MAC ART

New video from Viet Nam

2012-01-31T16:13:00.000-08:00

Here's a new video put together by the good folks at VNTWT in Saigon, VietNam. It's based on footage and interviews from when I painted there in 2010. I don't think I was as eloquent as I could have been, but other than that I think it's a great video and hopefully gives a little bit of an insight into how/why I paint what I do. I really found a lot of inspiration in VietNam and look forward to going back to paint there some more, and hopefully visit some other parts of SE Asia as well.

Also, I have a bunch of other updates to put up, but I've been locked away in the studio preparing for upcoming gallery shows & mural projects, but I'll be adding some more stuff soon..

New mural, new year

2012-01-02T10:18:00.000-08:00

The first day of 2012 saw the release of this month's LA Times Magazine, which included a portrait I painted for an article by respected civil rights attorney and social justice champion, Constance "Connie" Rice. When the project came to me I was excited to paint her and thought it would be great to paint the portrait as a mural, so it could have a life beyond being seen in the magazine. The Times was into the idea, and after asking around, I was able to secure a location for the mural on the side of the Center for the Study of Political Graphics in West LA. I was also able to meet with Ms. Rice at her Advancement Project offices and take some photos of her for reference. Very inspiring woman. I painted the mural in a couple days, and it was barely completed in time for the publishing deadline. Many thanks to Connie, Cary, Hannah, the LA Times Magazine, Aris, Carol, Mary, the CSPG, Oscar and John for their help making this possible. Carlos Gonzalez also got some cool process shots.

New piece in Phoenix on "Calle 16"

2011-12-12T19:06:00.000-08:00

I was in Phoenix recently and painted a little something on the side of a new artspace called Por Vida Gallery (right next to the infamous Barrio Cafe on 16th street). My good friends Pablo Luna, Lalo Cota & Breeze Marcus just got the space recently and should be opening it soon. The portrait is based on a photo of the homie Chee from LA, though it could represent a lot of different folks.

Breeze said something about this mural that perfectly explains one of the reasons I love painting for the public so much:

"What I like best about this piece is there are a dozen dudes walking around this neighborhood that look just like this painting, and they all think its them. This piece now belongs to that community, and they appreciate it and respect. That's the most important thing."

As an example, below is a shot of "O.G." who lives nearby and does share a resemblance, if maybe a little older. He came through a couple times and expressed his support.

New EL MAC video from Barcelona

2011-12-09T10:51:00.000-08:00

Here's a classy new video documenting the mural I painted recently at the MTN factory outside Barcelona, Spain.

This is a statement from the good folks at Popcranc that made the video:

“From the very start, when we had the opportunity to speak with Mac and find out more about his work, we decided to center the video idea not on the mural process, but on the style and inspiration of the author. The suggestive image of the girl which he painted really reminded us of Andy Warhol’s screen tests, and the simple details characteristic of Jean-Luc Godard’s Anna Karina. So we threw ourselves into the project, playing with that inspiration. The main thing was to use the dramatic combination of black and white, just as Mac did with his piece. We had a great time during the whole process with Mac, Ari, and Kim, and hope that they’ll come back to Barcelona soon. Many thanks to Montana for the opportunity!”

New Print: "Prayer"

2011-11-21T00:38:00.000-08:00

I will be releasing a new print titled "Prayer" this tuesday Nov.22nd through Moon Editions of San Francisco. I haven't put out a print for a little while now, and this is a special one. It's based on the painting I created for the New Masters show at Subliminal Projects in LA earlier this year. I put a lot of time into painting this just how I wanted it, and the guys at Moon did a perfect job making it into a print. Thanks to Nick Portalupi & Brett Aronson for taking the time & effort to do it right, and thanks to Patrick Kawahara for the great documentation.

Here are some details:

EL MAC "Prayer" 2011

Two-color serigraph on archival Stonehenge 320 gsm.

100% cotton, acid-free.

Print is 21"x28"

Signed, stamped and numbered by the artist.

Vermilion red / Edition of 49

Metallic copper / Edition of 39

Teal blue variant / Edition of 9

Available Tuesday (Nov. 22) at a random time @ shop.mooneditions.com

For more information visit: mooneditions.com

New EL MAC mural in Barcelona, Spain

2011-11-01T11:10:00.000-07:00

Here are shots of a mural I painted at the Montana paint factory just outside Barcelona, Spain. I've used the paint produced there for years and I had always imagined the place to be located in some harsh industrial wasteland. It is in fact surrounded by mountains and forests, just north of the famous Montserrat abbey and mountain range. This contrast between something so industrial and urban, and an environment so peaceful and natural seemed like a good setting for what I painted. I had access to hundreds of colors but decided to limit my color palette to just black, white and grey (and leave the full spectrum to the classic Os Gemeos mural across the way). Thanks to Lacheln for modeling for this, thanks to Ari and Kim for ground support, Jorge y Javier de Avant-Garde Urbano, y gracias a Jordi, Albert y todos los de MTN por hacer posible este mural.

New EL MAC mural in London: "Un Campechano en Londres"

2011-10-25T03:30:00.000-07:00

Painted this quick little mural in the Shoreditch area of London a couple months ago. Based it on a photo I took of a local campesino when I was in Campeche, México last year. Wasn't even in London a full 24 hours, and basically spent the whole time there just painting this. Special thanks to Jim & Matilda of EOTL for the wall & amenities, thanks to the Bristol City Council for the paint, and thanks to the weather for not starting to rain until I finished.

New mural in LA with Kofie for Sound Space/KROQ/RedBull

2011-10-21T14:32:00.000-07:00

Here's some shots of a new mural I just painted with my good friend Kofie in LA. It was commissioned for the new Red Bull Sound Space venue at the KROQ headquarters. Coincidentally, I just painted a guitarist in Spain recently, so this is a more modern, harder, electric companion to that. This is based on a photo I took of my girl Kim playing her vintage Supro guitar. I wanted this to convey a sense of rocking out combined with musicianship- I think Kofie's sharp, aggressive angles are a good compliment to the more focused, serene feel of the figure. Music is a key part of my painting process, I hardly ever paint without listening to some kind of music...so this is sort of an appreciation for all the great musicians that help us do what we do and make life better, one drum beat or guitar riff at a time. Thanks to Kim for modeling, and all the good folks from KROQ and Red Bull that helped make this mural possible.

New EL MAC mural in Tudela, Spain: "El Guitarrista"

2011-10-19T10:59:00.000-07:00

These are shots of a new mural titled "El Guitarrista" I just painted in Spain. This was part of the Avant-Garde Urbano 2011 "international festival of artistic interventions in the urban space" held a couple weeks ago in Tudela de Navarra. The mural was painted in an old Gypsy neighborhood, next to a Romanesque church from the 12th century, La Iglesia de la Magdalena. The history and culture in this area runs deep. Christians, Jews and Muslims have all shaped the identity of old Tudela, and it was inspiring to soak some of this in. The wall faces a little plaza where each day families hang out, little kids play, and old ladies keep the mosquito population in check with their flyswatters. The image I painted there was based on a photo I took of a Mexican guitar player in East LA, and it seemed perfectly appropriate considering the connections between Flamenco music and Mexican/Latin-American music. This was produced by the Castel Ruiz cultural center and curated by Jorge Rodríguez-Gerada. The other participating artists included BLU, SUSO33, Filippo Minelli, Buenos Aires Stencil + Run Don't Walk. Many thanks to the talented and amazing Jorge & Ana, Javier & Castel Ruiz, Juanjo y su familia, my roll dogs Ari and Kim, MTN paints, and everyone else that helped make this project possible.

New mural project in Tudela, Spain

2011-10-02T01:38:00.000-07:00

More details and images soon...

New Video from Germany- "Portrait of a Dying Cockroach"

2011-09-20T00:12:00.000-07:00

Here's a new timelapse video of a piece I painted for the Public Provocations show at the Carhartt Gallery held during the last Art Basel in Switzerland. This was painted with just spraypaint and fatcaps, no stencils or projectors, etc. As I explained in this earlier post, this was based on a photograph I took of a cockroach on the floor of the Margulies Collection when we painted their building during the last Miami Art Basel. It felt appropriate to then paint this during the Swiss Art Basel, alongside all the glamour and wealth. (Someone told me they don't have roaches in Switzerland)

Many thanks to Dans & the crew at Carhartt Gallery for putting this together.

New EL MAC mural in Bristol, England: "Clothed With the Sun"

2011-09-09T00:14:00.000-07:00

This is a new mural I painted in Bristol, England titled "Clothed With the Sun". It is located in the center of the city, on a building six stories high. It was painted during an event called "See No Evil", as part of an effort to revitalize one of the more drab streets in the heart of Bristol (yes, the same Bristol that street art superstar Banksy is from). A bunch of other European artists also painted for this event, billed as "Europe's largest permanent street art project".
I wanted to make this image something like a modernized scene from a Renaissance painting, serene and grandiose. Hopefully Raphael or Michelangelo would approve. You could interpret this as an updated Madonna painting, or an homage to single mothers in a country that has the highest rate of single mothers in Europe.

Many thanks to my lady Kim & her baby niece Madeleine for posing, The Bristol City Council & Inkie for helping make this possible, TATS cru for comedy, Weapon of Choice, Tim, and everyone else that helped out or showed some love.

Here's a no-frills timelapse video someone took from a nearby building:

..and here's a painting by Raphael from about 1504 that's a good example of the inspiration behind the mural.

New video- Retna, El Mac: les murs clairs-obscurs de Los Angeles

2011-09-08T14:49:00.000-07:00

Retna, El Mac: les murs clairs-obscurs de Los... by Mediapart

Here is a nice new video that was put together by Hugo Vitrani for the French news magazine Mediapart as part of a series of artist profiles, titled "Retna, El Mac: les murs clairs-obscurs de Los Angeles" (Los Angeles chiaroscuro walls).
Here's the video description:
Mixage contemporain des murales mexicains et chicanos, de la peinture classique italienne et des gang graffiti, les fresques monumentales de Retna et El Mac nous font lever les yeux aux murs, pour mieux nous les ouvrir. Touchant de la bombe et du pinceau la misère des barrios de L.A, leurs murs transpirent la pauvreté, l'espoir, la révolte et les identitées déracinées-métissées.

New mural in Montréal - "Spirit of Summer / l'Esprit d'Été"

2011-09-07T08:26:00.000-07:00

Here's a recent mural I just painted in Montreal, Canada. This one's titled "Spirit of Summer" and was my expression of the vitality you can feel this time of year there. Montreal is one of my favorite cities, and it seems to hold a unique creative energy. I also know how cold, drab and grey it can get there when it isn't summer, so I almost felt a sense of obligation to paint this with more color than usual. In addition, this is kind of an interpretation of a young Rose Phillips, the namesake of the neighborhood this is in, "Rosemont". Many thanks to Louis, my main Quebec connect, for making this all possible. Thanks also to the other Louis for sponsorship and support, Lacheln for modeling, and to everyone that came by to help or hang out. More updates soon..

"Portrait of a Dying Cockroach" - New Installation for Public Provocations at Carhartt Gallery, Basel

2011-06-27T10:50:00.000-07:00

Disclaimer: The last couple months have been hectic...Along with traveling, I've just moved recently and it may take a sec to get settled and get the new base of operations up and running. Apologies for not keeping up with correspondence, I'll do my best to catch up.

Here are some shots from the installation I did for the Public Provocations show at the Carhartt Gallery during ArtBasel on the Swiss/German border. The center piece is titled "Portrait of a Dying Cockroach". I tried to paint this in the most graceful, beautiful way I could. It's based on some photos I took of an unnoticed roach on the spotless floor of the Margulies collection in Miami. This was from when Retna and myself painted a mural on the side of their building during the Miami ArtBasel a couple years ago. Something about painting that there during the Swiss ArtBasel seemed appropriate. While I was there someone told me they don't have roaches in Switzerland, but I don't believe this.

"Let the Arts Roam" - New video portrait of Mac & Retna

2011-06-27T10:13:00.000-07:00

This is a new video just released by I Am Los Angeles / Joris Debeij that I think came out really nice. It documents some of the creation of my most recent collaborative mural with Retna for a school in LA, across from MacArthur Park. Here's their description for the video:

"Wherever they go, they try to make something that makes sense for the neighborhood, and the community. And they always make something positive, something the artists hope people can enjoy -- regardless of whether life has greeted them with great fortune. Armed with a vision and their cans of spray paint, El Mac and Retna will transform a forgotten wall into a piece of art.

El Mac and Retna are street artists, born in LA. They use building walls as blank canvases for their imagery, and the duo has collaborated to create murals all over the world. El Mac and Retna have very different styles, and have been collaborating the last few years. They combine their artistic forces in a specific way: El Mac creates huge lifelike portraits and Retna, calligraphic brushwork and decoration. The result is striking imagery that is unique and recognizable as theirs. It's not uncommon for street art fans and documentarians to gather to watch the progression of an El Mac and Retna work in progress.

El Mac and Retna art feels appropriate for the street because the artists themselves embrace the city streets, the different neighborhoods, and the blend of cultures and backgrounds of the people that fill them. Street art, including the work of El Mac and Retna, also reflects a new attitude about accessibility to art in our environments. "Why not see all the walls painted," says Retna. "Let the Arts Roam!"

"Kosoom by the Mekong" - New Video from Viet Nam

2011-06-09T06:41:00.000-07:00

Here's a cool video made by The Propeller Group out of Saigon/Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam. It documents my visit there last summer when I painted a mural of my girlfriend Kim's grandmother, Kosoom. It was an amazing and inspiring experience, and these guys did a great job documenting it with this video.

Here's their description for the video:

El Mac painted this beautiful mural in front of Sàn Art, an independent artist space, also just outside the offices of The Propeller Group in Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam. This painting is based on a photo of Kosoom, the grandmother of El Mac's girlfriend.

All of the photographs included in this video as well as the footage of motorbikes zooming through the city were taken by El Mac. Part of his process is documenting different people from different places and selecting a handful to paint on walls around the world. We wanted this video piece to be a reflection of how El Mac saw the world of Viet Nam for the first time, taking it all in, and juxtaposing the fast paced life in the city with this giant portrait that would literally slow people down in admiration as they passed by.

More info, photos, etc at www.VNTWT.com

"Public Provocations" installation at Carhartt Gallery x ArtBasel

2011-06-09T06:32:00.000-07:00

I'm doing a small installation at the Carhartt Gallery, Basel (along the Swiss-German-French border) along with some other respected international artists.. opening June 11th, right before ArtBasel

"Art in the Streets"

2011-05-17T17:35:00.000-07:00

Seeing as how there's been all this attention paid to "street art" lately I thought I'd put up this old photo I found from 1995. It was taken by my friend STOEC NBS, who was one of my earliest painting partners, and did the fresh robot character to the right. I painted the thing on the left which was some kind of lizard in a suit and was pretty wack, so I probably wouldn't post the whole wall even if I find the photo. This wall was at the corner of Central and Lincoln in downtown Phoenix. Since then I've been stepping up my can control & facial hair situation, still working on the wardrobe part. When this photo was taken I had no idea that painting murals/street-art/graffiti would pretty much control my life for the next 16+ years....

"Inspired" - New mural in LA with Kofie

2011-05-15T21:13:00.000-07:00

This is a permanent "outdoor mural installation" I just painted with Kofie in Los Angeles titled "Inspired". It's at Mid-City Arts/33Third in conjunction with the Pasadena Museum of California Art's new 'Street Cred' Exhibition. It's our fourth collaborative mural together and only our second in LA, (unless you count a small mural we also painted with Retna in 2003). Kofie is one of my favorite modern/abstract artists, and one of the few people I've ever collaborated with on walls aside from Retna and Reyes. A number of other respected artists from the PMCA exhibition will be painting at 33Third as well in the coming days. Many thanks to: Med & Shig for the support & materials, Lacheln for modeling, Kim, Ixchel, Todd, & kohsh for documenting, and thanks to the loud Jamaicans next door for the soundtrack.

"New Masters" at Subliminal Projects in LA

2011-05-05T02:43:00.000-07:00

I have a couple pieces in a show opening this saturday, May 7th at Subliminal Projects in LA. It's a group show titled "New Masters" and will include works based on the classical figure. To consider myself a "New Master" would be a little egotistical, but I think it's an honor to be considered as such and be included alongside the other talented artists in the show. The photos above are progress shots of my newest painting, "Prayer" which will be in the show. It was a true labor of love. Even after all these years I still can't believe how long these paintings take to complete!

And another thing- my apologies as always for not keeping up with emails, blogging etc. I will do my best to catch up soon. More good things on the way...

"Every Little Miracle" - New mural in LA with Retna

2011-03-30T13:28:00.000-07:00

This is a mural I painted recently with Retna in Los Angeles, on a school right across from MacArthur Park. As usual, I painted the figures, and Retna painted the lettering and background. The mural was donated to the MacArthur Park Primary Center by Pampers, who held a contest as part of their "Every Little Miracle" campaign calling for Latina moms to share the stories of their miracle babies. The ten stories chosen were honored by having the children's names displayed on the mural. Thanks to Everyone from the school, Paine and Pampers for making it possible, everyone that came by and showed support, and special thanks to Kim & Madeleine for modeling.

New Print release today: EL MAC x Cirque du Soleil

2011-03-09T15:41:00.000-08:00

This is a painting commissioned by Cirque du Soleil/Safewalls out of Montreal, Canada. It is part of a touring exhibition created by three art lovers working within Cirque du Soleil. SAFEWALLS commissions new artists every month to create alternate posters of Cirque du Soleil’s shows. The show represented here is OVO, with one of its spider characters being the inspiration.

Today, Safewalls is releasing signed silkscreen prints of this piece, available HERE
as well as cheaper giclee posters available HERE

ELMAC X BLISSS Magazine

2011-01-19T13:26:00.000-08:00

I have a nice cover feature in this month's issue of BLISSS magazine, with a six page interview with one of the most talented graffiti writers on the planet, Ewok MSK. The cover piece was painted last summer in Singapore as part of the VIET NAM: the World Tour project. Here's the video the Propeller Group made for that:

DASH2000 Rest in Peace

2011-01-19T12:55:00.000-08:00

My crewmate Dash2000 UTI passed away from cancer this month. Though I didn't know him all that well he was always cool to me and came across like a very positive person. I know he will be missed by many. Here's a little sketch I did of him. Also included a classic shot of him (along with Skill) in the late 80's where he's adding the "I" in UTI. One of LA's finest.

NYC mural video - "Chelsea Jewel"

2010-12-16T22:27:00.000-08:00

Here's a video of a mural I painted in Manhattan recently when I was in town for my show at Joshua Liner Gallery. It was on the side of an auto garage in Chelsea. They guy complaining in the video was upset because he had painted something on the wall before and it wasn't there anymore.

This video was made by the lovely and enchanting Kim Hagey.

Thanks to Josh & Tim from the gallery for hooking up the wall, and thanks to David from the garage for the support. More on the way...

"Manuel Lee Chang" - Mural in Campeche

2010-12-08T16:08:00.000-08:00

Here's another mural I just painted in Campeche, Mexico for the Seres Queridos project. It's right next to the main public market. This is a portrait of Manuel Lee Chang, known locally as "el Chino"(despite the fact that he's of Korean descent) with his Guacamaya (Macaw). He's been selling handmade wooden toys, knick-knacks and tropical birds for decades. I thought this would be an interesting and important image to paint because it shows a blending of cultures. Anybody familiar with me or my work may have realized that this is an important theme for me. The Asian community in Mexico is not really that visible, and I thought it would be interesting to show Manuel with his Guacamaya, as these birds are very representative of that region. The photo at the end is from when Manuel, his bird, and his family came to see me goodbye at the airport, which I really appreciated.

Gracias a Anna, Victor, Julio, Champi, Mena, y al resto del equipo SQ para hacerlo posible!

Seres Queridos - Campeche pt. II

2010-12-08T13:25:00.000-08:00

So I already posted a few images from this wall, here are some more of the rest of the mural. These are some of the biggest figures I've painted so far. This was part of the Seres Queridos project. The lady represents el Dia de Muertos in Pomuch, and the man is a fisherman from Ciudad del Carmen. The other figures on the wall were painted by Akut (of Herakut), el Niño de las Pinturas, and Mr. Kern. All portraits were based on photos by Jorge Borroto. One more mural from Campeche on the way...

Steel & paper

2010-12-08T12:46:00.000-08:00

Here's a photo of a train. The guy painted on the train looks just like my friend Jaba. Next are a couple recent sketches- one of the extremely talented Rene Almanza who I met when I was in Monterrey earlier this year, and one of some guy sleeping on the subway in NYC. I think drawing from life is very important, like exercising. Neither of which I do enough of these days. The last photo is of a really cute little girl I exchanged sketches with at a Vietnamese restaurant in Montreal.

two more pieces from NYC show

2010-12-07T02:16:00.000-08:00

These are two new acrylic & brush on wood panel works that were in my NYC show at Joshua Liner Gallery. The one of the man is called "Cousin of Death" and is based on a photo I took in Singapore. The painting of the girl is titled the same as the show, "Humble and Sublime", and is based on a photo I took of a beautiful girl named Abby in Hawaii a few months earlier.

"Humble and Sublime" works

2010-12-07T00:18:00.000-08:00

Here are full shots of the larger pieces from the show. These are all spraypaint on stretched burlap. The titles, in order, are:

Thien-Phuong, The Merchant, Anais, The Motorist, The Student

"Humble & Sublime" solo show recap

2010-12-06T23:49:00.000-08:00

I'm a little late putting these up, but here are shots from my solo show at Joshua Liner Gallery in Chelsea, NYC. Most of the pieces from the show were inspired by photos I took earlier this year in Singapore and VietNam. This was an important show for me. Thanks go to Josh, Tim & Lynzy for helping make it happen, David & Ari for ground support, the good folks of NYC who showed up despite the rain, the collectors who came through, and Kim for putting up with me.

NYC mural - Chelsea Jewel

2010-12-06T23:08:00.000-08:00

Here's a wall I painted in NYC when I was out there for my show in October. Thanks to Joshua Liner Gallery for hooking it up & Ashley Vera for modeling.

Checking in from Campeche..

2010-11-27T01:51:00.000-08:00

So it's been a while since there have been any updates on here, and I have a lot to sort through so I wanted to put a little something up for now until I get time to add the rest. I've been working in Campeche, Mexico for the last couple weeks as part of the second installation of the Seres Queridos project. The first was in Monterrey earlier this year. This lady represents Pomuch, Campeche, and specifically their unique Dia de los Muertos tradition. I will try and post the rest soon. Also, sorry again for being bad with emails, I haven't been keeping up and hope I haven't offended anyone.
More updates on the way...

"The Humble and Sublime" - short video

2010-09-29T14:22:00.000-07:00

Here's a little video my girl put together for my upcoming show in NYC... very cool!

NYC solo show - "The Humble and Sublime"

2010-09-23T11:40:00.000-07:00

Here's a flyer for a solo show I will be having in New York City at the Joshua Liner Gallery from Oct.14th through Nov.6th. Opening reception is the evening of October 14th. This will be my first show in the Big Apple and I'm frantically still producing & preparing for it. Below are some process shots of one of my new pieces that will be in the show. It's based on a photo I took in Singapore this summer. I'll try and post some more new work soon when I get time...

Juxtapoz again

2010-09-22T23:48:00.000-07:00

The latest issue of Juxtapoz (#117) has a nice big feature on Kofie, which includes an interview I did with him recently. The issue also has features on two other heavyweight talents, Craola and Rene Almanza. Good stuff..

Juxtapoz + "Of Our Youth" video

2010-08-28T10:07:00.000-07:00

The fine folks from RVCA just put out this cool video documenting the "Of Our Youth" mural I did in Culver City recently with Retna. Also, check out his cover feature in the latest Juxtapoz:

VietNam

2010-08-15T17:27:00.000-07:00

And finally the last leg of the trip: Saigon/Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam. I went there as part of Viet Nam the World Tour. Viet Nam is an amazing place, and I feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity to go there and meet so many great people. It was very inspiring. Also, I've never seen so many scooters in my life. I painted this mural by the front of Sán Art independent artist space and the offices of the Propeller Group in the Binh Thanh district. It's based on a photo I took of my girlfriend's grandmother, Kosoom. I think her expression here can convey both warmth and strength. I used colors that matched the surrounding environment, so she's a little bit camouflaged from far away. I took the extra time to try and get this piece to look just how I wanted, which was all the more difficult thanks to the heat, humidity, mosquitos, and constant rain. The light gray letters in the background say "KHCATBTONG" which is an abbreviation for something like "concrete cutting". These imitate stamps of similar appearance that can be seen all over the city. Everywhere. The amount of these stamps that are up is insane, so there must be a fairly high demand for that service.

I also painted at a hip hop event there, where I did a little something using local paint (quality European paint isn't really available there) called "Red Fox". This stuff is very difficult to use, so I have sympathy for the local writers. I had fun messing around with it though. The piece in the middle photo above is a painting of me by a Vietnamese writer named Hoang, who came down from Hanoi (Northern Viet Nam) to paint. I felt very honored! He did a great job, especially considering the rain, small size and use of local paint. I really look forward to going back to Viet Nam again someday. Many, many thanks to Matt, Tuan & Phunam of the Propeller Group for the good times and making everything possible, Sán Art, Kooz, Tofu, and the customs lady at the airport who decided to let me go.

Singapore

2010-08-12T13:12:00.000-07:00

I left Hawaii for Singapore to participate in the Night Festival, which is an annual cultural event put together by the National museum of Singapore and Theatreworks. I was there with Tyke Witnes as part of VietNam the World Tour, which is an ongoing traveling art project oganized by the Propeller-Group. Along with painting for the festival, I met up with my talented friend Jaba, who lives there and helped secure a good wall to paint at Post-Museum. This is that wall. I have to say it felt very strange painting a mural in Singapore, as it's a huge modern, international city, yet graffiti doesn't really exist there (seriously) and ANY kind of public art whatsoever is a rare sight. Singapore is infamous for its extreme penalties for things as minor as littering, they don't have jury trials, and one can get the death penalty for possessing just about any kind of drugs there (yet somehow alcohol is easily available at all hours?). As you can imagine, acquiring a permanent, visible public wall and painting it with spraypaint is not an easy task. Everything worked out just fine though, and with the support of the folks at Post-Museum and the Propeller group, Tyke and I were able to paint something nice for everyone. I based my piece on a photo I took of a man in Miami last year. He blended right in with the people in the area we painted, called "Little India", which happened to be one of the more vibrant parts of the city.

Thanks again to the Propeller-Group, Theatreworks, Jaba, Soph, Jennifer, Post-Museum, Tyke, and the National Museum of Singapore!

Next stop: Viet Nam

Oahu, Hawaii

2010-08-11T23:39:00.000-07:00

In July I went to the opposite side of the globe, leaving Dublin for Hawaii. This was a very short visit, and I only painted one small commissioned piece in Oahu, North Shore at the Wash House recording studio. A could only spend a couple days out there, which was not nearly enough to really experience the place. This piece is based on a photo I took the day before of a local girl named Carissa. Kiro added the extra Hawaiian/Polynesian flavor in the background. Thanks to Skew, Reyes, and all the other fine folks that made it happen.

Next stop: Singapore

Dublin, Ireland part II

2010-08-11T23:10:00.000-07:00

This was the second piece I painted in Dublin. It's based on a photo I took of a man in Monterrey, Mexico when I was there for the Seres Queridos project. There are some strong historical and cultural ties between Mexicans and the Irish (e.g. the San Patricios), so it felt especially appropriate to paint him there. Thanks to Shane & Aidan for ground support.

Next stop: Hawaii.

Dublin, Ireland part I

2010-08-11T01:52:00.000-07:00

I left Berlin for Dublin, Ireland around the end of June. I was invited to paint for the Kings of Concrete festival there which is an annual city-funded hip hop event. I'm part Irish and had always wanted to go there so this was especially important for me. The piece I painted for the event depicts two hands, one holding the other. It's based on a detail from a painting from 1878 I saw at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts by Gabriel Max titled "the Raising of Jairus' Daughter" (below). The power and gracefulness of the hands stood out to me, and carried as much expression as a portrait. The red hand carries a deeper history of symbology behind it, as the Red Hand of Ulster is an important symbol from Irish mythology. The conflicts in Ireland have not ended and this was my subtle artistic response. Many thanks to Shane and Dave for making it all happen, Amanda, Christo, Sophie, Aidan & Laura, and all the other kind folks I met there.

Berlin, Germany - EL MAC/KOFIE

2010-08-11T00:45:00.000-07:00

Right after ArtBasel in Switzerland, I hopped a train with my friend and crewmate Augustine Kofie, and we headed north to go paint some Berlin walls. I provided a little guest appearance during Kofie's painting event there, where I painted a quick portrait of my lovely girlfriend Kim. We also painted a small collaborative mural, where the figure was based on a photo I took of an older Mexican man at a lucha libre match in Phoenix. Berlin welcomed him and didn't even ask to see his papers. Many thanks go to Jaybo Monk of Projectroom, Cathy Boom of StyleMag, Zapato Chachi, and Marco Pho.

Here's a couple videos from Kofie & Projectroom documenting these pieces:

Basel, Switzerland - Art Basel/Volta

2010-08-10T23:29:00.000-07:00

This is a large canvas I painted with Retna at Volta 6 during ArtBasel, in Basel Switzerland. Kofie & Mear also displayed with us.

I painted the face of an old lady I saw on the street in downtown Los Angeles. I painted it with the darks and lights inverted, which is something I used to do fairly often but haven't in a while. I was working from a normal uninverted photo, so I had to figure out the darks & lights on the spot which was pretty challenging. Thanks to Rivera & Rivera, LA Art Machine, & Gioacchino for making it all happen.

"Of Our Youth" - Culver City mural with Retna

2010-08-10T22:18:00.000-07:00

This is the most recent mural I've painted with Retna in LA/Culver City. The title of the mural is "Of Our Youth", and it's on La Cienega between Washington and Jefferson, on the side of the Graphaids art supply store.

This mural was inspired by the time we spent in Skid Row painting our previous mural together. The figure is based on a photograph we took there of a man named Ralph, or Chato, who had some inspirational words for us on the theme of redemption. The text to the left was quote from our conversation , and reads, "So today I'm trying to change a few things to rectify the situation of my past. So today I'm looking towards the future (of our youth highlighted)"

This mural was made possible in part by RVCA, Graphaids, and Rivera & Rivera Gallery

As usual, I painted the figure, Retna painted the background/text.

Skid Row Mural - Los Angeles

2010-08-10T21:51:00.000-07:00

This Mural painted with RETNA was a collaboration with Estevan Oriol and The Jonah Project, a non-profit, non-denominational Christian organization dedicated to aiding the homeless. Located on 6th and Crocker, in the heart of LA's Skid Row, the mural is both a tribute to the community and a reminder of the perseverance of Skid Row’s homeless. This is our second collaboration with Estevan Oriol. In preparation for the mural they went to Skid Row to interact with various members of the community and photograph people that they felt embodied the spirit of Skid Row. The text to the right reads: Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth.

More to come...

Summer Madness

2010-08-10T21:00:00.000-07:00

So it's been a while since I've been able to update on here. Over the last couple months I painted in Basel, Berlin, Dublin, Hawaii, Singapore and Saigon, in that order, one right after the other. (Monterrey, Mexico was just before all this) It was an amazing, enlightening, exhausting and inspiring experience. Over this time I met a lot of really great people, and I owe them thanks for all the opportunities, help, and hospitality. I also owe a lot of people apologies for not keeping up with emails- I'll do my best to get back to everyone. If it's important please just email a reminder, thanks!

I will try and catch up on here with some of the recent work, adding in chronological order. Starting with where I left off, here's a mural I painted in Los Angeles with Retna for Ruger's new tattoo shop. It's based on a photo I took of our friend Dianne. The mural is by Thai Town, at Hollywood & Wilton. As always, I painted the figure, Retna painted the background.

Seres Queridos/Vitaliano mural with Sanez + Colorado

2010-05-21T18:37:00.000-07:00

Here are some shots of the second mural I painted in Monterrey for the Seres Queridos project. The figure is Vitaliano Cerda, who runs a used book shop in the center of the city. A much more serious looking counterpart to Régulo. I painted this one a little looser and faster than usual. The red background designs were painted by Sanez, a super talented young artist from Monterrey. His designs often include a mix of animals native to northern Mexico and have a strong indigenous influence. Really cool stuff. That last wall was a little piece I did right afterward in Colorado Springs. He's a paletero (ice cream seller) I took pictures of in Phoenix.

Régulo mural at MARCO

2010-05-21T11:50:00.000-07:00

These are photos of a mural I just painted on the side of MARCO, the contemporary art museum in Monterrey, México. It was the first mural I painted there as part of the Seres Queridos(loved ones) project. The portrait is of Régulo de Leon Santos, who works as a parking lot attendant near the museum. This was a very cool project and I met some great people. A lot of locals helped out, making the project possible. Thanks go to Anna of Nobulo who started the project, The good folks at ARTO-Art Beyond Museums, Marla and the people at MARCO, As well as the other artists: Jorge Rodríguez Gerada, El Niño de las Pinturas, and Atma. Special thanks also to Poeekz, Claudia, Buster, Sanez, Dose, Rene Almanza, los fotografos José Lara y Verónica Valdés Vega, los del taller de Grafica Miguel Alvarado, Bacalao, and everyone else that helped out....MILES DE GRACIAS

´Seres Queridos´ in Monterrey, Mexico

2010-05-03T09:35:00.000-07:00

I am in Monterrey, Mexico painting for a project called Seres Queridos. Just finished painting a mural on the outside of MARCO, the contemporary art museum here. Very cool project, will post more pictures when I have time. In the meantime, check out the website for more info and photos...and here is a good newspaper article.
Things have been hectic lately and I owe a lot of people emails and phonecalls by now- my apologies! I will try and catch up soon.
More updates on the way..

New print: "Persephone"

2010-04-11T14:28:00.000-07:00

This came out really nice..
It is an edition of 50,
5-color serigraph,
signed & numbered,
4 deckled edges,
black archival cotton Arches paper,
print is 30"x42"
Limited one per customer.
first come, first served.
presales(first 20) are already sold out,
Printed by master printer Karen Fiorito, who also did the "Song of Songs" print last year.

More details, pricing & images here: http://buddhacatpress.blogspot.com
order info here: karen@buddhacatpress.com

Don't sleep!

I'll post some new art soon, just finished a nice mural in Los Angeles. Lots of good stuff on the way...
Also, the revamped elmac.net should be up soon....

"Justice" mural with Kofie & Retna for Manifest Equality

2010-03-09T23:52:00.000-08:00

This is a mural I just painted with my friends Kofie and Retna near Vine and Sunset in Hollywood, CA. It was commissioned by Yosi Sergant for the Manifest Equality show. I based this on a reference photo I took, which in turn was based on a drawing of Lady Justice by Edwin Abbey from the late 1800s. Retna painted the large letters in the background, Kofie painted the designs around the hands and borders on each end of the mural, and I painted the figure. The wall is about 100 feet wide and 20something feet high. Thanks go to the lovely Ginalyn McNamara who generously modeled for this on short notice, and special thanks to Tom from Andenken, The Sergants, FAIR, and Mid-City Arts for helping make this mural possible. Below is a cool time-lapse video Kofie made showing the process:

New piece with Retna: "Collige, Virgo, Rosas"

2010-02-18T12:37:00.000-08:00

This is a new commission piece I finished recently with Retna for Nick Cassavetes. I painted the girl based on a photo we took, Retna then added the halo and text designs in the background. The title of the piece comes from the text in the halo, which is an old Latin phrase:

Collige, virgo, rosas dum flos novas et nova pubes et memor esto aevumsic properare tuum.
Pick, girl, the flowers while they are still fresh and the youth is new, remembering that the time goes by.

New Print with Retna - "The Conductor"

2010-02-17T14:37:00.000-08:00

I have a collaborative print with Retna that's just been released this week, The Conductor. Printed by master printer Karen Fiorito who also did the outstanding work on my "Song of Songs" print.
This is a detail from the large mural that Retna and I painted last year in Miami during Art Basel/Primary Flight on the side of the Margulies collection building.
It's a four color serigraph with one gold metallic, one silver metallic, one white and one black printed on grey, 22x30" Stonehenge archival paper.
Edition of 50, signed and numbered.
$250 unframed/ $500 framed
More photos and order info @ www.downtowndialect.com

Please email Deborah & Mike at: info@downtowndialect.com with any additional questions.

LA Art Show 2010- Vox Humana

2010-01-21T11:46:00.000-08:00

I'm participating in Vox Humana this week at the LA Art Show in the Los Angeles Convention Center, along with Retna, Kofie and Mear. Details at LA Art Machine. Shig & Med of 33Third made the super cool promo video above. Special thanks to the folks at Lucius Hudson for their generosity & craftsmanship..I'll post photos later..more to come..

Happy new year! + Juxtapoz top 100

2010-01-01T22:13:00.000-08:00

Happy new year!
I'm honored to say that Juxtapoz magazine included my show with Retna at Berman gallery in their 100 Best list!
I feel really grateful for all the opportunities I've had in 2009 and I'm excited to see the art, projects, travels, etcetera that 2010 will bring...I'd like to thank you for checking out my art and I'd also like to encourage you all with your own creative endeavors.
Cool stuff coming soon.....

Margulies mural in Miami

2009-12-11T16:36:00.001-08:00

Here are some shots of the mural Retna and I just finished for the Margulies collection in Miami during Art Basel as part of Primary Flight. This is now our 4th mural the Wynwood district. As usual, I painted the figure, Retna painted the text. Based on a photo I took in SF a few months back. We basically spent the entire time in Miami battling the weather and working on this thing, but we did get to see a lot of really impressive mural art. Special thanks to Books, Lynn+Chris, Hoekz, Slow, the MSG's, 33Third, Beats by Dre, and everyone else that made this possible in one way or another...

Le Mac in Montreal - video

2009-11-23T11:07:00.000-08:00

Here is a video of the piece I painted at the new offices of the Montreal architecture firm Aedifica last month. Very cool! Video directed by Phil Arsenault & project curated by Basta!/Nicholas Coupal
More photos here.

Mac & Retna mural in Salt Lake City - "AVE MARIA"

2009-11-23T10:38:00.000-08:00

Retna and I just painted this mural in Salt Lake City, Utah last week. I think this is the tallest mural either of us has done so far, at about 44 feet height. This was commissioned by FICE. It was a special project for everyone involved. Many thanks to Corey B for making it all possible, and the rest of the cool folks at FICE, OTRA, The guy at the gun shop next door who gave me a beanie and hand warmers, Este Pizza, the lovely Bri Acsani for modeling, and everyone else who was supportive of this in any way. The text in the halo is in Latin, the beginning of the Ave Maria (Hail Mary).

MTN/UP+MAC/RETNA

2009-11-23T10:25:00.000-08:00

These limited edition Spanish Montana cans came out recently.. Very cool! Never thought I'd have my art printed on the side of a spraycan before..Montana makes some great paint too, which makes it that much cooler. You can grab one from Upper Playground

Mac & Retna "Vagos y Reinas" Exhibition Print

2009-11-23T10:22:00.000-08:00

2 Color Serigraph (Metallic)
Printed on Stonehenge Black 320gsm 100% Cotton
Archival Paper
Dimensions 23" X 29"
Numbered edition of 40.
Signed by the Artists

Available Here

Mac & Retna "Vagos y Reinas" exhibition catalog

2009-11-23T09:19:00.000-08:00

"The catalog offers a unique glimpse into the the preparation, installation, and execution of the artist's first ever collaborative exhibition.
Documenting photography by / Yuri Hasegawa
The catalog is limited to 100.

- Signed by both artists
- Numbered out of an Edition of 100
- Embossed cover w/ printed slip collar
- Crated in a screen printed kraft mailer
- 54 Pages

Available Here

Montréal

2009-11-12T03:10:00.000-08:00

I did some painting in Montreal, Quebec recently..the yellow paisano was venturing into a Hasidic part of the city, painted with local aerosol kingpins Senck & Omen. The other piece was a really special project for the new offices of the architecture firm Aedifica. The two kids serve as a subtle reminder of the importance of creating a better environment for the next generation. I'll try to post more shots later.
Merci to my friend Louis C, Val, Snoop, Poutine, and all the fine folks at Aedifica.

RVCA mural video

2009-11-12T02:50:00.000-08:00

Here is a video shot by Taylor Sage of the mural I just painted recently with Retna at RVCA headquarters... Came out really nice!

MAC/RETNA/RVCA

LA closing show

2009-11-03T02:22:00.000-08:00

Just got back from painting in Montreal, really happy with how it all turned out...I will post pictures here as soon as I get a chance.

For now, here is the flyer for the closing/catalog release party for my show with Retna in LA tonight. See you there!

Nov. 3rd, 2009 7 -10 Open to the public

Robert Berman Gallery

2525 Michigan Ave. C2/D5

Santa Monica, California 90404

www.robertbermangallery.com

New Mural with Retna for RVCA + "Vagos y Reinas"

2009-10-11T18:42:00.000-07:00

So it's been a hectic couple of weeks so far, but here are some shots of the latest... At the top is a shot of some final touch up work for my show with Retna that's up right now in Santa Monica.. I'll put up more photos later if I have time. The other photos are of a big mural Retna and I just finished for the RVCA headquarters in Costa Mesa. Thanks to Pat & all the great folks at RVCA who helped out! More on the way.... and also, another apology for being so bad with emails lately...

LA Show -"Vagos y Reinas"

2009-09-23T02:08:00.000-07:00

This is pretty exciting for me..been in the works for a while... still finishing stuff up for it...

Update + open apology

2009-09-11T04:06:00.000-07:00

So I'd like to first and foremost offer my apologies to a lot of people right now for being so bad with emails lately. I've been feeling kind of overwhelmed for the last month or so and have had so much to do that I've put off most correspondence. I hope anyone wondering why the hell I haven't gotten back to them by now can understand and bear with me.. Thanks for your patience.
I'm finishing up pieces right now for a show at the Robert Berman Gallery in LA at the end of this month, and it's been my main focus, but as I get more time I'll try and be better with emails and and catch up with everyone!

Also, here is a new book that was released recently by Gingko Press/Upper Playground of both my art and Retna's, called "Alianza". It's a small 96 page hardcover book, showing my work, Retna's, and our collaborative pieces together. It came out really nice in my opinion, I'm really proud of it and excited about it! You can see a little write-up at ModArt... and you can get a copy from Upper Playground

More updates & art soon...

..more SF stuff..

2009-08-19T07:13:00.000-07:00

The top two photos are of a quick piece I did on Fillmore for the gallery, with some of Kofie's stuff at the top (much respect to Kofie & Craola!)

The next two shots are of a wall I painted next to Reyes, Steel & Ferm. (thanks guys!)

and last but not least is a photo from a quick little shoot I did with the lovely Ashley, who I will probably be painting sometime soon.. (thanks to Ashley & Kim for setting it up ;)

"Faces of Life" solo show in San Francisco - PHOTOS & thanks

2009-08-19T01:16:00.000-07:00

So here are some process shots + photos of some of the spraypaint pieces in my show at Fifty24SF Gallery in SF this month. The opening was a lot of fun... A huge THANK YOU to all the people that came out to the show! Thanks as well to Matt, Lynzy and all the other fine folks at Upper Playground that helped make it a success!

Also, thanks to everyone that bought one of the "Song of Songs" prints that weekend, and sorry if you wanted one but missed out.

New print- "Song of Songs"

2009-08-04T23:03:00.000-07:00

These are some process shots of a new print based on one of my paintings that's being released at my show in SF this week. This print has actually been in the works for a while and I think it came out perfect. It was printed in the same manner that the original was painted, by starting with a black base, then printing the darkest colors first, building up and ending with the brightest colors, producing a nice layered effect. I'm really happy with it! It's big too!
This is the info from the Paperworks Laboratories site:

"Songs of Songs" is a 7 color hand pulled serigraph printed by master printer Karen Fiorito. We will be dropping this print to coincide with his solo show at Fifty24SF on Thursday, August 6th from 7pm to 9:30 pm. The edition will drop online at Paperworks Laboratories Friday, August 7th, 2009 at 12 p.m. PST. The first 20 of these will be $250 and going up in price. Act fast and get this stunning image which is currently the subscriber issue cover of Juxtapoz Magazine!

Songs of Songs

7 Color Screen print,
Printed on Black Stonehenge 310 gsm 100% Cotton Archival Deckled Edge Paper.
Dimensions: 30 x 42 Inches.
Edition of 50
Signed, Numbered, and embossed
by the Artist
starting at $250 + S&H

Available only at Paperworks Laboratories
http://www.paperworkslab.com/news.html

Solo show in SF @ Fifty24SF Gallery

2009-08-02T12:43:00.000-07:00

Opening is August 6th!
See you there...

JUXTAPOZ cover feature!

2009-07-23T15:37:00.000-07:00

Damn!....I saw the new issue of Juxtapoz (#103) and was blown away to see one of my paintings used as the cover of the subscriber edition!....and inside there's a 14 page interview with me by David Choe, who tries to get me in trouble....along with a portrait photo at the beginning taken by Estevan Oriol...
Wow.
After years of reading Juxtapoz, and never actually being in Juxtapoz...here I am... on the cover of Juxtapoz. Not sure how that happened but I feel really honored! Aside from all that it looks like a great issue with some other great art in it...
I'm just posting the cover and the first spread of the interview here for now...maybe more later when I have time.... and you can also get a copy at Juxtapoz.com

Sketches of Spain

2009-07-20T14:30:00.000-07:00

Here a couple quick little sketches I did in Spain...

Spain - Part 2 (Barcelona)

2009-07-13T11:48:00.000-07:00

These are some shots from the second part of my time in Spain, when I was in Barcelona. I fell in love with it there. Amazing place. I could even see living there someday. I just painted one small piece there, on a roll-down door for a tattoo shop called Steelworks. It's based on a famous painting by the great Spanish artist Diego Velázquez from 1650. I also got a tour of the Montana spraypaint factory (thanks to Angelo & Jordi!) which was pretty amazing. Like the Willy Wonka factory but for paint. It's got a huge mural by Os Gemeos outside and the day I went was surrounded by misty green magical mountains. Years of using montana and I had no idea! I got to see Parque Güell and a few other famous spots in the city as well as hang out with some very cool people. Saludos a Mark, Marta, Max, Alex, Smash....and most importantly, thanks to my globetrotter compa Jordan y la encantadora Gemma por toda su hospitalidad. Hasta pronto!

Spain - Part 1 (Zaragoza)

2009-07-13T10:49:00.000-07:00

Just got back from Spain & loved it. Tengo que regresar pronto! These are shots from the first part of the trip, when I was in Zaragoza. The Spanish really do like to party. The first wall was my little contribution to the much larger mural that was painted as part of the Festival Zaragoza Ciudad 2009. It's a painting of Hernán Cortés with bloody red eyes. Maybe a little political for a fun hip-hop festival where a gypsy guy painting near me wore only a Borat-style thong the entire time...but hey it was my first mural in Spain and it just seemed appropriate. The second wall, next to the Ebro river, is based on a photo I took of a paletero in Phoenix. I met too many great people to name, but special saludos to Stook, Belin, Sex, Kuru, Lahe, Lust, Rabodiga, Malakkai, Jackee...y muchisimas gracias a mis compas Chikita y Danjer por hacerlo posible!

España

2009-07-01T03:51:00.000-07:00

I'll be in Zaragoza, Spain this weekend painting for the VII Festival Int'l Hip-Hop... and will probably pay a visit to Barcelona too... Super excited... I'll post some photos when I can..

New Print: "Ixtaccihuatl"

2009-06-23T13:19:00.000-07:00

This is a new print just finished by the legendary Self Help Graphics printshop in East LA. This is the nicest & biggest print I've done so far and it's an honor to have had it produced by such an important and respected printshop as SHG. The printer, Joe Alpuche did a perfect job. The title is "Ixtaccihuatl" (basically pronounced "ee.stok.SEE.wot") which is the name of a large mountain in Mexico said to resemble a sleeping woman. The myth behind this has inspired countless popular Mexican/Chicano paintings, drawings, calendars, murals, tattoos, merchandise, etc portraying an Azteca warrior cradling his dead lover. This is my sincere take on this traditional theme using my brushwork style. If you're interested in getting one, or for more info go to http://www.elmac.net/merchandise.html

Mid City Arts + LA Times love

2009-06-21T12:08:00.001-07:00

These things were up all over LA for about the last month. You can see part of a girl's face in blue from a mural I painted with Retna representing Los Angeles right alongside the mayor, Kobe & Angelina...

These are images of a piece Retna & I created for the Mid City Arts show. It's a painting of Verse, a good friend of Retna's who was senselessly murdered nearby a couple years ago.

This was a small mural we painted outside titled "Unity"
Special thanks go to Kofie, Kopye & Codak who all painted fresh stuff on the other walls during the event...and thanks to the guys at 33Third for making it happen..

New print from Self Help Graphics on the way...

2009-06-20T10:57:00.000-07:00

Here are a few shots I took at the legendary Self Help Graphics recently in East LA, while they were starting on a new print I'll be releasing soon.... Many thanks to Retna, Oscar Magallanes, and especially master printer Joe Alpuche (pictured)...more to come...

Show with Retna on Sunday in LA

2009-06-03T21:12:00.000-07:00

@ Mid-City Arts in LA on sunday (I really like this little promo video they made..)

The latest..

2009-05-30T10:53:00.000-07:00

So I've been bad at blogging lately. Mostly been working on pieces for upcoming shows, like the canvas above. I'll just mention a couple other new things; I was invited to give a commencement address for the 2009 graduating class of the New School for the Arts & Academics a few days ago at the Mesa Arts Center. It was an honor, and kind of made feel a little bit older. I was pretty nervous, and hadn't been able to prepare so I had to wing it, but it seemed like it went well. I also just happened to notice I have a feature in the latest issue of Garage magazine (above) which was a nice surprise. I have a few really cool silkscreen prints in the works that I'm excited about too, I'll have more info on those soon....

the New Generation...

2009-05-06T13:13:00.000-07:00

So this is from an email I just got recently:

"My name is Jeff Moring and I am a highschool art teacher in a little town called Manteca, CA. I just wanted you to know that you are a huge inspiration to many of my advanced art students. I have a student named Mirna Castillo who adores your work. I am sending you a couple of pieces she replicated using acrylic, watercolor, and color pencils.
I Thought you might want to see how you can influence young adults/students without even being aware of it (pretty interesting thought)! Keep painting...because there are many of us who love what you do!

THANKS FOR INSPIRING THE MANY OF US!"

I hope they don't mind me posting this, but I was very humbled, impressed, and wanted to share it. I think I forget just how much public art can actually affect people. My thanks to Jeff and Mirna... keep up the great work!!

(the pieces on the left & right depict old murals I painted with Retna & Reyes)

UPDATE!: More info here from Juxtapoz. This is one cool high school...

"Memento Mori" - New mural in LA with Retna

2009-04-23T15:57:00.000-07:00

This is a mural Retna and I recently painted in Los Angeles called Memento Mori. This is a Latin phrase meaning ‘be mindful of death’ and can be translated as ‘remember that you are mortal’ or ‘remember that you must die. That could seem a little grim, but the point is really to encourage us to properly value and make the most of our time here.
I painted the figure and Retna did all the rest. Retna's lettering in the background is from a pre-Hispanic Nahuatl/Azteca poem:

Must I go like the flowers that perish?
Will nothing remain of my name?
Nothing of my fame here on Earth?
At least my flowers, at least my songs.
Earth is the region of the fleeting moment.

"The Knight"- New mural with Retna in LA

2009-04-08T13:14:00.000-07:00

These are some shots of a new mural I just painted with my good friend Retna in Los Angeles. We both had a great experience painting this and felt blessed by the positivity we received from the neighborhood. It was created in response to increasing gang violence in LA. Retna's text in English & Spanish attempts to bridge cultural differences. The lettering on the hat reads, "FOR ONLY LOVE CAN CONQUER HATE". The one & only Estevan Oriol also came through and took some cool shots.

New mural

2009-03-15T12:15:00.000-07:00

This is a new wall I just painted in downtown Phoenix that I'm happy with. It's based on a photo I took at an immigrant rights march recently, sort of a subtle response to the racism & xenophobia that's been increasing these days.

Italian magazine feature w/ Retna

2009-03-14T06:18:00.001-07:00

Attenzione! I have a little interview in the upcoming issue of Groove magazine from Italy, should be out by the end of March

Ed Mell studio visit

2009-02-19T15:05:00.000-08:00

I stopped by O.G. southwest artist Ed Mell's studio yesterday to talk about art, check out his latest work & pick up a lithograph. For the last three decades he's been one of the most prominent Arizona painters, known for his angular landscapes & skies. Beautiful work. This guy is an inspiration.

New Painting

2009-02-15T16:50:00.000-08:00

This is a new painting I've just finished called "Song of Songs". I spent a few weeks working on this and I'm pretty happy with how it came out. The title refers to the Thai text in the halo, which is an excerpt from the Song of Solomon in the Old Testament:

Who is this that grows like the dawn,
As beautiful as the full moon,
As pure as the sun,
As awesome as an army with banners?

(Thanks to the enchanting Dianne Garcia for the calligraphy help!)

Kofie & Mac cooperation

2009-02-15T16:25:00.000-08:00

My good friend, outstanding artist, and fellow scorpio Kofie from Los Angeles came to Phoenix this month thanks to a Scion art show tour, and we painted this mural together for Pravus gallery. This was the first time we've collaborated together and I was excited to finally make it happen. Good times!

New year, New Studio!

2009-01-10T04:11:00.000-08:00

So here are a couple shots of my new studio... I'm pretty excited about it.. Thought I should post a couple shots before I completely clutter it up with crap. I have a couple big art shows coming up in a few months so until then this is where I'll be locked away most of the time.

New stuff..

2008-12-26T10:44:00.000-08:00

Here's a shot of a billboard currently up in Phoenix now, right off the 202 freeway. It's an advertisement for local jeweler Oliver Smith using the ink & brush piece I showed a few posts down. I first saw it from a plane window as we were landing at night, super cool spot..

Second thing is another book I have some stuff in, really cool book from Greece called Mural Art: Murals on Huge Public Surfaces Around the World by Kiriakos Iosifidis. Published by Publikat, includes everyone from Os Gemeos to Kent Twitchell to Diego Rivera.

New mural in Miami with Retna

2008-12-10T13:07:00.000-08:00

Just finished painting this mural with Retna in Miami for Primary Flight/Art Basel. This wall was HUGE. Retna did a great job with all the text. I would have liked to work a little more on the shading on the boy, but considering the scale & time limits had to let it be. I think we both would have liked to do more, but overall it still came out good. Thanks to Lynn, Chris, Books & Oscar.

Art Basel- Miami

2008-12-02T11:05:00.000-08:00

Gonna be in Miami this week during Art Basel for Primary Flight '08

Last year was fun, this time might be even better. See you there!

New stuff

2008-12-02T10:46:00.001-08:00

Here's some new stuff out with my art in/on it:

Hats by Goorin, from the 1333 Minna line

Little feature in a Korean art magazine called Drip

A piece in an art book called Bella

I also want to apologize for how bad I've been about getting back to people recently. The amount of stuff to do along with the amount of correspondence gets a little overwhelming sometimes, but I really do appreciate everyone's support & patience. I will do my best to get back to everyone as best I can. Don't even trip.

The latest...

2008-11-07T14:02:00.000-08:00

After a few months of traveling it's taken a while to readjust to relative normalcy, but I'm finally back in my mode. New studio in the works. A couple big gallery shows coming up next year in LA & SF. Tomorrow marks another year officially on the planet for me... and for the first time in my life I'm actually proud of the president this country picked.

Here are some progress shots of the latest commission piece. More to come...

Milan update: Mac & Ret in Italy

2008-10-06T17:09:00.000-07:00

Finally back from Europe, and it was a great experience! Here are some shots from Milan, Italy. Both pieces are collaborations with Retna, and I'm really happy with how they turned out. Thanks to Raptuz & Flycat for making it possible..

Another Dutch update..

2008-09-23T01:17:00.000-07:00

Here are two pieces I just did in Tilburg...based on Rembrandt paintings. Many thanks to Dave & Jordan for everything! I'm now in Milan with Retna painting for "Writing alla Ribalta"

Amsterdam update

2008-09-16T06:48:00.001-07:00

Here's a panel I just finished painting for Streetlab in Amsterdam- click on the images to see the details, looks better. More on the way...