Archive for March, 2009
FROM MSK, AWR AND VINTAGE TATTOO, THE ONE AND ONLY BABA.
by CHRIS GROSSO on Mar.25, 2009, under BABA
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN DOING ART?
I grew up in a artistic household,, both parents were like Bohemian artsy weirdos, I started with Graffiti in 1980, and really started to come into my own around 1984.. I have been blessed to be part of some of the most amazing crews in the world.. UA UNITED ARTIST THE BRONX,,, STN, SECOND TO NONE,, KSN KINGS STOP AT NOTHING,, AND THEN,,,,, I FORMED MSK THE MOTHER FUCKING MAD SOCIETY KINGS!!! I AM ALSO IN AWR ARTWORK REBELS… BUT THE BEST THING IS THAT I AM A LOS ANGELINO!!
WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO BECOME AN ARTIST?
I have always had a overwhelming desire to create art. I think being in a artistic family with alot of catholic imagery around and being heavily into KISS..
THE MANY TALENTS OF EYEONE. HITTING THE ART WORLD FROM EVERY ANGLE.
by CHRIS GROSSO on Mar.25, 2009, under EYEONE
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN DOING ART?
I have been making art since I was a little kid. My mom just uncovered a sketchbook from my youth that I had to convince her to let me ‘borrow.’
WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO BECOME AN ARTIST?
It has been a life-long process of inspiration and motivation for me. In the beginning, I was surrounded by art at home; both of my parents are highly creative. My dad is an amazing photographer, as is my mom. My mom also paints and sculpts also. My folks would also take me to museums and galleries since I was a baby. They also have a huge collection of books on art and photography that I read over and over.
As a kid I consumed large amounts of anything visual I could lay my eyes (and hands) on: comics, anime, cartoons, old and new movies, book and album covers, toys, gig flyers, ‘zines, video games, signage, porn, packaging… Pretty much the things that most kids growing up in the US are bombarded with.
When my family moved to the US (I was 6), gang writing both scared me and impressed me. Seeing Beat Street when it came out at a downtown theatre got me onto a form of graffiti I found more positive (although later on I found out the writing in the movie was mostly faked.) My grandma would take me around the city on the bus and walking, and I began to discern a few names that finally made me want to start writing: Mando and Neo MAK and Krenz aka Yem AM7. Linking up with two kids in my neighborhood, Gloze 54 OTR and Modem SH, encouraged me even further. We started linking up with cats from LOD, OTR, and SH; I eventually became a member of Seeking Heaven. Everyone in my crew continues to teach and inspire me.
A family friend, artist and musician, Leon Chavez Teixeiro, particularly inspired and influenced me through his art, which often consist of stark images of urban environments, often in bold black and white with minimal color. He also taught me many techniques that I have incorporated into my fine art and print work. His political activism and its relationship to art is also a big inspiration.
STORMIE MILLS FROM THE AWR CREW AND THE WEST SIDE OF AUSTRALIA
by admin on Mar.19, 2009, under STORMIE MILLS
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN DOING ART?
Since I can remember, it’s all I’ve ever managed to do with any sort of consistency. When I was about 4 or 5 my grandparents came to visit us from Europe at Christmas & I was given painting materials as a present even then.
WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO BECOME AN ARTIST?
It’s all I really know, I’ve worked plenty of different jobs to make money, pay the rent & get by, but making art is the one thing I’ve done no matter what. Being somewhat of a recalcitrant I always admired people like Pollack & Rivera, that rebel rock, it’s more than “ars gratia artis” it’s manifestos painted on walls, those things as well as being lucky enough to meeting living artists that are well rounded people, successful people, successful at being themselves.
