Friday ProFile: Olivia

Due to some technological difficulties, today's ProFile will be in a weekday kind of format. Fortunately, Olivia has a lot to say about her work and the future of street art. She writes:

"I was born in Bilbao, north of Spain and I've been living in Barcelona for the last 15 years. I always liked that name, I used it as a nickname on Internet, so that was a name I felt comfortable with and using olive-oil character. Olivia as a subject came easily. I also look a little bit like her."

"Everywhere I go I try to take posters with me. Barcelona, Bilbao, Madrid, Granada, Valencia, Paris, London, Berlin, Istanbul, Lisbon. In Spain I really like Valencia, because you can find very good spots and it last forever, at least by now. In Europe I loved Berlin, amazing city and full of really good stuff; also Paris is not easy but they really like stencils and I feel they appreciate my work. Paris is like the capital of stencils and for some reason my work always has a little French touch. When I'm not pasting, I work as a textile designer for fashion companies and also as a teacher of plastic arts to High school students."

"I remember myself always drawing and painting with colour pencils when I was a child, when I grew up I use to do it at school instead of doing maths. I started painting on the street when I was already 35, so at that time I had already studied Fine Arts and I had my own style of drawing. What I took from the street was the technique of stencil that I had never used before, Barcelona 5 years ago was very inspiring because there was murals and works of people of all types, colours, techniques and sizes, that was amazing.

"I was introduced to street art by Mr Case four and a half years ago. He told me everything about it, even how to make a stencil. I can't forget how excited I was when I painted my first stencil on the street, them I realised that was a bit more dangerous than I thought, police, fines. I think my olivias are more elaborate now. I started doing simple 2 or 3 layer stencils. Now I put more elements in them and I use different techniques apart from stencils, like fabric, feathers, etc. "

"Street art is very exciting, not because you can get caught by the police, but because being out on the streets everybody can see your stuff and other artists can interact with you. Also because street art makes a city feel alive, public space is a common place where everyone should have the opportunity of express themselves as citizens, not just the big companies with ads always trying to sell something, democratisation of public space."

"Once I got caught by the police on a bombing night in the city. I was taken to court and my punishment was to spend some hours as a social worker doing something for the community. I ended up teaching kids how to paint graffiti in a small organization, they had to paint the shutters of the neighbourhood shops with graffiti related to the products that were sold in each shop. The project was really interesting, teaching the kids how to make a sketch before starting and how to paint together was very nice. It was strange to teach kids how to paint graffiti as a punishment for painting graffiti... But it was a beautiful projects and the kids were really happy with the final piece, and that's the important thing for me."

"Painting with friends makes you feel safer and more self-confident. Street art is not an easy thing to do, many people hate it, you have to be careful with the police, and you must get used to see your work destroyed, covered, ripped and trashed (good for educating your ego), so doing it with friends makes it less hard and more fun."

"I think the main difference between old-school graffiti and street art, apart from the technique itself (spray vs brush/sticker/poster/whatever), is that graffiti is done by writers for writers, while street art is more open to all kind of people. Tags and throw-ups are a close code of communication for people who are inside the scene. Actually, tags are very hard to read for people not familiar with graffiti-style letters, they are intended for other graffiti artist to see and appreciate. While anybody can understand and appreciate street art. That's why graffiti and tagging are more stigmatised and not so accepted by society, while street art is more generally accepted, because graffiti is a close code of communication, while street art is more open o anyone and easily understandable."

"I never tried to express any special meaning behind my work, but I think there's always something, a way of seeing life that goes within. My girls are very feminine, but strong and even pioneer in their times. Each of my Olivias represent a quality I consider important, a tribute not only to the person or character but also an attitude. Frilivia Khalo, for instance, represents courage and self-improvement; Oliphine Baker to be ahead of your time. Now I'm working for an exhibition in Menorca, it's opening soon so I must hurry and finish the last pieces!"

"When graffiti started your ego was very important, a graffiti writer looked for fame and recognition in the graffiti scene. I guess this is a kind of attitude that fits more with men than with girls... Men tend to be tougher and more self-confident, while women can be more insecure, in general. But there are more and more girls doing street art now, and there were also girls in the old-school days. I think that's very important, hip hop and street art needs some girls! I don't think much about it, my fellow boys never made me feel different for being a woman; but there's a different sensitivity and normally you see the difference in the art, but not always.It's true that being a girl generates curiosity from people, because there aren't so many girls in the street art scene. I don't feel I have to lead any cause, but I am a woman and express my feelings and maybe those of any other women as well. Powerful, sensitive, intelligent, tough, but feminine. I prefer a strong woman to the image of a fragile conventional girl, and that's what I try to represent with Olivia. You can be strong and very feminine at the same time."

Thanks so much, Olivia! For more photos, catch up with Mr. Case on his website. Right now, I'm gearing up for a World Cup-filled weekend. Nobody call me (unless it's to discuss the matches)!

May 2010: El Mato in Santiago

It's summertime here in the northern hemisphere, but in the southern hemisphere they're feeling the chill. When it's time to go indoors, El Mato continues to work in his black book. Today, he shares past pieces and gets psyched about the season to come. He writes:

"I started in 2003 with my vandal friend. We sprayed without caps! With time, I incorporated all the elements I've been drawing in notebooks all my life."
"Usually, I paint in neighborhoods where I live or where I study in Santiago. They're secluded and independent. I like to paint in neighborhoods where there is not much access to art. I almost never paint uptown unless I'm getting paid."
"Most of the time, I paint alone. Sometimes, I paint with friends, but I prefer to paint with only one or two at the most. I don't like mass production. Mixing forms and painting styles is a nice way to produce a common work."
"Eventually, my style came out. I've drawn for as long I can remember. I find it easy to draw and to copy things from reality. I developed a fascination with artists who have their own style. I admire Hockney, Liberatore, and Manara."
"Many things have happened since I started doing street art: fighting, police. You never know when it will end. The best thing is when people who don't normally go to museums or read an art catalog see my work."

Gracias, Mato! For more characters, stop by his Flickr.

February 2010: New Orleans

I take way too many pictures, so sometimes things pile up in desktop file folders. Occasionally, I'll gloss over a trip altogether. While I talked about New Orleans, I didn't share nearly enough street art. Let's change that. Today, I'm keeping the text brief to make room for more pics.

June 2010: Thiago Hattnher in São Paulo

While my South African World Cup dreams never materialized this year, I'm dreaming big and I've got good feelings about 2014. If on the off-chance I do make it to Brazil, I'll have a whole lot of street art hunting to do in between the matches. Perhaps Thiago Hattnher will be kind enough to show me around. He's currently studying fine art in the classroom, but he still makes time to paint in the street. He writes:

"I first started doing street art when I was very young. My first contact with graffiti was when I was about ten years old. I was with a friend of my family called Juny KP who was a graffiti writer at the time. He used to take me to some graffiti events to see him painting and he began my contact with that culture."
"Although my first contact was when I was very young, of course I didn't start painting in the streets at that age. I remember when, in my first experiences with spray cans, I didn't have enough strength to press the cap for a long time. After a few years, when I was about 13 years old, I began painting in the streets with a group of friends."
"Nowadays, I'm 19 years old and I'm living in São Paulo studying fine arts. I'm not in the streets anymore very much anymore. I'm more focused on drawings and painting canvases. When I'm painting in the streets of São Paulo, I'm rarely by myself; I'm always with a few friends. For me, the best place to paint is in São José do Rio Preto, my hometown. Unfortunately, I don't go there too often to paint, but it is always good for me and for my production to be there. So far, apart from the usual encounters with the police, nothing really crazy has happened to me while painting in the streets."

"I developed my style studying a lot of artists and different works. I was also practicing, painting and experimenting a lot. Although I'm happy with my style now, I think my work is always changing and in development, and that is the way I think it has to be. You can't let things get automatic in your production."

Thanks, Thiago! For more photos of his ladies, check out his Flickr.

Friday ProFile: Seacreative

Back in the day, Italian artist Seacreative tagged up Milan like it was his job. “Sea was my tag when I was just a writer,” he says. “A name of three letters only that sounds and looks nice together. I’ve just kept on using them ever since.” Traveling across Italy and Europe, Seacreative isn’t afraid to pick favorites. “I’ve painted in Italy and Europe,” he says. “Valencia is the one I prefer, especially for people and atmosphere. In Valencia, people are allowed to paint everywhere, even in the city centre. I think that is great!”

Trips to the beach inspired Seacreative to start painting.“When I was a kid, we used to go to the seaside in a place full of graffiti,” he says. “In that place, there was a fantastic hall of fame and you know, all those vibrant colors and tags aroused my enthusiasm. At first, I started copying other writers lettering just like everyone but then I found my own way to graffiti. I preferred brushes and stencils instead of lettering.”
Over time, Seacreative moved from tags to characters. “In 2001, I found my way,” he explains. “I evolved my painting and gave more emphasis to my characters and the use of brushes. I prefer brushes because they help me express myself much better.”
While he may dabble in canvas works, Seacreative believes working outdoors is the best. “The streets are the best gallery you can find,” he insists. “You don’t have to be invited. No one makes you explain the works. There’s no selection, you know. Out there, you can make art for everyone and everyone can judge you. I think it’s a big challenge.”
Sometimes, stuff gets crazy in the street. “On a Sunday afternoon, my friends and I arrived in an abandoned factory,” he recalls. “We chose a wall and started painting. After 20 minutes, we heard some noises, but you know those kind of factories always have a lot of strange noises, so we didn’t care about it. We were painting when suddenly, a bunch of people surrounded us with guns and rifles, everything a soldier could handle. They were watching us just saying nothing. I tell you, we were scared to death! Later on, we found out they were air-soft players.”
On occasion, Seacreative works with friends. He enjoys painting with pals like Vine, Refreshink, and Borse. They work under the name Spruzzer and mix their individual styles into cohesive pieces. “Sometimes, we use sprays, some paint, and some 3D works. Other times, we pass from realistic to graphic. We have fun mixing everything together. Sometimes, we have four different ideas, but the result is always worth the effort.”

Thanks, Seacreative! For more photos, stop by his website. That's all for now. After a killer week of training, I'm looking forward to not moving all weekend. See you Monday!

May 2010: Phlegm in Sheffield

Phlegm doesn't limit himself to exclusively urban areas. Sometimes, a wooded area seems like a great place to paint, too. Today, he shows us some of his characters from the city and beyond. He writes:

"I did a few things in the street when I was in my late teens using rollers but I didn't use cans until 2005. I'm a cartoonist foremost; I write self published comics and zines. It was when I first started toying around with the comic work on walls that I really started to get busy."
"I'm from Sheffield in the UK. I tend to do most of my work here because I'm constantly broke due to my paint costs. I travel about sometimes when I get a chance but I'm more focused on doing lots of work at the moment, rather than getting involved more. I want a few nice quiet years of working really hard."
"Drawing and painting every day tends to develop my style. I switched to black and white last year so I have to paint more like I draw comics. I find if I keep the two close, then they both help improve the other.""I'm pretty tame to be fair. I painted a big boarded up window without asking once and the neighbor came out and gave me a tray of tea and biscuits. That's about as rock and roll as I get."
"I've been drawing a whole comic on walls for about a year and a half. Each wall I paint is a frame in a story. I'm about half way through painting it. It's been a way to keep involved in the work rather than getting stuck in a rut or getting absorbed into the art scenes. I want to look back at a huge body of work and ideas when I'm older. What I don't want is to look back at a string of dull work, a load of bad art shows and a custom shoe."

Thanks, Phlegm! For more outdoor comics, check out his website.

Friday ProFile: Woozy

As a 10-year-old kid growing up in Athens, Woozy was intoxicated (both literally and figuratively) with graffiti. “I remember the spray effects and the dizziness of the toxic inhalations that I felt after painting,” he laughs. Graffiti books and movies from the U.S. flooded into Greece and encouraged him to paint outdoors.

When he grew up, he attended art school and spent his spare time spray-painting everything. While balancing student life and street art can be demanding, he’s found the time to bomb France, Brazil, China, Thailand, Italy, England, Germany, Holland, Portugal, and Spain. “For me, traveling around the world is a great pleasure,” he insists. “It helps me express my views and interact with other cultural elements and people I come across.”
While urban spaces can be hostile, Woozy recognizes that they are an integral part of his work. “As you grow up, you can see that you enjoy illegally creating art,” he says, “but you can also judge things in a more mature way. The more you observe, the more you realize your creation is a product of the surrounding environment.”
One of Woozy’s favorite painting experiences took place abroad in São Paolo. “During my stay, I was influenced by society’s local structure and the intense social inequalities,” he recalls. “I attempted to add color to the big, grey surfaces. I wanted to inspire hope and change by adding a drop of paint to an endless grey reality. The potential audience is huge, too, because so many millions of people live there.”
While the action of street art is a radical statement, Woozy doesn’t believe his pieces are particularly revolutionary. “I don’t have the ambition to be the one who radically changes things with one intervention,” he insists. “I’m not someone who can successfully judge all issues. I try to be modest and make people think and analyze rather than just offering up complete conclusions.” The medium’s danger combined with a city’s unpredictable streets push Woozy to paint everywhere.
Woozy's 2010 is completely packed so far. This year, he’s planning a big exhibition in Athens and challenging new installations. In the future, he hopes to travel to Africa, Australia, and New Zealand. “I love communicating and interacting with local cultures and civilizations,” he explains. “I consider this a key part of my work; those elements are the basis of my perception and inspiration.”

Thanks, Woozy! For more photos, take a peek at his website. This weekend calls for warm weather, football get togethers, prom chaperoning, and a celebration for one of my best friends who's moving in a week. I can only imagine the exhaustion I'll feel Monday, but I've had practice so I think I can deal. Enjoy!

May 2010: E-mail Catch-up

I wouldn't be able to run this blog without my friends. They don't get upset when I run off and photograph things. Even if I bore them with talk of street art, they don't show it. One of the sweetest gestures is when they send me e-mails about street art because the piece made them think of me. Amazing! Today, my friends Ben, Elif, Will, and Hannah check in from CT, Istanbul, NYC, and Paris to share notes, photos, and video clips. Much love!

"Thought you would enjoy! Here's a video of him explaining what will be in the show. Awesome!--Ben"

"Hey, I found this on the street in Istanbul yesterday. It actually is an ad (I think) but they just sprayed it on the wall! =) Thought you would enjoy! Love, Ally"
"More on the way, Duffster. Warm regards, Balls."

"Saw these in Paris. Thought they were neat. The man was from Montmartre. The girl was in the Latin Quarter near Rue Mouffetard, I believe. :) Good to see your happy San Fran trip! HN"
Thank you so much, guys! I can't express how much I appreciate your support. :)

April 2010: Pablo Hererra in Salamanca

Increased urbanization usually means fewer trees. While Pablo's versions don't produce carbon dioxide, bear fruit, or pollinate, they still make urban spaces a little brighter. Today, he checks in from Salamanca and explains the story behind his arbor-themed paintings. He writes:

"I live in Salamanca, a small inland town famous for its university which looks beautiful but has no cultural power in the 21st century. I try to show parts of the city and its surroundings that aren't promoted by the culture and tourism board. Although most of my work takes place in Salamanca, I painted in similar sites around Asturias, Madrid, Cáceres and Huesca. I am interested in marginalized spaces, not the center of the city."
"Developing my style was a slow process. Ten years ago, I started with Chinese ink, painting vertical lines which gradually became plant prototypes and ended up as trees. I have a fascination with the abstract; I hope to end up doing pure abstraction on the wall."
"I love painting in quiet, abandoned places. Some of them convey a strange feeling, like temples. My favorite was an old farm re-taken by nature; many of my first murals were made there."
"I've only had a little trouble with the police. Sometimes, I get chased by dogs. Most of the time, people just think that I own a place. Maybe they think I work for the council! I almost always make a good connection with the neighbors."
"Now I am preparing some graphic work on paper, but street art gives me the most artistic satisfaction. I think it's a passion and a vice of sorts. I love seeing more people developing a simple way to create joy. Street art connects the problems of the street and the miseries of the city with beauty. It always brings a feeling of inexplicable fullness."

Gracias, Pablo! For more photos of his projects, stop by his blog.

April 2010: Esco in São Paolo

When it comes to street art, São Paolo is one of the great South American capitals. As the birthplace of pixaçao, the scene grew rapidly to include different styles. Today, Esco shows us his unique style and shares crazy stories from the field. He writes:

"Well, I first started painting walls when I was nine year old. It was in some college event. But I really started with this graffiti art for about six years ago. I started making pieces on the street with tags and pixo."
"Everytime that I can work with more people, I do. I think that's essential for my work, having friends with me while I'm doing this act. I prefer my best friends at these moments, but if they are not there, i find new company or I go alone."
"I just like painting abandoned house, factories, and places that are forgotten by people. Those place always have a lot of history to share. I try to see those histories and talk about it with my work. For some years, I just drew letters. During those years, I started going to the street and grabbing walls, so letters greatly influence my present work."
"Once, I was on the street bombing doors with a friend when we saw a good wall for this work. However, it was near a cop post. So we thought that if we could make it, it would be very hard but good. So my friend started doing his piece and when we were finishing, we saw many police cars on the street. Now I think that we should have stopped there, but our reaction was to finish faster. When my friend was almost done, I saw six cops getting out and running in our direction. I got REALLY scared, picked up my backpack, and started running across the street. Those cops looked at my friend, but they came for me. That moment, I thought that they woud kill me! I had very bad luck this day. I was running when I saw another police car with some more cops. They looked the situation and came for me too. I crossed a small street and passed by a bar that was with so many people that saw the situation. They started to scream 'THIEF!' 'THIEF!' All of that happened really fast; then a cop started yelling for me to get down on the ground ! I did what they told me and they asked what I was doing running. I told them I was doing graffiti and nothing big happened. They let me go and didn't give me any problems, but the situation was really funny."
"Now I am starting to see how this work can be very big and communicative. I think those letters for me is easier to do, because I can do that anywhere and it's different than my other kind of drawings. It is some kind of graffit work, but it isn't; it has roots of São Paulo 'Pixaçao', but it isn't pixaçao. It is a product of me reading everything I see into urban art. I am a teacher at a prison for kids ages 11-18, so I see art in everything."

Thanks, Esco! For more São Paolo walls, visit his Flickr.