April 2010: Marmota in Valencia

Spanish street artist Marmota will paint on pretty much anything: paper, walls, even cars. All he needs is a spray can and a stencil. Today, he gives props to his crew and thanks Brick Lane shopkeepers for supporting street art. He writes:

"In 2000, some friends and I formed the group Total Respect. It was around this time when I found stencils, which became my favorite way to express myself. Most of my stencils are painted in the Barrio del Carmen in Valencia.There are also sites like dear Mislata al Raceway; really, I'll paint anywhere."
"I have the fortune of being a member of the XLF, my crew. It is made up of eight friends: La End, Juliet On_ly, Deih, Cesp, Escif, Xelon and myself. We live together in a nice studio in the neighborhood of Carmen. We've been together for a long time and have learned to blend our different styles. It is a endless game."
"My style is still developing, since I'm never completely happy with it. I love the aesthetics of Mexican wrestling, muscle cars, guns, porn actresses, Renaissance, classic posters, boxing, and many more things. I think I have a recognizable stencil, but I still have much work ahead in order to refine and define my style. I think that's the mystery of painting: to stay one step ahead, do not settle and rediscover enjoy every day."
"I recently had the fortune of being in London' s Brick Lane. I was painting near an area where one can breathe graffiti and street art. The owner of the wall, a major Indian business with import of stuffed animals and strange things, gave me permission to paint. First, he approved my sketch and said there was already a Jef Aerosol stencil on the wall that was very good. I could not believe that everyone in the neighborhood was associated with urban art and was knowledgeable about the subject. I was delighted to paint their businesses."

"I have been a television camera operator for nine years. Four years ago, I decided to start a new workshop and started offering murals for business people.To this day, I still live for mural painting; I love designing and decorating all types of businesses. I do not earn much money, but I own my time and I spend my life doing what I love. I'm a very lucky person."

Gracias, Marmota! For more mural photos, visit his Flickr.