Graffiti was one of the phenomena I was exposed to as a part of growing up in California. In elementary school, I was told to explore the local railroad tracks and look for the names of the elders from the neighborhood. With the mythology associated with the various nicknames and my desire to decode the anthropological symbols used, I incorporated this writing into my drawings throughout my youth. Graffiti art exploded throughout California as I became a teenager, and I spent countless hours sketching to paint my first wall at age 13. In absence of a forum to practice this craft, my friends and I spent many hours practicing in riverbeds and other urban locations. Due to the challenges associated with this art form, I have spent many years running from my true passion of graffiti murals to pursue a career outside of art. As adult life grew challenging, many of my friends pulled me back into this culture, needing me to help them paint as they looked for a form of therapy and catharsis. As a result, my true purpose as a graffiti artist is to create public art as a means to promote mental health and unity. Although I greatly enjoy handstyles, letters, and wildstyle as a foundation, I apply the framework of distorted graffiti letters in the creation of abstract portraits, surreal landscapes, and anthropomorphic figures.
