for the police on a scale of 1-10, 10 being the highest?
AKO: I hate the police they all can suck my dick

EC: Would you call yourself a tagger, bomber, artist or what? And could you give a reason why?
AKO: I just do what I do, I’m not into labels.

EC: On average how many times do you go out and paint in a month?
AKO: I get up everyday I’m alive. For some reason I feel the need to write on something everyday, its apart of everyday routine. When I travel I write alot more cause new cities are awesome and I have to leave my mark.

EC: What era/ region of graffiti do you hold up as the greatest (NYC 80 Subway, 90’s LA, etc……)?
AKO: San Francisco 1990s where my all time favorite, its where I’m from seen and lived in. Some of the best graffiti and most groundbreaking bombing was going down in SF in the 90’s and still to this day. I would have like to seen new york during the subway movement,i bet that shit was sick!

EC: What got you started making art or keeps you making art?
AKO: I enjoy making art and I don’t know what else I would do with myself without art in my life. It has enabled me to travel,work on projects, make stuff I, show my work, pay my bills. I’m still excited about making art and when I’m not excited I’ll stop.

EC: What is your favorite beer?
AKO: hmmm weed.?

EC: Have you done stencils or wheat paste? (if not) Have you ever thought of doing such things?
AKO: I’ve done wheat paste before but never really into that much, I like tagging and painting. Wheat paste and stencils are both great mediums if used correctly.

EC: Do you see a different between what some call “street art” from what some call “ego graff/ tagging”?
AKO: Street art and graffiti have nothing to do with each other in my eyes, different ball game and lets keep it like that. I hate the term “street art”

EC: What is your feelings on the buff?
AKO: Its life we have to learn to live with it and its only getting worse these days it seems. Lately its still all about the streets but I’ve been painting more landmark spot where I know it will take the buff years to get it..?
AKAYO “I hate the police they all can suck my dick”
EC: You can only pick one to save from total destruction.
a. your mom
b. your girlfriend
c. your beer
AKO: my skateboard
EC: Nice try but your still wrong, its always beer.

EC: Could you give a brief history of your graffiti career? or. Could you give a brief history of your local graffiti scene? If you want to answer both that would be awesome.
AKO: I stared in 1994 in the sf bay area been working on the streets here since a young age. Grew up like everyone else who got into graffiti. I got into it from mainly from skateboarding and being a little punk kid looking to do some damage..

EC: Anybody you would like to shout out or give thanks to?
AKO: Everyone who’s supported me in my life journey, my family, My Family RTH, Smear, Serch, Osiris Shoes, All the galleries I work with and support me, 531 Gallery, Danny Warhol, my muse, Two Rabbits Studios, James, Susr, Yoshi, Jdis.

RENEK Interview – March 22nd, 2013

Saturday, March 23rd, 2013

Renek Graffiti. (Photos supplied by Renek.)

ENDLESS CANVAS: How long have you been doing this?

RENEK: I’ve always been interested in graffiti and have been drawing letters as long as i can remember, but didnt really start writing till 2008.

EC: Do you represent any crews?

RENEK:  I represent ALL Crew based out of Chicago and WFK.  I don’t represent crews because I’ve seen them up or because they do dope graffiti… to me a crew should be your family who your down for and whose down for you.  If people in a crew are not close to me like brothers then I don’t rep it.

EC: What does A.L.L. and W.F.K. stand for and who else is in those crews?

RENEK: ALL stands for “Always Loving Life.”  There are a few different chapters so it’d be way to long to name every one.  We have chapters in a few different states and even cats in other countries.  I’m the leader of the California chapter and out here its me, Berg 45, Zenphonik, Wors, and Mucho.

WFK stands for “Wanted For Killing.”  It’s been around in the east bay since the 90’s. The cats currently still rocking it though are Advek, Zenphonik, LoveKids, Aeon, Mucho, Dvide, Resn8, Blue22, Chunto and a few others (sorry if i forgot you).

RENEK3

EC: You have a bit of an LA aesthetic to your letter structure. Where are you from originally?

RENEK: I don’t even know where I’m from.  I know where i was born but to me those are two different things.  I’ve lived all around.  All around California, Chicago, Utah, Oregon. I don’t like to stagnate in one place for to long.  I just drift around.  I’ve never really spent more than two years in one city. As for graffiti, the first graffiti I saw was cats from LA.  Plus my graffiti is really inspired by different tattoo fonts so you can see the inspiration of both in my letters.

EC: How do you feel the scene in California, Chicago, Utah, and Oregon differ?  Do you have a favorite?

RENEK: I wasn’t really involved in the Utah or Oregon graff scene.  I lived in those states before i Started, but with Chicago and California… the bay more specifically, there are many differences.  In Chicago there is way less graffiti because of the strict laws and punishments around it.  It’s even illegal for hardware stores to sell spray paint in chicago.  Plus if the police catch you out there your not only going to jail but receiving a brutal beat down by the pigs first.

I feel like in Chicago graffiti is way more in touch with its hip hop roots.  It’s just different.  The bay is all about bombing and fools grill shit out here. Even the way people beef in Chicago is different.  When people beef in the Bay they line each other or catch a bomb over a burner. In Chicago when cats beef they flip each others letters.  If you where beefing with me you’d do a cleaner piece over me. The point is to show skill during beef out there. Its more of a battle… more than anything the point is like, “I’m so much better than you. I can do your own name backwards better than you.” There was this cat in Chicago who wrote Zulu just so that when you flipped his name is said “u luz.”  Ha ha. I love both scenes so its hard to compare. They are both very different.  Although I always seem to end up back in the East Bay no matter where i go.  So I’d have to say I like the East Bay the best.

RENEK2

EC: You hit a lot of billboards. What’s you motivation behind choosing those spots?

RENEK:  I see so many billboards put up by corporations every day… polluting what I see every day… telling me, “Fuck you! Buy this! You wont be happy till you get this!” It’s like a game for me.  A lot of people see graffiti as visual trash. That’s how i see advertisement.  If I have to see your trash, you’re gonna have to see mine. They pay thousands of dollars just to put there brain washing slogan in my face, so every time i smash a billboard it costs them thousands. I love that.  Also, I hear so many cats bragging about throw ups or how they get it… don’t get me wrong, I love throwies, but I’m always trying to push my self to go further.  I like to show cats i can flex a burner on a billboard and can push myself past a throwie on the street.

EC: What’s the spot you’ve painted that you’re most proud of?

RENEK: Hmm, I’m not really sure.  I once painted a throwie on a billboard in the day time.  That was kinda cool.  I usually get sick of my work a few weeks after i do it.  So it’s always changing.

RENEK4

EC: You sound like a man who appreciates difficult spots.  Who do you think the best climber in the Bay Area is who’s up currently?

RENEK: I’d have to say the cat I see getting the most crazy spots out here in the Bay would have to be Gufe.  I see him getting super high up rooftops and backs of freeways signs with multi-colored burners. I see Anemal getting a bunch of those suicide free way shots too.  There are a lot of cats getting some crazy spots, but Gufe stands out to me the most.

EC: Any shout outs?

RENEK: I wanna give a shout out to my homie Wors.  That fucker has lost his mind.  He has been in the game too long.  This cat taught me a lot about the graff game. I’m a give a shout out to my boy Berck ALL LD from Chicago.  That homie taught me how to burn pieces and the concept of letter structure.  A shout to my boy Rare, homie your nuts. Then a shout out to all my close boys in my crews ALL and WFK; Zenphonik, Advek, Blue 22, Love Kids, Mucho, Aeon, Resn 8, Dvide, and every one else reppin’ to0!  And free my boy Snek fast!!! Rest in Peace to my homie Jkat, fool was like an older brother.

RENEK5

YOUR CREW, YOUR FAMILY – An Interview with 7Seas – August 2011

Wednesday, June 20th, 2012

7seas goats.

7seas graffiti van.
7seas.
7seas graffiti piece.
7seas graffiti.
7seas graffiti.

ENDLESS CANVAS: How old were you when you first started writing?

7SEAS: I was about 13. That’s when I did my first piece. Started tagin’ in 4th grade. My homies older brother got me into it.

EC: Is Seven Seas a reference to anything inparticular?

7SEAS: There are so many stories an reasons behind it. It’s one of the first names I ever wanted to write, but I didn’t care for having a number in my name. Got used to that real quick. I went through quite a few names like everybody else, but this one definetly stuck on me. I see the number 7 everywhere I go… hella stands out to me for some reason.

EC: You seem to have pieced every yard in the east bay. At any point would you be satisfied and just say I’m done?

7SEAS: Nah, you’re never done. Graffiti just keeps going. Move on to the next yard, city, state… there are endless spots to be painted everywhere!

EC: Do you try to keep your identity anonymous?

7SEAS: Yeah, but it don’t really matter these days. I aint tryna label myself and show face everywhere, but when you paint legals and kick it here and there people become familiar with who you are.

EC: Why be in a crew?

7SEAS: Crews are like a big family to me. You meet so many people over the years. You usually paint with your homies… people you know you can trust no matter what kinda shit goes down. As time goes on the people you meet over the years just become your crew, your family… bbq, drinking, partying, you aint even got to be painting to kick it.

EC: Has coming from a rural area influence your graffiti actives and style?

7SEAS: I grew up seeing a lot graffiti. I lived by a few freight [train] yards. I got a lot of influence at a young age. Walked to the yard soon as it got dark in 7th-8th grade. Graffiti was way more chill in the mid nineties.

EC: What would you call your style?

7SEAS: Never thought to much about it. Its kinda got a Mid Evil L.A. flow to it. I don’t use to much color… mainly black and white. Certain styles look better with more color than others.

EC: If you could collaborate with any artist in the world, who would it be?

7SEAS: Revok, or Versuz… the color skemes and constant flow of the lettering over the years has been a big influence on my style.

EC: What do you like the most and least about “graffiti” culture?

7SEAS: The street life. Walking around, ploting on spots, climbing random shit, all the different styles that have progressed over the years. You witness and experience so many different things. To me that’s what keeps graffiti going. With a mission always comes a story.

EC: How long does it take you to produce a piece?

7SEAS: Usually a couple hours, but that could turn into 3 or 4 very easy. It just depends on how long you think you got at the spot. You gotta stay on your toes. Though, maybe come back on it a few times.

EC: What advice would you give to young inexperienced graffiti writers?

7SEAS: Be prepared to deal with whatever it brings you; goodtimes, bad, going to jail, fighting. It’s definitely a crazy life style. You witness and experience some life changing shit on the streets. A life like no other.

EC: Ever painted a boat or a ship?

7SEAS: Yeah, I caught a few tags here and there over the years. Nothing to big though.
Still searching…

EC: Shout outs or thanks to anyone?

7SEAS: All my close friends an family.  Roar, Aura, Gunk, Logo, Epoxe. Thanks to all the photographers out here in the bay! They be taking some amazing pictures! You know who you are… thanks a million!

7seas graffit piece oakland ca.

The Devil’s Heart – An Interview with ROMANSE of HYSU Crew

Monday, June 11th, 2012

This interview was originally published in December 2011.

Romanse HYSU Graffiti.

ENDLESS CANVAS: What do you write, where are you from and how long have you been at this?

ROMANSE: I write ROMANSE 179, I’m from San Jose, Cali.  I’ve been writing since i was 8 but with ROMANSE 179… I been at it since 89′.

EC:  Who got your into graffiti?

ROMANSE: I was influenced by my older brother Noone from DA crew.  He was an oldschool writer with talent.  He started back in 82′.  He taught me my first letters.  I also was taught by Twister (from San Jose) aka ZOOK.  Him and my brother ran together.  I have a lot of cousins and brothers that were oldschool writers that taught me the way of THE GRAFF GAME.

EC:  Who all is in HYSU?

ROMANSE:  We have a whole brotherhood of people in HYSU?  a.k.a. as THE H.  We have NUCS, DUEL8, YQUE, DEVEL, SAETO, RIVE, BHANG, HORID, MEAL, GAKS, INSUM and many more.  We are a union type based crew, very tight knit.  More like a family.

EC:  When did you start doing the heart with the horns?

ROMANSE:  I started to do the Hearts with Horns aka THE DEVIL’S HEART in 2008 after a tragic accident that left me in the hospital.  I was on a drinking bienge for up to 3 months.  Finally I collapsed in front of my family at my home.  I got rushed to the hospital.  When I woke up the doctors said I was in a deep coma for two weeks but in my so called dreams while I was in the coma all I can remember is a burning heart with horns.  While I was still in the hospital, I started doodling on napkins of a heart with horns, then I was like “I GOT SOMETHANG HERE!”  That was the birth of THE DEVILS HEART.  So now if you see it, you know what it represents… “Rebirth.”

EC: Do you make an effort to recruit younger kids into HYSU in order to keep it going longer,
or do you feel like crews should stick to their original membership and be more of a snap
shot of a certain time period and style?

ROMANSE: I do recruit young kats. If I see potential in them and also if they know the history of the graff game.  But what I mostly look for is
attitude.  I am not just going to pick up any ol chump. You must have a great brotherhood personality.  If you don’t, sorry this is not the job
for you.  HYSU was made by me to open doors to all kinds of artist that wanted to join for a certain purpose and that is to “Destroy,” but in a
artistic way.  You can be old school or a new kat, it don’t matter as long as you have graff blood in you.  I started HYSU in 2005 and it will be here
for years to come.  Like I tell my brother, “we aint going anywhere but up.”

EC: What years do you think were the peak time for graffiti in San Jose?

ROMANCE:  The best and greatest years in San Jose’s graff history would be early 80’s and late 90’s.  I remember when I was young and I would help my brother
carry a ladder down the main streets in broad day light with two duffle bags of paint.  We were headed to the walls of fame in West San Jose.  Those days, the
pigs were to busy with the Cholos and drug dealers.  The 80’s was the beginning of the free graff movement.  What I mean by this, is nobody tripped about graff that much. You were free to come as you pleased.  Ahhh, the 90’s, it brings back so many memories and writers.  Bus hopping was in, throwies were evolving to better standards and hundreds of writers in one single city.  Our mission was to fuck up everything in sight.  I try not to think that much about the 90’s graff scene because it just makes me miss it.  Writers that lived it sometimes talk about it as the best years of graff in San Jose.  It is true, those years were the best. I’m glad I was a part of it.  I want to give a shout out to the fallen writers like REM, TMC,
Paws, Tie and many more that are now at peace.

EC: Do you think writers should try to reclaim the freeways?

ROMANSE: The freeways have always been another way to get your name known or to get stupid drunk and fuck shit up without anybody chasing you… LOL.  I believe we should take back the freeways due to the fact of tourism and traveling on them.  They get to see free art without paying… LMAO.  It don’t matter if you aint popular or good, if you hit the freeways your shit is going to bee seen by a lot of fucken people.

EC: What is the Anti-Graffiti Task Force in San Jose or is it handled by Gang Unit?

ROMANSE: The Task Force, hmmmmm… is a bunch of fucking clowns trying to beat something that will never stop, even if they bring the National Guard.  We aint going no where bitches.  You fucks aint shit with your unmarked visible cars and your wanna be swat uniforms.  This is to the S.J. Task Force, “Fuck you. Suck my big fat veiny cock!”   That’s what I feel about you clowns.

EC:  Most writers blow up really hard for one to three years and fade away. What has kept you doing this for so long?

ROMANSE:  I have seen a lot of writers come and go. It’s a shame that it happens, but I understand when you get slammed with felonies and all kinds of shit you just want to quit. I understand how bad that feels and the sleepless nights just wondering, “Was it worth it?”  I want to let those who stopped or have taken long vacations know that it’s fucken alright if you quit or take time off because you have given inspiration to a young writer who would love to experience graff for themselves.  Some writers need vacations or time away from graff to support their families, continue going to school or to mentally collect themselves.  As for me, I am going to be doing what I’m doing until God himself comes for me and says, “I need you up here.”   That will be the day when there won’t be a Romanse 179 anymore.  As for now, I’m going to rape this city with no jimmy on and fuck shit up… LMAO!

NON STOPPERS – An Interview with NAVER of AMC Crew

Friday, February 17th, 2012

Naver AMC Interview.

ENDLESS CANVAS: How long have you been doing this?
NAVER: Been paintin’ since about 96.

EC: What’s your perspective on graffiti?
NAVER:
Ever since i was a kid I’ve found myself doing graffiti. When my life was at it’s worst graffiti made me forget all the rough shit I was going through. I like getting up and going places normal people would never even think of  going like the side of a freeway or some cutty ass yard five hours away; on drugs; doing drugs all the way there an back.  Driving a hundred miles an hour with no license, trunk full of paint and an empty glove box blowin’ on some fire ass tree; Pryors for all types of shit; Probation in five different counties. Like fuck it, always must crush!

EC: Those crazy jagged styles you do look like they would take a long time yet I see them bombed in some pretty high profile freeway shots.  How long do they take you?
NAVER: 20-45 minutes tops.  Always Stock Caps Rusto and even the new Rusto Caps go too.  Depending on the spot or the color or who im with.  My favorite is solo missions because you don’t got to worry about any one else you are with making shit hot.

EC: For a long time I had no idea what your pieces said but they always stuck in my mind.  What do you feel influenced your style?
NAVER: Drugs. All types of drug use as a kid. Thizle, Mush, Trees, an more Thizzles. Skitzoefective. People I saw as a kid that made me wanna get up. Swerv, Boiler, Luter, Crook GMC, Deaf GMC, Widm ADS, Veg, Skoe, my old school homie Tea, Serve, Think, Gusalen, Ceaver 640, Kose, Revok, Saber, Skert, Adek, Keda, Adios, Dayser, Rise Above! Bely, Bloat (RIP big homie), Ferm, tfam, Dream, Amend, Natrl, Chez, Pastime, Lewse, Piers, Neon, Apex, Misk, Paser, Timber, DAF, HTF, MDK, KOD, ESL, Orfn, Tie, KR, Percept, UGS, MSK, AWR, HA, Else, Arrows, Destn, Harsh, Plantrees… just mainly influenced by the Bay Area where i grew up.

EC: How long has AMC been around and what does it stand for?
NAVER: Swerv started it in 94 and the funny part about it is swerv used to write all over my shit when we was youngsters.  I used to be like, “Man fuck graffiti, that shit is all bad.” Then two years later me and SW were on a tear to wreck shit!  Always Making Cash! Always Must Crush! Amongst Many Criminals!

EC: It seems like AMC has grown a lot in the past few years.  Are you guys adding new heads or just traveling more… or is Endless Canvas just lazy about getting around?  Ha ha.
NAVER: AMC looks for non stoppers. People that are about graffiti that live this shit everyday!

EC: Is there a lot of cross over between AMC and WKT?
NAVER: It’s all the same family. They’ve been cool for over ten years! Me and Yesm linked that up many years ago.

EC:What do you think about the ongoing Occupy Movement?
NAVER: Beast up!

EC: Any shout outs?
NAVER: Isabella… AMC, WKT, TFK, RA, ATB, GMC, OMS, TAK, BE. All you haters too. Free Luter! Free Noner! I’m out!

It’s all fun and games for me… RODI Interview – 2012

Monday, January 23rd, 2012

I first started to notice Roddy or Rodi back in 2009.  His slap was all over the San Francisco financial district, reminding me of the good old days of the later 90’s and 2000’s when PEZ and others totally crushed that part of the city. Then he started popping up in the WSO and, big sticker nerd that I am, I figured I should meet and interview him … So here it is.

 

Endless Canvas: Graffiti or street art or is it all the same to you?

RODI: I try my best to appreciate all different types of graff and street art… I pretty much love all graffiti, but I definitely can’t say the same for street art… There is plenty of whack shit going on out there… It’s a hard question though… If a graffiti bomber goes and does a sick illegal piece, but it’s hella good and appeals to a broad audience, then couldn’t it be considered street art? I think it’s really hard to lump it all into just two categories…

Endless Canvas: Why risk your freedom and sometimes your life for this thing called graffiti/street art?

RODI: Some things are worth a small risk… When I first started putting up stickers, it was such a cool feeling to revisit a spot and see that my shit was still running… Even cooler to see that someone had put their sticker next to mine!!! I was hooked since day one; I didn’t give a shit that it was illegal… The past year or so I’ve tried keeping my actually risky business to a minimum… Basically by just not painting… I have responsibilities that the majority of writers don’t have which are a full time job and a family to support…

Endless Canvas:  Who is your biggest influence in style?

RODI: My biggest influences come from the stickers that I have seen over the past few years everyday… Splat, Pobrecito, Dead Eyes, Dume, Starpig, Adam Infanticide, Plan Trees, Broke, Beer is Good, the list goes on and on……

Endless Canvas:  Do you try to keep your identity anonymous?

RODI: I try to, but I’m definitely not too hardcore about it… A lot of people know who I am and what I write… If I could start all over, I’d definitely try and be more discreet about it…

Endless Canvas:  Why write RODI?

RODI: Ha ha.  Sorry, I can’t talk about that on here…

Endless Canvas:  Is it an everyday thing for you or do you only go out a few times in week?

RODI: On the weekends, I belong to my family… But Monday through Friday, 9-5 I’m out there putting in work!!! I got the best job ever for a graffiti writer…

Endless Canvas:  What’s more fun SF or Oakland?

RODI: I’m starting to like Oakland more and more… If you put your shit in the right spot, it will RUN! I’m always going to hold it down in the financial district and surrounding areas of SF… But 2012 is the year I annihilate Oakland!!!

Endless Canvas:  Are you trying to say something deep and meaningful or are you just having fun or a little bit of both?

RODI: Naw.  It’s all fun and games for me… I started writing little messages on backwards USPS stickers, usually just an inside joke or whatever pops into my head at that moment… The message there is: don’t take this guy too serious.  Ha ha.

Endless Canvas:  What’s your feeling on crews?

RODI: I think crews are all good… Friends going out and bombing together is good shit… The thing I do hate though is the mentality of “fuck with me, fuck with my crew.” If you start a beef with someone, you should sack up and deal with it yourself… Getting all 10 of your homies to go over one person just shows weak character…

Endless Canvas: Do you ever plan out a spot or is it all free style?

RODI: I’d say 90% is unplanned… Every once in a while I’ll go off the way to a specific spot or neighborhood…

Endless Canvas:  What or who are some of your influences outside of graffiti that influence your art?

RODI: I dunno if it counts, but graffiti photography has a huge influence on my life and my art… I REALLY love to take pictures of graffiti and sit at the computer and geek out on graff… Seeing dope flicks motivates me to get out there and produce something worthy of a picture…

Endless Canvas: What’s your favorite tool?  A mop, stickers, glue, spray paint?

RODI: I’m definitely most known for my stickers but I really like it all… I’m really not that into wheat pastes though… Such a pain in the ass making the glue and carrying it around and shit… I got a fat stack of paper ready to go that’ll never see the light of day; I’m just too lazy for that shit…

Endless Canvas: Beer or weed?

RODI: BEER, BEER, BEER!!!!!!!! I’m too old for weed…. Gimme a beer and lemme kick it…

Endless Canvas:  Daytime or nighttime?

RODI: I used to do everything during the day… fucking rooftop BART shit… I didn’t give a fuck… until about a year ago.  I had some crazy ass shit happen to me on federal ground… Let’s just say I got VERY lucky and I’m much more careful now. Ha ha… I’ll still put stickers up night or day though!!!!!!

 

Endless Canvas: Time to give thanks

RODI: Definitely got to give shouts to DUME and SPLAT for all the teamwork… My wife for putting up with all my graffiti shit… and of course Endless Canvas for getting my name out there… ==>>RODI<<==

NEEDLESS TO SAY… THA CUSS INTERVIEW!

Wednesday, September 14th, 2011

CUSS, STM, Graffiti

Endless Canvas: Favorite color?
CUSS: Me and Tom Waits share the same favorite color… figure that shit out lover-boy!

EC: Have you ever painted nude?
CUSS: Damn I was thinking naw… but I do remember a hangover rooftop I got down on once. It had been raining a lot that week and it finally stopped so I went out to do a hangover at the spot. When I got on the roof I noticed there were big ass puddles all along the edge where I was going to lay on my stomach. Well needless to say I just said fukkit, and, I mean, I took off everything. No shoes, no socks, no nothing. The best part was after I was done. I was just chillin up there naked in the moonlight overlooking the traffic on the freeway. There were 2 moons in the sky that night… did I mention I’m a Cancer?

EC: If you could only listen to one album other then any Too $hort album for the rest of your life what would it be?
CUSS: HANOI ROCKS!!! G.G.ALLIN!!!! DEVO!!!!!! SHIT!!!!

EC: What makes the East Bay the greatest place on earth (maybe we shouldn’t tell anybody else)?
CUSS: Well, you got a place like Oakland that’s been holding it down since the sixties, with the Black Panther Party and the Red and White. These groups have been operating outside of the law and directly opposing the police very openly (and relatively successfully) for years, laying the ground work for an overall consensus of mistrust towards law enforcement and other authorities. It ain’t like that in a lot of other places in the country. Here we have a freedom like no other to be who we want, do what we want when we want, look how we want, and talk however the fukk we want. This allows the people of Oakland and other surrounding cities to live their lives freely, giving them an open pass to all things creative. Our music is our music, our style is our style and our cities belong to us. This is an amazing achievement and we owe a lot to the people who fought for civil rights before us and even to those who just said “fukk you, it’s my life, I’ll support myself however I want”.

EC: Have you ever thrown up doing a throw up or peed while tagging?
CUSS: Ha Ha Ha, I never would have guessed the astute editors of Endless Canvas would be interested in tales of gross out humor and/or shock tactics like pee or poo poo. Just as well something does come to mind. I remember a joke I played, or perhaps even just a dumb stunt I pulled… We was in downtown Oak, near Laney and I had completely covered a ‘news’ rack with some potato stamp stickers I made (so it had a nice repetitive look going on), and when it was done I just started pissing all over them. It was like performance art via my hero G.G. Allin. Well, the next day I was down there and I checked up on my spot and the stickers where all wrinkled and falling off and shit, like they had been there through 3 seasons of abuse. Needless to say I don’t do that too much anymore. Oh, and Craker would be mad if I didn’t mention how every time we would go bombing I would have to take a shit. We would go back for the flikk and there would be a turd chillin’. He always thought that it was fuckin nasty and I’ll agree. Sometimes I see a turd though and think “if that motherfucker can drop his drawls in the street and take a shit we can probably get away with a fill”.

EC: What artist or artists influence your work outside from the graffiti realm?
CUSS: I’m really into individuals’ life choices or lifestyles, because to me being an artist don’t mean shit. It’s about how you live your life. It’s about never compromising and always doing what makes you feel good. There are people out there in which I really admire, but I’m tired of mentioning specific people. After all, aren’t we all individuals trying to do whatever makes us happy?

EC: Who influenced you in the early days?
CUSS: The early days consisted of a lot of BART trips, and the cats who were doing the BART scene definitely made it happen for me. I ain’t gonna mention no names but I’m sure if you rode BART in the late nineties you could easily conceive who was up out there between West O and Fremont.


EC: Why write Cuss?
CUSS: Originally ‘CUSSWORDZJUSTLETEMROLLMUTHAFUKKINSHITGODDAMASSHOLE’ from the Too $hort album ‘Life Is…Too Short’…  would be sized down for bombing reasons to CUSS.

EC: Did you start STM?
CUSS: No, this bald-headed bitch came on TV hollerin “STOP THE INSANITY” and we changed it to ‘stop the madness’. All praise be to Susan Power you bald-headed bitch you. We love you!

EC: What got you into wheat-pasting after so many years of traditional bombing?
CUSS: Pussy. Mad hot sweaty nasty pussy. I ain’t gonna lie CUSS love his girl LAMF.

EC: Has there been conflict between the religious writers in your crew and writers who use upside down crosses and other anti-religious iconography?
CUSS: First off, fukk the things that separate us as people in tha world and within tha crew. That shit don’t matter; we got gays, straights, veggies, and meat-eaters, junkies, straight edgers, punkers, and hip hop heads. We got bombers, piecers, taggers, street artists, and toys, even metal head dudes who don’t even tag reppin tha shit. Being in a crew don’t mean shit to me, it’s just fun, it’s just traditional, and I essentially am a graffiti traditionalist. I like letters and it’s just 3 more to fukk with.

EC: What influences you besides graffiti?
CUSS: Tha come up. Let’s make it, let’s have things. We gotta work hard at whatever it is we’re trying to do. Setting goals and accomplishing our goals, moving forward and giving back. We are gonna make it. Do the damn thing you muthafukkas! Get your grits, strive to stay alive, and all that shit. Make it or take it, it’s all out there. Let’s move up! Pass the fork we eatin’ pie BITCHES!!!!!!

EC: Who do you think is the most up writer in SF, the East Bay, and THE WORLD?
CUSS: The Ocean is pretty deep, changing the face of the Earth, constantly movin and crashin on shit. Did I mention I’m a Cancer?

EC: Any crazy ass stories you want to share that happened to you while painting?
CUSS: Jingle Town knows, sorry y’all, I still got respect for you and all the other neighborhoods in tha town. STAY UP! We all out here!

EC: Shout outs?
CUSS: Thanks to everyone who made it through this whole interview. I know it was a lot of wordz. I’m still a fan, I’m still a toy, I’m still pumped on the scene, you all really make it happen for me, thanks again. I love you NINA! Now GO GO GO GO GO GO GO GO GO…etc.
– CUSS STM twothousand whatever tha fukk!

AKAYO “I hate the police they all can suck my dick”

Saturday, October 10th, 2009

Endless Canvas: How many years have you been doing the art thing? (how many years have you been writing?)
AKO: I’ve been writing since 1994 and creating art pretty much my whole life and doing it for a living since 2006-7 i think..My mom is a artist so i started young.

EC: What graffiti artists influences your work? if you could go into some detail how they helped you out that, would be awesome.
AKO: My influences come from the streets of San Francisco and the Bay area. Revs, King Tie, Kr, Mr. McGee, Felon, Rem, Dug one, King Dream where always big influences in my graffiti. Growing up in the Bay I was exposed to the best graffiti in the world and thats all I saw growing up, we didn’t have internet back then so local graff was it. But my big influences in graf are my folks and friends like Serch UTI RTH, Smear, Rekoil, Otis, Graffia, Musk, Susr, Ceze, Branded, Melo and all the homies..

EC: What influences your work other than graffiti?
AKO: Skateboarding, making films, traveling, life’s ups and downs?

EC: Is beer good or bad?
AKO: Beer is good. I don’t drink much I’m way more of a stoner than dranker but beer is kool. Where the weed at?

EC: When was the last time you paid taxes?
AKO: Last year, I did some stuff for a few companies and had to pay taxes. Taxes suck. They just raised taxes here in california

EC: Rate your love for the police on a scale of 1-10, 10 being the highest?
AKO: I hate the police they all can suck my dick

EC: Would you call yourself a tagger, bomber, artist or what? And could you give a reason why?
AKO: I just do what I do, I’m not into labels.

EC: On average how many times do you go out and paint in a month?
AKO: I get up everyday I’m alive. For some reason I feel the need to write on something everyday, its apart of everyday routine. When I travel I write alot more cause new cities are awesome and I have to leave my mark.

EC: What era/ region of graffiti do you hold up as the greatest (NYC 80 Subway, 90’s LA, etc……)?
AKO: San Francisco 1990s where my all time favorite, its where I’m from seen and lived in. Some of the best graffiti and most groundbreaking bombing was going down in SF in the 90’s and still to this day. I would have like to seen new york during the subway movement,i bet that shit was sick!

EC: What got you started making art or keeps you making art?
AKO: I enjoy making art and I don’t know what else I would do with myself without art in my life. It has enabled me to travel,work on projects, make stuff I, show my work, pay my bills. I’m still excited about making art and when I’m not excited I’ll stop.

EC: What is your favorite beer?
AKO: hmmm weed.?

EC: Have you done stencils or wheat paste? (if not) Have you ever thought of doing such things?
AKO: I’ve done wheat paste before but never really into that much, I like tagging and painting. Wheat paste and stencils are both great mediums if used correctly.

EC: Do you see a different between what some call “street art” from what some call “ego graff/ tagging”?
AKO: Street art and graffiti have nothing to do with each other in my eyes, different ball game and lets keep it like that. I hate the term “street art”

EC: What is your feelings on the buff?
AKO: Its life we have to learn to live with it and its only getting worse these days it seems. Lately its still all about the streets but I’ve been painting more landmark spot where I know it will take the buff years to get it..?

EC: You can only pick one to save from total destruction.
a. your mom
b. your girlfriend
c. your beer
AKO: my skateboard
EC: Nice try but your still wrong, its always beer.

EC: Could you give a brief history of your graffiti career? or. Could you give a brief history of your local graffiti scene? If you want to answer both that would be awesome.
AKO: I stared in 1994 in the sf bay area been working on the streets here since a young age. Grew up like everyone else who got into graffiti. I got into it from mainly from skateboarding and being a little punk kid looking to do some damage..

EC: Anybody you would like to shout out or give thanks to?
AKO: Everyone who’s supported me in my life journey, my family, My Family RTH, Smear, Serch, Osiris Shoes, All the galleries I work with and support me, 531 Gallery, Danny Warhol, my muse, Two Rabbits Studios, James, Susr, Yoshi, Jdis.

Endless Canvas Zine – Issue #1 – Limited Edition

Friday, September 25th, 2009

Endless Canvas Zine Issue 1 - Limited Edition Ras Terms Screen Print and Swampy Poster.

The same zine as the standard Endless Canvas issue #1, except it has a hand screen printed cover by Ras Terms and a Swampy poster centerfold that were not included in the original issue #1. Both are exclusive original art made specifically for Endless Canvas in a limited edition run of 200. Each one is hand numbered.

This zine has forty full page photos from New York, Paris, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Belfast, Denver, Oakland and England and a three page interview with graffiti artist Ras Terms.

This limited edition run is going to go fast. We already got an order for 50 of them before we were even done printing them. Grab one before they are gone.

Grab yours at our online store… EndlessCanvas.bigCartel.com

Real talk from TIM the OPTIMIST

Thursday, September 17th, 2009

(Optimist photos supplied by Tim)
Optimist Graffiti Interview and Photos.

Endless Canvas: How many years have you been doing the Graff thing?
Optimist: I guess it all started in the 7th grade in Oakland California. Thats when it caught my eye, and I started taggin, but didn’t really start writing and painting and getting involved till around 98′ so around 11 years.?

EC: Did you come up with your name or was it given?
Optimist: At first it was just TIM, cus my friends said i look like A TIM.. and some other secret reasons that cant be discussed here, so I just started writing TIM. Then one night I was all pissed about something, and I was bitching and moaning to AIDER and he said, in a sarcastic manor: “There you go again. OPTIMISTIC TIM”, and was like ooh that has a nice ring to it. And wrote out the word OPTIMISTIC, then OPTIMIST and was feelin it. And it was a sign for me to really try to be a more positive person on this earth. So I figured that if I wrote a positive word all the time on everything and focused my life on something really positive I would Subconsciously be a better person. Sounds cheesy, but at that point in life I was all fucked up.

EC: What graffiti artists influences your work? Could you go into some detail how.
Optimist: I would have to say LEWSE (TFL), JAPAN (DE), BEATS (SB, TNS), ELSE (HA), DRAMA (DE), pretty much every body in TDK, RIP DREAM, A lot of these people besides the DE’s were painting a lot when I was younger and I would see their pieces up in the yards in Oakland and be amazed, and I think their styles stuck with me. But there have been other people who have influenced me in other ways when it comes to Graffiti, not just the style of it, but the state of mind and bombing and racking. Good friends of mine like PLANTREES, UDON, DESTN, AIDER, YEOL, and DRAMA. There is a lot more to Graffiti then just the painting, the state of mind surrounding graffiti is what influences the painting. And thats what’s important. your intentions behind graffiti is important, i feel like a lot of people do it for the wrong reasons.

Optimist Interview

EC: Was there anyone or more tag that influence you own hand-style?
Optimist: LEWSE (LORDS)

Optimist Graffiti.

EC: What influences your work other than graffiti?
Optimist: My surroundings

EC: Is beer good or bad?
Optimist: Good

EC: Rate your love for the police on a scale of 1-10, 10 being the highest?
Optimist: -100.. Fuck the police, straight up an down. Muther fuckers have never helped me out ever.. There are not here to serve and protect. they are here to control and oppress

EC: Would you call yourself a tagger, bomber, artist or what? And could you give a reason why?
Optimist: I would like to call myself a real writer, I try to do it all. I suck at throwups though. But I’m working on that. yeah I’m artist. But I keep my graffiti and my Fine art in two different worlds. I guess you could say I’m a creative person, and graffiti keeps me loose and young

EC: On average how many times do you go out and paint in a month?
Optimist:I tag every day, but I go out and paint trains at least 3 times a month, maybe more. And paint a piece a few times a month. Depends on my mood and who’s in town.

Optimist Interview

EC: What era/ region of graffiti do you hold up as the greatest (NYC 80 Subway, 90’s LA, etc……)?
Optimist: NYC 80’s for sure.. it was the birth.. the beginning. It must have been amazing and mind-blowing to see whole car burners smashing through the city on the elevated rail in NYC in the 80s. Wish I coulda been around then. and OAKLAND and San Francisco in the early 90s. That was the golden age for the west coast as far as I’m concerned. So many dope people writing and not really getting in that much trouble.

EC: What situation would you actually kill for a beer?
Optimist: No situation. Its not that big of a deal.

EC: What got you started making art or keeps you making art?
Optimist: My dad was the biggest influence in my lIfe. and I miss him a lot. RIP. If I didn’t make art I would be a boring ass muther fucker loser. So I guess I keep myself making art because if I didn’t I wouldn’t know what else to do . Real talk

EC: What is your favorite beer?
Optimist: Serria Nevada pain ale.

EC:On avg. how much beer do you drink in a week? If you could put that in oz. that would be great?
Optimist: Now-days, none, I’m sober then a mug. but i will start drinking on October 20th. I went on a 6 month detox program.
EC: So 0oz

EC: You told me you make a living doing fine art, I don’t know if you want to share this info, if not tell me i’ll take it out. For a person that hasn’t seen your fine art does it look like anything like your street work?
Optimist: It looks nothing like my graffiti, except its clean, I try to make it all clean.

EC: Do you see you fine art and graffiti as different things or the same?
Optimist: Completely different, I plan out my fine art to the T. measuring and preparing till i know exactly how its going to work then do it. I use tools and a lot of different paint products and brushes and shit. With Graffiti, I don’t plan shit. I just do it.. Thats why I love it so much, cus graff is the only form of art I can do without planing or sketching. It just comes out of me the way it does and then I can forget about it. Its not permanent and its expendable. There is a lot of pressure on me when it come to fine art. everything has to be perfect.

EC: What size?
a 12oz
b 16oz
c 24oz
d 40oz
Optimist: I really don’t care about beer that much. Alcohol has ruined peoples lives who I was really really close with, I don’t know what the big deal is about drinking.. Shit is stupid as fuck. I’m over that.

EC: Have you done stencils or wheat paste? (if not) Have you ever thought of doing such things??
Optimist: NO, only for a joke. i don’t think that stencils or wheat paste are graffiti at all, it takes too much planing, Its not spontaneous and there is no expression at the moment you do it. its weak.

EC: Do you see a different between what some call “street art” from what some call “ego graff/ tagging”?
Optimist: EGO!!???? who calls it EGO Graff taggin?????Graffiti can be about the Ego and a lot of the time it is, and it can destroy you, but yeah there is a difference. Street art is shit that fools take there time on and think about it and might even get paid to do. I tag cus I love doing it, its like an addiction. And its about the placement too, a lot, its like installation art. Some people tag in order to boost their ego, some tag cus they just cant stop and some people tag cus they like it and you can get real creative depending on where you tag.

EC: What is your feelings on the buff?
Optimist: FUCK THE BUFF, the city would save so much fucking money if they just buffed every six months or something. Graffiti ain’t gonna stop. You cant stop it, so why keep wasting tax money on it and getting all mad about it and trying to devise new ways of fucking people over for it. Just let it run its course. shit.. Real talk fuck the buff

EC: You can only pick one to save from total destruction.?
a. your mom
b. your girlfriend
c. your beer
Optimist: Fuck this question
EC: Wrong

EC: Any crazy ass story, that happen while you were painting (like seeing some naked dude skipping down street singing don’t go for chasing waterfalls)?
Optimist: Yeah a lot of crazy shit has happened. To much to mention. A lot of weird shit with homeless people and stray dogs. Also doing graffiti in other countries is wild, thats where the really weird shit happens. Keep that IRON strong .

EC: Could you give a brief history of your graffiti career?
Optimist: As a kid, was amazed by graffiti and wanted to do it. Started doing it, got caught, went to jail. moms bailed me out. Told me to stop. Tried to stop. Couldn’t. kept doing it.. This time did it bigger and better. Got my house raided, went to jail again, this time for a month. Got out, paid my fines, was told to really stop this time. Tried to stop, met AIDER, turned into TIM, kept doing it, bigger and better this time. Met PLANTREES, started painting freights, then got really addicted, decided I couldn’t stop. Got into DE, did it even bigger, CHEK told me to move to Taiwan. So I moved there and exploded, went crazy with Graffiti, convinced people to move there. We did it real big for two years, moved back to the bay and here I am now, still doing it.?

EC: Anybody you would like to shout out or give thanks to?
Optimist: Shout outs to the whole DE crew. but more specifically : AIDER, JAPAN, DRAMA, YEOL, GRIZLEY, PLANTREES. AND THE HOMMIE UDON, DERSK, NOE, CHEK, DESTN, TUNKS, SAFETY FIRST, SAYME, LEWSE, NESTA, YMIG, CENCE(BYI), 10 FOLD, LIL, NAKA, ZEN TEN, MOCK,(even though he never calls me), BABY NICOLE, IDEL, and anybody i forgot. my bad.

EC: Any project or show you want to mention?
Optimist: Yeah, the truck show is coming, peep my flickr. jackhammers and butterflies for more info and images..
word up
peace
TIM the OPTIMIST

PAINTING DOWN THE WALLS OF BABYLON! with Ras Terms

Thursday, February 19th, 2009

Endless Canvas: How many years have you been writing?
Ras Terms: I started writing since 12 years old. I am 35 now, so its been a lifetime so far.

EC: What graffiti artists influences your work?
Terms: Theres many, but the ones that influenced and stayed influencing me throughout the years are, Kvee, Dek, Phase2, Vulcan. I can say that graff itself influences me everyday but these here have been since the start.

EC: Could you go in more detail how they helped you out?
Terms: Kvee and I grow up together so we would battle each other for fun and at the same time building styles. Dek just came and reinforced the style and we united in crew. Phase2 and Vulcan are just letter builders, architects of style.

EC: What influences your work other than graffiti?
Terms: Being called by an African spirit from my early teens I became a faithful follower of the Rastafari movement. Which in its full essence is an African tradition. So this heavily has influenced pretty much everything I do. From eating, thinking, and creating. All my works stem from an ancestral african spirit. As well as conscious hip hop late 80’s early 90’s and conscious reggae. returning to the cradle! As we bombed in the beginning, we shall Bomb in the end!

EC: Have you done any political or social themes in your work at all? If so what are they?
Terms: Graff/street art in itself has an impact on things social and political. Whether its wrong or right it’s still a statement. So yes I have done work that fights down this Babylon system, every-time!

EC: Rate your love for the police on a scale of 1-10, 10 being the highest?
Terms: I don’t care to much for them. They have their job they have chosen to do so do it. But they better do it right, if not we will speak out against any injustice when necessary…

EC: Would you call yourself a tagger, bomber, artist or what? And could you give a reason why?
Terms: I’ve done it and do it all. To me every part of Graff is an art form. Its a craft that ones need to master all its aspects at its proper time. And know where it has been and where to take it at its proper time.

EC: On average how many times do you go out and paint in a month?
Terms: I’m out with stickers, markers, cans, brush, wheat-paste, painted wood etc…. whenever…

EC: What era/ region of graffiti do you hold up as the greatest (NYC 80 Subway, 90’s San Francisco,etc……)?
Terms: Every era has its time……just don’t forget its roots and purpose………

EC: What got you started writing or keeps you writing?
Terms: Creating keeps me writing. The act of creating something is from creation so I gotta keep it going…………..What got me started is seeing art on walls in the early 80’s of Miami streets.

EC: Do you see a different between what some call “street art” from some call “ego graff/writers”? if so what are they?
Terms: No difference…its all one sound to me. Just get up and do it well…As for ego. Ego is in everything, just learn to control the self.

EC: What is your feelings on the buff?
Terms: Graff is not made to stay forever…so somebody gotta buff, so that the next one can hit it fresher!

EC: So do you feel the world would be a better place with out the buff? Where would the fresh work go?
Terms: Like I said, Its gonna happen. I never expect to see the art run for so long…..take a picture or something.

EC: Any crazy ass chase story, close call or just funny ass story that happen while you were painting?
Terms: Everyone loves the chase story….ask me when you meet me, I don’t want to incriminate myself

EC: What are differences in the graffiti culture in the various places you lived?
Terms: Its pretty much all the same, some build it, some destroy it…negatives and positives………

EC: Could you give a brief history of your graffiti career? or. Could you give a brief history of your hometown graffiti scene?
if you want to answer both that would be awesome.
Terms: I’m an oldschool Miami graff/street artist who has continued with the art and all its aspects. I’ve been a teacher to alot of the younger artist in Miami and they pretty much have all spread there wings at there times and conquered it. I have brought African culture since the early 90’s into the graff scene in Miami to show the world roots and that their are many aspects of graff not just write your name with no essence……. I live now in Oakland and still continue to create…so it goes.

Miami has been left out of the books. Just recently within the last couple of years you hear about it. One thing I gotta say, is that Miami has been creating since the 80’s and left out. It has a rich graff History that maybe oneday someone will document it…..

EC: Anybody you would like to shout out or give thanks to?
Terms: My Ancestors, His Imperial Majesty Haile Sellassie First and His Empress Menen, and of course THE CREWS: BSK, FS, 7UP, EP, TVC, WBB, STV, MOC, and all conscious graff/street artist. PAINT DOWN THE WALLS OF BABYLON!

Give thanks for the interview and I’ll leave it with the words of Honorable Marcus Mosiah Garvey” people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots.”