Who is Opia?

Opia is my art-alias, nickname, moniker, the name I “write” in graffiti terms. I received this name about 15 years ago. I was a teenager then and had befriended lots of people with whom I had many things in common, graffiti art being one of them. I recall chatting with someone about my initiative to start writing, but I didn’t have a name to go by. After trading ideas on names, I finally settled on “Opia,” which was the preferred (shortened) version of the full word: utopia. I preferred this because it was a four letter word, therefore, quick and easy to paint. Beside all this, I did take a liking to its meaning, the ethereal quality of the word brought out a longing for the real thing in me.

This was a time in my life in which I had entered into a stream of intrigue over graffiti. It captured my eyes and by being inclined to art, it challenged my competency to do it. Everywhere I’d look, there it would be; and because my friends then were interested or into it themselves, I had a creative environment to practice my ability.

Fifteen years later, I still represent this name. I’ve entertained thoughts of changing what I write for quite some time, because the truth of it all is, it isn’t all that pretty! I dealt with deep-seated guilt and searing shame. I wanted to escape the reputation that I had caused to fall upon myself. This name became a banner of identity and the life I’ve lived, all negative. Nevertheless, it is a part of my timeline and genuine history. Old things have passed away, and all things have become new, I am a new creation in Christ (ref: 2 Cor. 5:17). It is a part of my testimony.

Little did I realize as a youth that this abbreviated alias, Opia, became an ideal place I longed for; a little bit of Heaven, a place of peace, sanctuary, rest — Eden, itself. Not until I opened my heart to Jesus, did I find the strength to finally stop running away from myself and face the truth.

How did you first get involved with graffiti? What drew you to this particular medium rather than say “classical sketching” or gallery style painting?

I had the real-deal in front of me. Exposure to art and graffiti was the norm when growing up in the South Bay Area of Los Angeles. I admired the talent, techniques, and skills of the few murals within the community and I can think back to being about five years old telling myself, “I want to paint something like that!” I’d stand outside of the storefront murals and would twist my neck all the way around to take in the image. The sheer size of the space compared to my little frame was impressive.

It then progressed to rubbernecking as I rode in cars, to glimpse the latest burner, throw-ups, or tags. I’d also look for landmarks, long-time running spots and markings. By doing this, I learned which areas were doused in graff. There were the hot spots which stood temporarily, but received one of two reactions: a round of applause or a fist in the air. There was also the older stuff, especially around the tracks, that I quickly learned to treat as an ancient hieroglyph. Along with what I picked up by observation, I started sketching what I thought was “like” the graffiti I saw. I’d hang out with friends at school, after school, and on the weekends where there was lots of skating, looking at graff mags, drawing in sketchbooks, listening to music, talking about what we liked and such. I was surrounded by many gifted artists and their inspiration rubbed off on me. Their creativity further propelled me into my artistic ventures.

I admire many other forms of mediums and expertise. I actually dabble in a few, but I’m no expert. I believe what drew me to this particular medium was my circumstances (location, personal influences, and sub-cultures) along with my interest for the unusual form of art captivated me. I was an at-risk youth and was balancing on the scales of life. I eventually became heavy on the side of taking risks as a way of seeking attention at whatever cost. My graffiti became about recognition, the more I was “up,” the more I became validated by others. The more vandalism I caused, the more my suppressed anger was released. The more improved in style, technique and skill I became, the more pride ate away at my humility. I had no balance and the choices I was making at that time (drinking, drugs, etc.), wasn’t directing me to use that talent in productive ways. I was on self-destruct mode, spiraling down, full speed ahead and taking down my creativity with it.

Does your faith ever cause problems with your choice in artistic expression; meaning does the fact that graffiti is seen as a crime does that conflict with your beliefs?

People have different perceptions about graffiti as an art form. I paint graffiti-style murals with owner consent, all legal. I’ve received criticism from some because there is a stigma to graffiti, and I can see where they come from. I respect that. However, my intention is not to paint for self and what I write, but for something fruitful. I realize that I have a certain ability to get a message across, and as a Christian, I have to use my talents wisely. As long as I can stay true to that, my conscience is clear.

I find it encouraging when the positive reactions far outweigh the negative critiques. I believe the content of the work speaks life to people and it sparks hope. Some may receive it openly, and some will reject it totally – both the mural and/or the Message.

It’s important to stay ambitious and keep oneself focused. I would like to know what keeps you focused on improvement. Motivational speaker Eric Thomas talks about the importance of having a why (as in a reason why people stay committed to a particular task). What is your why, and how do you keep yourself focused on self-improvement?

I focus on Jesus. It may sound cliché to some, but unashamedly, this is my faith and my faith is in Him. As the blind man once said, “I was blind but now I see!” My aim is not on self-improvement, but rather on becoming more like Him; a transformation. It’s like metamorphosis, like how a caterpillar becomes a butterfly. It’s a beautiful thing.

California has a layered graffiti community. How do you see the culture in California? What do you like best about the scene?

I see graffiti in California as multi-faceted because of the artist’s preferences. You have preferences in locations, numerous combinations of “ups” (tags, throwies, and/or pieces, etc.), colors (monotone or wild), type of surfaces, and the list goes on. I’ve seen interest in it come and go, and come again. Through the decades I’ve lived so far, I see it as an appetite that cannot be satiated.

What I like best is creative process, from start to finish. It reminds me much of my life, how I’m a work in progress. I also like ingenuity, some can think up really amazing stuff, like structure and flow, color combos, techniques, and others.

You’re associated with two crews- I.S.I. Collective and GG Crew. I want to take time to look at both crews, so first we’ll start with I.S.I: What does I.S.I. represent? What is its history? What is your mission statement?

I.S.I. Collective started in 2008; it stands for “Iron Sharpens Iron” which is derived from Proverbs 27:17, “As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.” It is a fellowship of accountable and creative souls who use the arts to share the Good News of Jesus Christ. It was started in Northern California by “Fasm” to hold Christians that spray painted (which consisted a majority of Gospel Graffiti crew members worldwide) accountable to Biblical standards and encouraged those involved to seek and give wise counsel, which in the long-run, is a blessing. In 2010-2011, the crew leadership was passed on to Wes77 and its main root is in Los Angeles. There are 7 members and all have unique talents to contribute to the mission: Cawst, Fre(e) of Sin, Joey Digitals, Skrybe52, Vox, Wes77, and myself.

Now, let’s talk about the other crew you’re associated with, the GG Crew. When was it established? What is its mission? Where’s it based?

GG Crew (Gospel and Graffiti) began as a crew in 1996 by Sno & Fasm. It is a group of worldwide members that share the call and desire to use legal graffiti art as a tool to seek and share the message of salvation. We live to yield our lives to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, to reflect Him, and to share His love with the world; on and off a wall.

We have members in the United States, Canada, Europe, and South Africa. It’s a culturally diverse group with God and graffiti in common, it’s a beautiful thing! The crew has undergone changes throughout the years and just recently, the crew leadership role has been passed on to Camer1. There’s some activity in the works for our crew to step into another level; ideas are popping up, members are engaged in conversation, and there’s a sense of organic development going on. We’re just going with the God flow.

Just as your crew grows and develops, I imagine the individuals do, as well. Who would you say has had the biggest/most positive impact on your life? And what does that person’s mentorship mean to you?

From a personal and an artistic standpoint, two people have had the biggest and most positive impact in my life; surprisingly, both have entered my life not too long ago. That being said, both are dearly cherished and I’m grateful for their life, in mine.

A personal mentor of mine is an older woman that I met in church when I moved to a smaller mountain community about a year and a half ago. Her name is Helen and she is very kind and a sincere person. She has become a “Titus 2” woman in my life, in which she models her faith in action, extends wise counsel, encourages, and builds me up. She embraces me for who I am and appreciates my many traits. Like many, I had a rocky childhood; and due to mental illness, I grew up with a present, yet, “absent” mother. My mother was responsive, able to care for herself, my family, and I; she taught us what is moral (don’t lie, don’t curse, cover yourself up), and the basic life-skills (how to cook, clean, read, etc.), but nevertheless, was detached emotionally and didn’t engage in relationship building. Growing up, my older sister, my aunties, neighbor women, and my friend’s mothers would become “mother-types,” and I’d look up to them for teaching, guidance, and direction. I was very observant and copied many behaviors. When Helen took me under her wings, I learned so much within that short period of time than I EVER had in my entire life! She’s taught me about womanhood, the privilege of training up a heritage, and much more. I’ve experienced a major development in my late 20’s, but hey, better late than never right? It’s only that much sweeter.

Artistically, I consider my husband Wes as a mentor. He selflessly pours into me and provides me with encouragement, support, and inspiration. Our conversations about art projects and such are very interesting because he introduces me to new ideas, works of art, and literally draws water from my well. He’s a visionary type and perceives many things from a different perspective as I, so he’s helped me to think outside-the-box. I see how much he’s grown also, he’s balanced out his desire to paint with more of an art appreciation outlook; now, there’s moderation. I welcome his constructive examination of my work because I admire his palate, and he’s graceful about it as well. The both of us come from an illegal graffiti background, so he totally gets where I come from and how that specific painting skill exists long after I’ve stopped committing vandalism. To me, my husband and artistic mentor is an ally in my becoming fruitful.

Now I would like to give you the opportunity act as a mentor to some writer who may be reading this article. What advice, if any, would you give to an aspiring writer who is struggling to catch their rhythm, artistically?

Check the intentionality. If one struggles in catching their rhythm by trying to please others, that one will struggle indefinitely. Now, if one struggles simply because, I wouldn’t call it a struggle, but rather a stepping stone. It’s part of the program. Artistic struggle is a growing pain; it can be a lesson learned, wisdom and understanding gained, and fewer mistakes to be made.

Oftentimes, an aspiring artist gets caught up in fears; such as, fears of being inferior in comparison to others, or, of discouragement (among others). This can be a torment, hindering a productive and creative flow. I myself can feel trepidation, so I find comfort in 2 Timothy 1:7 from the Scriptures. I am reminded of having a sound mind, and that an ounce of truth ousts the negativity and dispels the doubts.

Who are some of the writers, in your area, whom you feel people should be checking out? Who do you think is producing some serious artwork?

To be honest, I don’t stay up to date with writers and their work much anymore. I was at one point in my life; I’d drive around and take pictures and would know who “got up” on such spot and when, and this and that got buffed, and this person is on beast-mode and that crew is getting capped everywhere, etc. You can tell a lot of what’s going on by what you see. The interest in staying up to date phased out of my life as I started my venture back in recommitment to my faith and beliefs. I grew weary of focusing my attention on that, it profited me nothing.

To be able to give you an honest opinion, I’d have to dedicate some time to research and visit a few showings and galleries to consider someone to be producing some serious artwork. When I do have the time to spare, I’ll catch an occasional posted article or Twitter link on current art events and its’ producers; however, the articles I’ve read lately have not been artists from the Southern California area. I’m sure that there is, but at this very moment in time, I am just not aware of it.

Earlier we talked about the reason why you write; now I want to know how you are able to maintain your motivation as a writer? How do you stay motivated creatively?

Externally, I am surrounded by people who themselves motivate me by their encouragement and/or feedback of appreciation; my husband, my family, my church, my crews, my friends, passing by onlookers at wall productions or events, or notice via social networks. I make do with the skills that I have, and hopeful of increasing my current expertise to a higher level.

Internally, I do what I do as a gesture of gratefulness for this beautiful privilege of producing art; I am a creative soul, created by the Creator of all. I find that by acknowledging whatever creativity I have, I realized the weight of it; then suddenly, it’s not just a mere few talents, but many more! Taking inventory helps keep interest and action aflame. The longer my list, the more spurred I become to “do something” with it.

What would you say has been your biggest accomplishment to date – graff related?

Thus far, it has been traveling and painting. Never in my wildest dreams did I fathom that the very thing that has caused me much strife (graffiti vandalism), would be redeemed, and be a catalyst for journeying, especially to distant places. Just last year, my first time (ever) in an airplane was to Holland, and it was about a 13-hour flight, following with visits to Belgium, England, and Hawaii.

For those that are interested in learning more about you, as well as your work, where can they find you online?

I’m a part of 2 crews (I.S.I Collective & GG Crew) and you can find some of my work on their websites: www.isicollective.com and www.ggcrew.org. I have a personal blog at www.opiaone.wordpress.com and you can follow me on Twitter:@OpiaOne

I want to discuss legacy, because I feel it’s important that we all leave an impression – making the world a better place. When all’s said and done, and you’re no longer writing, what legacy do you hope to have left behind? How would you like “Opia” to be remembered?

That’s a good question! I would like to have “Opia” remembered as having more than just one positive impact, but to sum it all up; it would have to be as an overcomer. One would have to question, “An overcomer of what?” Well, to glory in the latter would have required trekking a humbling road.

By the skin of my teeth, I have escaped many wrecking situations in my past. To name a few, I’ve been in some serious life-or-death situations where I could have died of swallowing pills at 14, been left paralyzed or dead from evading gun shots, or of have been involved in horrible car wrecks while DUI. The Lord had mercy on me! I came to my senses and turned away from a path of destruction to a way of life.

I want to plant seeds that will keep the perpetuation of faith, hope, and love alive, long after I am gone from this place. I hope that many can learn from my life, as I learned from Jesus. Matthew 11:29 comes to mind and better explains it this way, “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”

Before we wrap up, I just want to thank you for taking time out of your day to share your story with us. I appreciate your honesty and your sincerity, and I am sure the readers do, as well. *salute*. Here we go, final question: Is there anybody out there that you would like to shout-out or acknowledge?

I’d like to start off by thanking God for His saving grace and this opportunity to share a bit of my story, and to you Matthew J., for being open to it. I’d like to acknowledge my amazing and beloved husband, my loving family, and sweet friends; from my past, present, and of the future. I would not be where I am now, if it were not for those in my past who helped shape and mold me (both good & bad). For those that share life with me in the present: let’s find the joy in life and take it day-by-day! For those that await to enter my life in the near future: I hope to become a blessing. To my fellow creative souls in I.S.I. Collective, GG Crew, and other crews: Matthew 6:33. Hello to the Body of Christ worldwide and to my local body- remain strong in the LORD and in the power of His Might. My sincere apologies to those that I’ve brought hurt; I pray that you can find it in your hearts to someday forgive me. To all, God bless you!

In this installment of the Live To Kill, Die To Create series NAKS and crew visit Alabama Studios in Los Angeles to paint a massive production.

Dan Kitchener or DANK is one busy man. Resisting categorization, his art incorporates several branches of technology, from digital paintings to stop frame animation, music videos to AV displays, video games to commercials, graphic novels to graffiti; there doesn’t appear to be one avenue of artistic engagement which Kitchener hasn’t exhausted. An enduring interest in the urban landscape and a desire to turn the city itself into a giant graphic novel, sets the tone for Kitchener’s latest works.

Dank has a solo show at the Hoxton Gallery in London running from the 4th – 17th April. More info here.

From Dan to Dank

DANK is simply my name abbreviated. I was called Dan K in primary school as well as Dekay and DK, but I didn’t want to make up a tag, I just preferred to use my name! As my work is strictly on the legal side of the street art and graffiti world, I am open with who I am and the work I do, as I also do a large amount of commercial work. I don’t feel the need to do illegal work.

I have been making art ever since I was able to hold a pen. I used to fill sketchbook after sketchbook in primary school, WW2 planes and tanks, as well as a fair share of monsters. I basically used to draw all the time. I’ve continued this throughout my life and still draw whenever I have a clear minute to whip out the sketchbook or now the iPad as well, it’s just something I do naturally, without thinking really.

For me walls have only really come around in a big way in the last 5 to 6 years. I discovered spray paint and saw that I could turn my paintings and drawings into huge street based illustrations, something that still really excites me creatively. I love the way painting at a large scale is possible, the impact these large pieces have really suits the subject matter too, I can’t see me ever getting tired of doing this.

I’m an Essex boy, born and bred, lived here all my life and love it. As well as its proximity to London, Essex is a great place, it seems to spawn some serious talent. I went to school and college in Essex, then did an Illustration degree at Portsmouth Uni. GCSE art, A Level art, a Foundation in art, BA Hons in Illustration, these all set a good basis for my career, but you never stop learning and experimenting.

I have painted using brush and paper etc. since I was probably 2. I did some walls when I was younger, a few naughty underpasses when I was really young with Halfords car spray paint; it never really gelled with me and how I was at the time. I painted the sixth form common room with large surrealist type pieces when I was 17, kind of my first large public wall, this definitely ignited something in me, but I never returned to painting large scale until I was in my 30’s.

As I do so many diverse things, I think with my sketching, painting and wall work, I try and convey an emotion, or an emotional response. I may have an image in my head of a sunset or a lighting effect and I try and get this across in the painting. Light and the use of it, how it can affect the scene, the image, is key to my work. I absolutely love the use of light, getting it right can totally transform the atmosphere of a piece; it really is amazing what light can do.

Subconsciously I put a lot of my own emotions into what I paint. Last year I went through a particularly dark period when my mum was seriously ill. My art was kind of haunted by dark imagery, something that really echoed through all I was creating. Animations had dark undertones, walls and illustrations had tormented creatures, sombre, ghostly apparitions. I’m kind of moving away from that darker side and now looking into more areas of light. Looking at how light affects a scene and the moods different lighting can create.

I’ve been influenced by a huge amount of sources over the years. As a kid I used to avidly read and collect comics, 2000AD to name one. I also loved Sci-fi movies and monster films, as well as the old black and white and 60’s war films. I basically try and absorb so many different things, it kind of creates a visual memory bank that you can dip into, take what you need, add it to an image and create something unique and fresh.

I like a variety of artists, James Jean, Ashley Wood, John Martin, Paul Delvaux, Mr Jago, Georgio de Chirico, Simon Bisley, there are so many great artists out there. I think I am inspired by artists that can draw well, something I rate very highly. I feel it’s vital for an artist in any field or medium to have drawing as a basic skill. For me, everything I do starts in the sketchbook, no matter what the final outcome, it’s sketches in my sketchbook, I draw at every spare moment I have, it’s my first language!

Before I start, the subject usually dictates to me the medium, I guess having experience in a diverse range of mediums and techniques allows me to make intuitive decisions, without really thinking, I can play through in my head which will work best and then adopt that approach.

I guess my art has developed over my lifetime and brought me to this point. It’s strange when people asked how I got into art, it’s not something I ever consciously got into, it’s just something I have always done, ever since I can remember, it’s such a part of me, who I am and my life, I don’t see it as a standalone hobby or pastime, it’s just what I do. Today, I am pleased with my work as I feel I am progressing in terms of diversity, I am also pleased with some of the more major projects that I have got involved in, such as Kylie and Paul McCartney’s stage visuals. Having some of my stop frame animations played out behind Paul McCartney at the Queen’s Jubilee concert outside Buckingham palace was a really proud moment for me and a definite highlight of my career.

Painting outdoors doesn’t affect the way I paint really. I like to adapt to different surroundings and environments and that’s why I choose pure spray paint for outdoor work, it’s essentially allowing me to be responsive to unforeseen circumstances or situations, it allows for total creative flexibility, unlike stencils for example.

Painting at Upfest this year was quite memorable, I managed to paint 40ft boards and one huge set of doors as well as some shop shutters, so for the amount of painting alone, this was quite memorable, but I think it was the reactions of the people who were at the event that was the best thing, so much enthusiasm and positive comments, it really does make it all worthwhile, when someone stops and has a chat about you and your work.

Painting with my new found crew, IM Crew, alongside Noir and Flem, two real talented old school writers, has also been really memorable, we all seem to work really well together, and all love to paint HUGE! Myself and Noir just painted at the Chelmsford gas works, covering a 60ft x 7ft wall in one session, a top days painting!

I paint in London a lot, it has some great spots, and also has great public exposure for my work, I love the vibe of London in particular, and the way people have really embraced street art here, I always get such positive comments from people. A few haters, even from other ‘artists’, but that goes with the territory! I only paint legal spots, so have no issues with the police.

I have painted in Amsterdam, at Villa Friekens, a cool traveller type community just outside Amsterdam. This was a great experience with some really laid back and open minded people. I have also painted in Barcelona, but not really painted that much outside the UK, definitely something I’d like to do more, getting time to travel is few and far between, I have so many projects on the go all the time, I just don’t have the time!

I’d like to continue with what I’m doing and see what happens, I am quite a strong believer that good things happen to those that wait, and are persistent. I would however, like to have some form of book or published work for my illustrations, maybe this illusive graphic novel or comic that keeps not happening! And my wall works, I’d like some bigger walls to paint, to a wider audience.

Portfolio: www.dankitchener.co.uk
Facebook: facebook.com/DanKitchenerART
Illustration: dankitchener.cgsociety.org/gallery
Showreel: www.dankitchener.co.uk/showreel_autumn2011.mov
Shop: dankitchener.bigcartel.com
Paintings / Canvas work: www.saatchionline.com/dankitchener
Murals and large scale artwork: www.epicscaleproductions.co.uk

A lot can happen in a year, but one thing is for certain, great rewards go to those who put in the work. Example: In 2012, Theotis Jones emerged on the scene and has established himself as one of the internet’s best kept secrets, and as many would say, the best kept secret in visual design’, as well. This self-described, “30 year old, human being who was raised and lives in Virginia”, has been diligently supplying showbills (advertisements) for the popular THE COMBAT JACK SHOW podcast; helping the program build momentum with both listeners and industry-types, worldwide.

He’s no joke! The man’s work is unrivalled and though made for podcasts (the internet?), easily triumphs over the album-art being commissioned by major record labels.

A year later, while still putting in work and showing no signs of slowing down, Theotis Jones took a quick breather to answer a few questions, in this, his first online interview; breaking down the science behind his work, the impact graffiti has on his life, his relationship with the Combat Jack Show, and shows “crew love” to the Loud Speakers Network and all of his INTERNETS/IRL people.

We’ll start with a self-introduction so the people reading this can have some background info as to who you are and what you’re all about. So tell us, who is Theotis Jones?

I’m a 30 year old human being who was raised and lives in Virginia -just outside of DC. I like to make shit that looks cool, and then puts it on the Internets. I realize that’s a really simplistic answer, but at the end of the day, that’s how I look at myself. For the people who have already seen my work, I’m probably best known as the guy who does the showbills (poster ads) for The Combat Jack Show. I’m a music lover, a drinker, a smoker, a loner, and a sarcastic motherfucker who has what polite folk call, “a foul mouth”.

I can’t or more accurately; [I] won’t describe myself as an artist. Although other people have used that to describe me, I have hard time with that because while we could get into a deeper discussion about what art is or isn’t – for me- I don’t know if I can say I’ve made art. I feel as if art has a higher meaning- there is a shamanistic power behind it; it has universality to it; a kind of timelessness, and the ability to comment on the time period in which it was created.

Keep in mind, I do aspire to that higher level, but don’t know if I’m there yet. So rather than calling myself “an artist”, I go with something inelegant like, “a cat who likes to make shit that looks cool.”

Let’s go a bit further with the idea of art and what it is all about: I want you to tell me what your art means to you? Apart from the external acclaim or receiving acknowledgment, what satisfaction do you get from the whole creative process?

Art is just a part of who I am. I think it’s that basic. I hate that it sounds kinda cliche, but honestly, to me, it is just that simple. Art has gotten me through rough times in my life. I do it for fun, as well. I’ve done it to get free drinks at a bar. I find myself drawing at pretty much every available opportunity. Hell, I got myself in trouble as a kid ‘cause I would rather draw than do schoolwork. Let me tell you a story.

I’m in first grade. I have my little black and white composition notebook. I draw this robot character thing, almost like a Mecha-Wing type-of-joint. One of my classmates sees it. He likes it. I draw him one. So the robot drawings go first-grade-viral, and I love it, because people seem to like ‘em and I like drawing ‘em. But then my first grade teacher makes me stop. It is Phonics time. But fuck Phonics, I want to draw.

So I take my composition notebook, and I draw a middle finger that takes up the full page, and I color it in yellow, and I’d hold it up whilst my teacher’s back was turned to voice my displeasure (instead of just holding up my own middle finger on my hand – much easier and less evidence), and voice my displeasure I did. She then voiced her displeasure when she caught me holding it up and I couldn’t close the book fast enough. Of course, my parents voiced their own displeasure, later, when I got home, and they found out about the incident.

If me not being allowed to draw in class because I had to learn Phonics made me do something that stupid/rebellious, I must really love this. Hell, this could partially be a response to your last question, because the love for it motivates my hustle. I’m super thankful and grateful that people would take the time out of their day to say anything nice at all. But if I’m to be honest, at the end of the day, if I decided to just go dark, never tweet; never tumblr, never share anything again, I don’t think I would stop creating. It goes back to the whole selfishness aspect of it – I’m doing it because it is what I like to do. Before any girls came along, this was/is my first love.

You mentioned using the old-school, black-and-white composition books; sketching out images, essentially taking your first steps towards graffiti (the actual sketching). What is your graffiti background like? What got you involved in the culture, and who were some of the writers that inspired you early on?

Let me not sell myself as anything but a “blackbook warrior”, because my one attempt at actually getting up on a wall – I won’t disclose where and when it took place. All I can tell you is that it was bad, man. Hoooo boy. Not good at all. That shit isn’t even toy – it is a piece of a toy. It’s like only the fuckin’ arm of a toy. But ever since I learned what graffiti was, I’ve loved it. I couldn’t get enough of it.

I remember being 12 or 13, riding with dad through DC and I remember seeing what seemed, at the time, to be this 40 or 50 foot tall painting of this iceman-type character (not Bobby Drake, just a figure that was made of ice or crystals) on a wall. In reality, it was probably only like 10 feet but to me it was just mind-blowing. It was one of those moments where everything changed. Just like hearing “Doggystyle” for the first time. Game over!

From that point on, I was fuckin’ voracious. I was buying graffiti magazines at Tower Records whenever I had the money. I purchased “The Art of Getting Up.” I’d practice the letter forms I saw in my magazines and books over the weekends and on nights, and then continue practice during school, in the back of the class. Then, when I was about to graduate high school, an older brother of a friend was going to VCU, in Richmond, and he was actually a dude who got up and shit, so he took me around for a weekend, and we snapped a buncha flicks, and I met another dude who wrote, and we sat around and drank and drew in each other’s’ books.

In terms of influences, for me… you look at someone like a DONDI, that guy was on some next level shit. The sheer amount of names, of styles… the book “Style Master General” is one of the best things I’ve ever read or seen. His commitment, his love for what he did; I can totally vibe with it, and he basically did that shit right up to the end, which is my plan as well. Others like Seen, Daim, Iz the Wiz, Dez, Daze, Kase 2… I just love all the old stuff. The golden era stuff, if you will, when NYC was bombed-out trains all the time. But even more recent stuff – I’m thinking specifically of Rime and El Mac at the moment, even though El Mac is not necessarily the “traditional” graffiti artist – their stuff blows my fucking face off my face. So, so good. But it was that group of 80s writers that really showed me the way initially, and now the progeny that they’ve spawned runs the gamut of pretty much every conceivable style. The culture of art is indebted to those kids who paved the way.

From graffiti you’ve made a successful transition to graphic design where, in 2012, your work and designs have been heavily-featured on the popular American podcast, THE COMBAT JACK SHOW *salute*. I’m a fan of that program and I feel your showbills helping separate [Combat Jack] from other shows. I especially liked the “Full Metal Jacket” inspired piece for the 100th episode. How did you hook up with Combat [Jack Radio] and how has that affiliation impacted your career, thus far?

Firstly, thanks for the compliments on all the stuff I’ve done for TCJS, as well as the 100th episode showbill, the Full Metal Jacket showbill. It is funny you picked that one out, because that FMJ imagery was involved in the first piece I did for Combat. He talks about our working relationship in the foreword to my 2012 Showbills compilation – I’m not saying that as any sort of plug (can you plug something that’s free? Am I making it worse by saying all this?), but just to say that if people want Combat’s view of the evolution of our partnership, that would be a good read.

This is like almost four years ago, but Combat had started blogging on Byron Crawford’s site, and then he started daily-math.com ,and man, I could not get enough of that site! I would check it like 8, 9 times a day to see if it had been updated. I was into it because the industry stories were just mind-blowing, and I just liked the dude’s outlook on things. But as I’m digging his site, with all of the insane writing, I couldn’t get past the fact that its header image is just … not good.

I decided to reach out to him. Now, I’m kinda nervous in doing that, because my life on the internets – and I’ve been on these motherfuckers since the day of pay-per-hour internet, when AOL was king and there were CompuServe and fuckin’ Geocities and shit – time was spent mostly just lurking. So I’m going to send him this email saying that his header image isn’t good, and let’s get real – when I think of people in general and their behavior on the internet; “well-balanced, reasoned responses” are not the first thing that come to mind, right?

I hate it when people muckrake and only say what’s wrong without making any attempt to correct the problem. So I was like fuck it; let me make a couple new header images, send em to him. If wants to use them, it’s a bonus; if he doesn’t, fuck it.

He seemed to really respond to them, and he was totally cool about my feedback (and, in hindsight, worrying that he was going to spaz out on me seems totally incongruous, contrasted with the life outlook his writing put forth). And from that moment on, if I had an idea for something, I’d just whip it up and email him, and usually he’d post it on the site. I felt like, ok, he is giving me all this information and knowledge and entertainment with his writing, I will give him images back and we kinda both help each other out. It’s the whole creative symbiosis thing again. And from there on, he would reach out to me when he needed something.

Then the radio show started and he asked me to do a logo, so I hooked that up. Sometime after that, he hits me and says DJ Premier is the next guest and can I do some sort of image to promote it? He sent along a photo that Primo’s people sent him. DJ Premier has contributed to the soundtrack that comprises my life, and the guy’s a fuckin’ legend, so I was like, fuck I gotta go in. I didn’t have a template since this was a brand new thing, so I just came up with the idea and did what I did, and from then on Combat hits me with the upcoming guests and lets me do my work – I must admit that is one of the best things about working with him. He trusts that I’m going to make him and the team look good – which is the utmost goal with all these showbills – so he has very minimal changes and I get to create fly shit for artists who have provided the music that I associate with certain points in my life (i.e.: DJ Premier).

It’s impossible to put into the words the feelings I get from creating things for a radio show I feel is invaluable to the culture.

I don’t know if I can ever shout out or thank Combat enough, man. He is just a cool motherfucker and he’s linked me up with other cool internets along the way. It still blows my mind – and I’ve told him this multiple times – that with as many talented people he’s worked with, and the guy has worked with and interviewed and interacted with legends, the fact that he will shout me out on Twitter, or on the show, man, is humbling and such a cool experience. Best of all, I’m having fun doing this. I’ve had record labels contact me to do some work for various projects. I’ve had other internets hit me up – after seeing the work I’ve done for Combat – to work on their projects. So the whole exposure thing that is happening now, he is a huge, huge part of that. Salutes to Combat and the whole team; both the personalities on the show and the people behind the scenes, who are helping the keep the Spaceship [Combat Jack Show] moving.

Being affiliated with Combat Jack and the show is great look, career wise. You find yourself in a good place where many (lazy) people would rest on their laurels; sponging off the name-recognition, BUT you are consistently putting out new designs – for both the podcast and other projects, as well.

I want to know, what motivates your hustle? In other words, what fuels your commitment to this work of yours? Artistry isn’t the most financially rewarding vocation; many people quit before they succeed. You’re in a good spot but still pushing forward; what drives to keep reaching for more?

“Artistry isn’t the most financially rewarding vocation…” Man alive, speak on it! As far as I can tell, if my shit is really good, I’ll die penniless, unknown, and unrecognized but then *ironically* my shit will maybe blow up after I’ve been worm food for a few decades, haha.

One thing which truly drives me is what I mentioned in the previous question — just trying to get better every day with every project. So I’m in this insane competition I’ve set up against myself, and that’s to say nothing of all the other people who are – I’m realistic about it – leaving me in the dust from a talent standpoint. But I try to stay away from thinking about competing with other artists and just using it as motivation to hone my own talents further and further. And there’s the flip side of that coin where I can get inspiration from other artists, be they musical, visual, whatever… I see/hear/experience something dope, and it excites me to want to make something dope in return. There is a kinda karmic symbiosis of creativity and invention, if you will.

Another thing is I went through a big slump, a few years ago, where I just wasn’t drawing anything. I wasn’t making anything. I didn’t really have any ideas, and the ideas I did have, I automatically dismissed because I would think, “Yeah, that’s cool…. but I’ve already seen someone else do it.” Or, “I know someone else has probably done this, so why do something derivative?” It has basically taken me up to this point to be comfortable – as comfortable as I can ever be – with the fact that if I want to do something, I should just do it to see how it looks. Yeah, there is plenty of Breaking Bad fan art out there. And when the series ends, if I want to do something, I shouldn’t let what has come before prevent me from making what I want to make. That leads into this whole other thing about how what I’m doing is pretty selfish. Yes, I am sharing it with others, but at the end of the day, I’m going to make what I want to make, and drawing makes me happy, so that’s why I do it. So the hustle is also motivated by my own selfish interests.

Yet another thing is just the people on the internets that I’ve worked with, and the things they are contributing in their own ways, with their talents. I’ve been really lucky to just have some great collaborators, whether it is the guys at Zip Squad Music, the couple of times I’ve worked/interacted with Duck Down, Combat & his radio show and the team, khal… And even things like Dallas Penn and Byron Crawford. I love their writing (plus, Byron has some of the BEST images on the internets, make the word “best” all caps and in a font size so big it breaks the fuckin’ web), so to be able to work with them is fucking awesome. I think the collaborations help encourage a creative community spirit which I love being a part of. I’ve often compared this time right now to the halcyon years of hip-hop, those early years where it was just fun for everyone and it wasn’t a business thing. Circling back to it not being the most financially rewarding vocation; that’s fine with me. My lawyer/manager will hate me for saying this, but I am not in this for the money. Hell, I’m not even in it for the fame. When I was younger, I wanted both those things, but now, just creating and being happy with what I create; inspiring or supporting other people with those images gets it done for me, man. Don’t get me wrong, I would love to be able to do this for a living, just do what I do and have people pay me, but the money thing isn’t the top motivator.

Since we’ve talked about both graffiti and graphic design, I want to compare and contrast the creative process that goes into the styles. Obviously, both require a certain (strict) discipline yet allow artistic freedoms so, in your opinion, how do the styles match up to each other?

In both graff and graphic design, there are some very basic elements that are going to work as a foundation for whatever you are creating to be interesting: the color scheme, the graphic tension of whatever design elements you use, and the use of layout to give a certain part more prominence.

But I feel like with graff, there’s more leeway to make it extremely complicated, visually speaking, so that maybe on first glance the average viewer doesn’t get it. And in graff, that’s not only OK, sometimes that’s the writer’s goal. With graphic design… let’s take the showbills. With those showbills, I have to communicate the guest that will be on the program, what the name of the show is and who is part of the show, as well as any URLs or any additional information. Now, I can get pretty loose with how that looks, and ultimately those images are a supplement of sorts in relation to the actual content, aka the actual radio show. But those pieces of information, however I choose to display them, they need to be readable. There’s no benefit in making that information complicated to digest. If I went extra Wildstyle on all the text on a showbill, it would be an overload visually, aesthetically, but from an informational standpoint it would be utterly bereft, and that’s not the point of the showbills.

In the end though, I think the great thing is that both graffiti and graphic design are related, and they can use a shared language to inform and better each other. There are elements of one that can show up in the other. Take all the Vaughn Bode characters that have/do appear in so many pieces over the years. If you look at those Bode comix, yeah, they are comics, but in my view, they are graphic design. Bode’s work had text; he had iconography; he had a certain layout to emphasize one or the other. And writers would take a piece from here and there and fit it into what they made. Similarly, graffiti – and the definition of graff, like art, can mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people – but the graff I’m speaking of is what I consider the classical, letterform-driven style. It’s letters. It’s type. Just like graphic design. And I would say that a masterpiece where you have, you know, 5 or 6 or 7 writers all on one wall, that requires just as much “graphic design” as a printed booklet that would fit the traditional definition of “graphic design.”

Stemming from the strength of your work, you’ve been getting some crazy co-signs from Combat [Jack], Dallas [Penn] and the rest of their team – which includes producer, Just Blaze. With those guys praising your work, it’s a no-brainer that industry-heads would be seeking you out for design work. We touched on the topic earlier, but I want to know, in your words, why are so many still people sleeping on Theotis Jones? C’mon, if Pen & Pixel can design all those album covers for No Limit Records, why hasn’t Def Jam commissioned you for a Pusha T or Big K.R.I.T. album cover? I’m just saying; your skill and work ethic are unquestioned, so what do you think it will take for heads are so slow to get at you? What’s up with these slow people?

‘Why are so many people sleeping on me’… are people sleeping on me? I don’t know. I really don’t know how to answer this. If this hasn’t come across in this interview, I’m not the cat to stand up and pound my chest and be like, ‘look how fucking awesome I am!’ That just isn’t my thing. So I’m sure part of it is self-promotion, and I don’t engage in self-promotion as heavily as I “should”, really. I’m on a very limited social media diet. I take my pleasure more so in the final result of the work, and I don’t get anything out of pumping it up beforehand.

I’d also say, my online presence is relatively nascent. The internets are way far and wide, and at this point, kinda old in some corners. Apologies for repeating myself, but I’ve been on the Internets, heavy, for a long fuckin’ time. I’m still discovering new visual artists, new musical artists, new subcultures, new everything, damn near every day. And in that limited amount of time, the work that I’ve done, for the most part, is for a subculture within a subculture. So I’m kinda segmented in that way. And, there are heads out there who ain’t even fuckin’ with hip-hop, so even if they see my stuff and maybe like it, they could give a shit about the subject manner.

At the end of the day, it’s cool as hell that anyone wants to look at the stuff I’m doing. I’m thankful for the exposure my work has gotten so far. Maybe folks will come around, maybe they won’t. In the meantime, I’ma keep doing my best to make work that I think is good. I don’t know if I can ask the universe for any more than that.

Since music is so connected to a lot of your current work, it’s only right to ask a music related question. At this moment, what are some of the album you are playing in heavy-rotation?

Me trying to pin down three albums is damn near impossible. I’m just going to go through a partially-chronological-but-not-really list from when we started this interview to where I’m at now (which is what, like a month or so, in terms of time?): “Reloaded,” by Roc Marciano, “Mic Tyson” by Sean Price, the Face Melting Material mix by DJ Benhameen & Khal, Nicolas Jaar’s Essential Mix on BBC Radio, Timeless Truth’s “Rock-It Science,” “1999″ by Joey BadA$$, the freestyles from “The Miseducation of Freddie Gibbs” (Freddie Gibbs is a beast!), “MHz Legacy” by MHz, various “Sidecar Transmissions” via Aquarium Drunkard, “Wrath of Caine” by Pusha, “New Jet City” by Curren$y, the Jamaica to Toronto Soul Funk & Reggae 1967-1974 compilation, Wendell Stuart & The Downbeaters 1970 self-titled LP, “Paul’s Boutique” by the Beastie Boys, and Beach Fossils “Clash the Truth.” And by the time you read this shit, I’ll probably be on to 5 or 6 other albums, either replaying old joints I haven’t heard in a while or playing something new I’ve found.

What advice, if any, would you give to a person who’s struggling to get their art seen? What would you tell a person who is starting up in graffiti/ design?

This a tough one because there are like a 100,000 fuckin’ books out there that say, “here is how you become a social media guru”? Or, “this is how you become an SEO expert”? But I feel like that stuff is how that particular personwho wrote the book became the “expert”. I think that everyone – and this really applies to whatever you do; art, graffiti, or otherwise – is going to have to go through trials and find their own way regarding what they want to do with life. It’s a rare breed that just gets famous and blows up overnight off design/art/whatever; and much rarer for that person to maintain longevity.

Thanks to the internet, initial blowup is much easier, but so is the number of people you will compete against – that number is stacked. So don’t let yourself get caught up in some: “Why aren’t I better known yet? Why hasn’t my work been received and appreciated by the public, those ignorant fucksticks!” mentality – that way of thinking will get you nowhere.

And I think sometimes the biggest problem is just timing. And I mean that in the sense that life has you in a certain place for a certain reason. I’m no big believer in fate or some kinda grand scheme, but I do think there is some sort of universal energy that is keeping it all even. It sucks to say that, probably sucks worse to hear it if you are in a rut, but that’s just how shit happens. In my experience, creativity doesn’t work best when it is forced – hell, doesn’t usually work, period, when it’s forced. So sometimes you have to wait, but then that moment comes when inspiration kicks in the door, wavin the four-four and you come up with an idea that electrifies your whole body and you can demolish a 40-story building with a single karate chop.

If you are starting out, I would tell you to “go crazy” and try it all. Do everything! See everything! Overdose on fuckin’ inspiration as often as possible. Don’t let someone tell you what you can or can’t do with your art (or ideas). Fuck those people! Fuck. Those. People. If you love creating, do it. Just go do it, for whatever reasons you have, and if you want to show people what you’ve done, there are a million different avenues to get your shit seen online; there’s a niche for pretty much everything. And if the niche doesn’t exist, it is easier than ever to create your own [niche] andyou can then say you were the progenitor of that niche. Whatever you do, put your heart behind it and the rest will take care of itself.

What can we expect for you in 2013?

My overall plan (and this is every year) is just to keep getting better, really. I want the next thing I do to blow whatever I just did out of the water. In terms of actual projects, I’ll have various stuff for Combat Jack, I imagine. I have a few album covers which are in various stages of development/execution and I’ve done flyers for some concerts that will be happening soon. Outside of that, I have stuff that I don’t necessarily post on my tumblr – things like logos and identity branding which I’m doing with friends who are starting/have started businesses; then there are wedding gifts, personal gifts, etc etc. I take a pretty loose approach with “planning” because at any given time someone new might find my shit and approach me with a project I hadn’t thought about. Or maybe I’ll hear some music that inspires some kind of passion project, whether it is another “Lyrics Illustrated” thing (what I call putting an image to lyrics of a song I like, I did a few last year that went up on the tumblr) or some sort of alternate fan boy cover art. Hell, sometimes IRL steps in and I have to put aside the Internetz stuff and deal with that.

I just got a tablet, so my biggest plan for 2013 is to learn/master drawing using that device. Up to this point, everything you’ve seen that I’ve created was done using the computer – drawn with a mouse. I’m the moron who has been drawing with a mouse for goin’ on like 10 fuckin’ years now, not because I didn’t want a tablet, but mostly because it was way too expensive, and because the previous work [I was doing] didn’t require it. For example: the Duck Down Showbill, all those individual beard hairs on Sean Pricetook a solid afternoon of working with a mouse. But will all the ideas I’ve been having and the stuff I’ve been working on – hell, the stuff I want to work on – it makes more sense, at this point, to invest in the new technology. I think I can do it; it’s just a matter of learning the techniques and building from there. Computer shit, in general, has always come somewhat easy to me.

Where can people find you online?

Theotis Jones: I’m currently only located Twitter and Tumblr (theotisjonesdropsknowledge.tumblr.com). I don’t feel the need to be on Instagram because the Tumblr fills that niche and Twitter gives me a way to contact/interact/collaborate with people and vice versa. I also have a little section on thecombatjackshow.com- a page showcasing some of my previous work, as well as a link to the showbills compilation.

Before we go, I want to thank you for taking the time out of your schedule to do this interview, Theotis. We definitely need to do another one in the future, in future, for sure. Now, in closing an interview, it’s customary to give the subject an opportunity to “shout-out” some people they feel deserve to be acknowledged and recognized. This is your opportunity to spread the love, Theotis. Who do you want to shout-out?

Well, first, shout outs to you, Matthew. Thank you for taking the opportunity and the time – fuck, especially the time, with these long ass answers – to let me talk a little about myself. It was a real pleasure doing this, and hopefully we can do it again sometime in the future.

My life has this dichotomy of the Internets and the IRL, so let me start first with my Internets people.

Super big ups to: Combat Jack, Dallas Penn, A-King, Premium Pete, DJ Benhameen, Matt Raz, and Just Blaze. I’m so proud to be a part of what they are doing and they are great to work with; great to tweet with, great to listen to. Big Up to all the folks, behind the scenes, who keep that show moving: Chris Morrow, Dwayne Crawford, Alwayz Ambitious, Christina “Shoom” Isaacs, JasFly, and NY Delight.

Additional shout outs to other internets that I read and that inspire me; people like Byron Crawford, Khal, Robbie at unkut. Big ups to all the dudes in Zip Squad – I’m looking forward not only to their music, but hopefully a continued collaboration with them on the album cover tip.

I also want to give just a blanket shout out to everyone who has liked my work, or complimented it, retweeted it, what have you. I realize not naming specific names is kind of cheap, but I would feel worse about forgetting someone. Please know that if you’ve ever said anything to me, a compliment, you passed my work along cause you enjoyed it – that means a lot, and I’m thankful and humbled by the support.

Lastly, my IRL peoples: Love to Walter,Gwen Jetson, Esquire, Jonny, Tony, Jon B, Hath, MG aka Lil Bu, Mefty aka Big Bu, Marita,Troubita, Steffi, Jerry, GRAAAP! (BOPBOP), Kendraaaaaaa!, Han Dogan (aka pretty much the only other visual artist I fux with IRL), Snyde, and Kara. These are the people that hold me down outside of all the work, the ones who are there and have been there before all this started happening. They’ve influenced me as a person, and who I am informs my work. I can’t thank em enough.

Thank you, internets. Stay up past midnight, do drugs and tip your waitresses. Peace!

In the latest episode of the Live To Kill, Die To Create series the graffiti artist Naks and crew visit Venice Beach, Los Angeles to paint a private wall at Sid Wilson’s (DJ STARSCREAM / SLIPKNOT’S) house.

The third episode of Live To Kill, Die To Create was shot in South Central.

In the second episode of “Live To Kill, Die To Create” the graffiti artists Naks and Def 3 pay homage to ASAP ROCKY.

Ephin presents their new series titled “Live to Kill, Die To Create”, which will feature your favorite writers, with a new look & flavor to the production by various Ephin / SDK affiliated directors & editors. This installment is titled “Get Down or Lay Down” and features writers NAKS, JNASTY & THEME, and was shot & edited by Kevin Wong of Self Hired Productions.

Aske, before we talk about CODE RED and its story. I want you to talk about your personal relationship with graffiti. How long have you been involved? What inspired you to start?

I’ve been drawing since my childhood. Once, when I was in a summer camp drawing the kids who saw my pictures called it graffiti. Back home I decided to find out more about graffiti on the Internet (I was really lucky that my dad introduced me to the Web back in 1995). I was very impressed with what I discovered and made my first letter-based sketches in 2000, and in 2001 I made my first piece on the street.

Thinking about it now, I feel very lucky that I made friends with all the guys from those early days of Russian graffiti and I still remember the great atmosphere of that time.

From the very start, I was more interested in the creative side of graf rather than in vandalism. I was constantly trying to develop my style looking for some new ways to express myself. That’s why at some point I began exploring graphic design and tried to base my work on my graffiti experience and background.

Ok. Now let’s move onto the story of CODE RED Magazine. How did the magazine get its start and how has it changed over the years from a magazine to a clothing brand?

Today, CODE RED is a daily blog about graffiti, street art, and other forms of creativity, as well as an independent Russian street-wear brand. It all began in 2003 when a friend of ours named Yuri Kadantsev self-made a small zine called Ulitsa (meaning ‘a street’ in Russian) as his graduation project. It was one of the first zines dedicated to the Russian graf scene. Two years later, in 2005, he decided to make a real graffiti magazine. He contacted me and offered to publish my works; eventually I helped him with the layout and came up with the new name for the mag: this is how CODE RED started. Sadly, Yuri died in a car accident in 2010.

Since 2005 we have published six issues. CODE RED was the first Russian coloured high-quality mag dedicated to graffiti and street art covering mainly the Russian, Ukrainian and Belorussian scene. It was bilingual (Russian-English) and contained hand-picked images, exclusive interviews with both Russian and foreign graffiti writers, artists, and photographers, as well as photo materials from different graffiti jams and festivals. It actually has had a great influence on all local graf mags that were started later.

In 2007, our team produced the first series of can bags and backpacks to support the mag financially. Our products became really popular with the [writing] community, allowing CODE RED to grow and evolve into an independent streetwear brand. Since 2010 we have been producing limited editions of pants, shorts, hoodies, t-shirts, headwear, and other accessories. Over the last year the brand has overgrown the graffiti community and has become quite popular with the young crowd.

Also, in 2009 we launched a daily blog (www.codered.ru); it’s dedicated to graffiti, street art, graphic design, and more, and is aimed at the Russian-speaking audience.

This question ties in with the previous one, so forgive me if it seems a bit redundant. I want to go a little deeper and specifically know what made you and your crew want to make CODE RED? Besides your mission statement and goals, what do you hope to accomplish with the publication?

First of all, we just liked the idea, and we still enjoy what we do. Besides, I’ve noticed not so long ago that many people care about what we do. So, it occurred to me that we have a great opportunity to try and do something good for our graffiti community, as well as promote creativity among the young generation.
Our mission statement is simple: We want to promote creativity among the younger generation from the post-Soviet states.

Our Purpose is to share some interesting news and tell inspiring stories. We’d like to educate youngsters and broaden their perception of art so that they don’t limit themselves only to graffiti. We want to get them to know the great artists of the past, as well as some young talented people from different art fields, including sculpture, illustration, design, fine art etc. We also want to support the talented and creative youths by providing them with an opportunity to show their work on our blog.

There are many websites and magazines which showcase writers from all over the world, but the majority of their stories are being told from an outsider’s view (i.e.: Westerner’s view) and as good they may try to give authentic accounts, that outsider can only get so close to the truth; because they don’t live in the region(s) being reported upon and therefore a certain depth is missing. When compared to an outsider’s prospective, a native point-of-view will ALWAYS give a deeper insight. How important is it for you and your team to have Russian graffiti and street culture represented through your own eyes?

Of course, it is important that the insiders share their stories, experiences and thoughts with their local community. Different countries, and thus different communities, have their own specific problems and difficulties, so it’s really important to bring them out, share your thoughts on them, and possibly offer some solutions. I believe that the right ideas expressed by respected writers and artists (the insiders) can develop the scene and help the younger generation to go on search for their creativity and self-expression, and not just hang around writing their tags all over the place. We wish there were more talented creative young people in the post-Soviet states; their stories, once told, can inspire other kids to follow their example. And we would like to be a part of it.

Whether right or wrong, when Westerners think of “international” graffiti, we tend to look at Japan, Brazil, or England as “our examples” of the art. Despite all the available information online, Russia’s contributions to the culture tend to be overlooked [by Westerners]. Could you take this moment to educate us a bit on the graffiti culture in Russian?

The first wave of graffiti came to Russia at the end of the 1990s when the mass media began telling stories about the hip-hop culture; they even talked about graffiti and brake dance in some youth TV programs. No doubt that all that hype inspired a lot of kids to go out on the streets and try to spray paint. This is how the first generation of Russian graffiti writers was born in Moscow, St. Petersburg, and other Russian cities.

Since the graffiti culture had only started to emerge, there were no local writers back then. The number of people who managed to get hold of graffiti magazines or videos was really small. The Dirty Hands film was copied over and over again on VHS tapes. Until 2000-2004 there was practically no information on international graffiti scene available in Russia; there were no graf mags, and very few people had access to the Internet.

On the one hand, it was hard, but on the other hand, Russian writers were more original, they were not as influenced by the foreign style trends as today. Moreover, at the very beginning of the 21st century the local scene was smaller and friendlier; people shared the same passion for graffiti, while today the scene consists mainly of different groups of writers who don’t hang out with the rest. Unfortunately, kids now are more interested in clothes and hanging around with famous writers rather than in developing their own style and skills.

Nowadays, it’s rare to meet a talented and motivated young writer. What is even worse, if you are talented and/or active and you get some fame, lots of other writers envy you and speak badly of both you and your style. This generates an unhealthy atmosphere within the local graffiti community. It would be great if people reflected more on what they do and why they get upset when someone else does a good job and becomes famous; this way such people could have developed instead of hating others and degrading.

You mentioned, in its beginning stage, that Russian writers were, “not as influenced by foreign style trends as today.” Has the divide between the individuality of Russian styles and foreign styles now become blurred?

Talking about graffiti, it really seems to me that it’s becoming harder and harder to avoid globalization and thus to develop and/or preserve an authentic style, which differentiates your country or region from the rest of the world.

The Soviet Union ruled over Russia and much of Eastern Europe for 69 years and during that time its doctrine influenced the way in which all art coming out of its states was to look; everything from literature, film, visual art, and architecture was controlled by the government. ?As you mentioned earlier, it wasn’t until the late 90s – following the end of the Soviet Union- that mainstream graffiti spread throughout Russia. Obviously, 69 years is a long time for artists to be influenced and conditioned by certain rules. As a result, I would image many people continued to follow Soviet-art-philosophies long after the system went away. Do you feel Soviet art influenced the way graffiti writers produce their work? If so, was it good or has it stagnated the progression of art form?

Personally, I don’t think that the Soviet art philosophy has influenced Russian graffiti much. What might have influenced all the writers, though, is the Soviet mentality, the generally low cultural and educational level of the Russian population, and the sense of indifference and stagnation that has prevailed in our society since the late 1990’s. Many young people don’t have any goals in their lives and therefore have no motivation to develop themselves and to progress in what they are doing (I’m not talking only about graffiti); they lack ambition and drive, and it seems that they don’t want to achieve anything at all. After more than 70 years of the Soviet regime, most people got used to not making any of important decisions for their own selves; it was normal that the ruling party would decide everything for you, and you had no choice whatsoever.

I want to switch topics for a second. Personally, I have a fixation with Russian history and culture. It’s one of my goals, in life, to visit Russia so tell me something(s) I MUST-SEE or DO when I finally visit Russia?

First of all, it would be perfect if you could contact some locals because it’s always more exciting to have an insider’s view of a place. This way you’ll see all what’s worth seeing and not only the places of interest from travel book. Besides, you’ll be more safe and comfortable because not many Russians, even in big cities, speak English.
Moscow and St. Petersburg are the first cities you should visit. Summer is the best time to come to Russia; the weather is usually very good, some 20-30 C (70-90 F). There are so many great places to see and things to do, that it will take me too long to name them all.

If you are planning a long journey, or you’ve already been to these two cities, you can tour the Golden Ring, which is a ring of medieval towns northeast of Moscow (Vladimir, Suzdal, Yaroslavl, and nine other towns and cities). They have beautiful kremlins (fortresses), monasteries, and churches with famous onion domes built in XII-XVIII centuries.

Veliky Novgorod, Pskov, Vyborg, Nizhny Novgorod, and Kazan are also wonderful and definitely worth visiting.
If you want to explore more of Russia you should go to Perm, Samara, Yekaterinburg, and other big cities because Moscow and St. Pete, though amazing, differ a lot from other Russian cities.

Many foreigners love it travelling through Russia along the Trans-Siberian railroad; you can get on train in Moscow and go all the way through Siberia to the Far East. You can stop by some great places on your way, like Lake Baikal for example. (A non-stop journey from Moscow to Vladivostok takes around a week.)

What is something a visitor should NEVER DO WHEN IN RUSSIA?

In general, Russians don’t care too much about what other people do or say but there are a few tips that might be helpful.

Though shaking hands with both men and women is a traditional way of greeting people in the West, in Russia it’s still uncommon to shake hands with females (we usually do it only at business meeting). The common way to greet someone you meet for the first time or don’t know well is to shake hands with males and just say hello to females. As for the cheek-kissing, though the traditional Russian way was to give three kisses, today we kiss only once and only with good friends and family.

Another difference is that when we come home or go to someone else’s place we always take our shoes off when entering the house. Maybe this tradition has to do with our snowy winters and rainy fall and spring when your shoes are always dirty, I don’t know. If you remain in your shoes you will be taken for a person with extremely bad manners.

As for taboos, since millions of Russians died in the World War II, everyone takes it really close to heart, so you’d better be respectful when talking about the subject. May 9, or the Victory Day, is still the most widely celebrated Russian holiday apart from the New Year.

In the West, there are some SERIOUS crackdowns on graffiti writers– in fact, some time writers are placed in the same prisons as violent offenders. How does the law deal with graffiti writers in Russia? Are the penalties as harsh as North America’s or do writers get ignored by the law?

The laws and the penalties are way less harsh in Russia than in North America and Europe. If you get caught you can almost always get away by bribing the police, which is totally corrupt. As far as I know, no one has ever been put in jail for graffiti in Russia; the worst thing that can happen to you is receiving a suspended prison sentence and being fined (the fine is comparable to the one you would get in Europe or North America).

Who are some of the Russian crews and writers you feel people [outside of Russia] need to be looking at?

I would recommend checking out the following artists and crews:

Scheme (www.stylekonstruktor.com) from Moscow, Russia. He is one of the most talented and motivated young Russian artists who began his career as a writer. His style has already been noticed abroad; he’s taken part in many European graffiti and street art festivals. This year he participated in the Public Provocations 3 exhibition together with such world famous artists as El Mac, Aryz, Won ABC, and others. He is constantly developing his art and I’m sure that he’ll be successful and famous pretty soon.

Sy (www.streetfiles.org/hellomynameissy) from St. Petersburg, Russia. He is a talented street artist who paints stylish geometrical compositions, each with its own story behind it. Unfortunately, not many people even from the Russian graffiti and street art community know him, though his art is definitely worth seeing.

Interesni Kazki (www.interesnikazki.blogspot.com), a duo from Kiev, Ukraine. In my opinion, they are the best street artists and muralists in all the post-Soviet states. Waone and Aec started with graffiti, and today they paint buildings with huge surrealistic compositions with lots of different layers of meaning. They travel and paint a lot, so probably you are already familiar with their work.

Aesthetics (www.streetfiles.org/aes-crew), a crew of four writers from Moscow and the Moscow region. They’ve being doing graffiti for quite a long time always trying to further develop their own style and not to be influenced by popular trends. Petro (www.streetfiles.org/petro-aesthetics) and Slak (www.streetfiles.org/slagone) have been experimenting with their styles a lot over the last couple of years, and it’s really interesting to watch them evolve. I’m sure that sooner or later they will make a name for themselves on the international graf scene.

TAD (www.topndope.com), a crew from St. Petersburg. Currently, they are the most skillful and active writers on the Russian scene. They followed the trend set by Askew, Roid, and other members of MSK, TMD, and HA. Thanks to their hard work over the last few years they have become the most visible crew on the local scene and are the first crew that got a sponsorship of a big spray paint brand.
Alexey Luka (www.alexeyluka.com) from Moscow, Russia. An artist who studied architecture and then picked up graffiti and photography. He’s been painting out on the streets for more than ten years. Besides graf, he paints on paper and canvases. Today, his passion is shared between abstract graphics and collages, which he creates using different techniques.

8350 (www.8350.org) from Moscow, Russia. He is one of the first wave Russian train-bombers. He started doing graffiti in 1997 and spent over ten years putting up his name, Beso, on trains and walls across the city. In 2010-2011 he switched to abstract graphics giving a new turn to his artistic career. His work is mostly influenced by post-punk, ambient and techno music.

Do you have any closing remarks or shout-outs you’d like to add?

I’d like to thank you for the questions and I hope that those who didn’t know much about Russian graffiti will find this interview interesting. Though there are some Russian writers and street artists who have already become quite famous worldwide, they are really few. So I really want our creative youths to progress and develop, and to reach a level high enough to be recognized by the international community. CODE RED will keep doing everything to help this happen by sharing inspiring stories and great images, as well as spreading the word about talented artists. Stay tuned!

For more information, be sure to check out: www.codered.ru

The Toronto based graffiti artist Getso painted these two pieces to pay respect to the unfortunate deaths of the Montreal graffiti artists Jays and Aber.

Getso:
With the tragedy of the past weekend it was of the utmost importance to create memorials for the two fallen soldiers. Though, I did not know them personally they were not far removed from my constituency and I. This tragedy affects us all, whether we are close to them or not. Let’s remember them properly and keep their spirits alive. My heart and condolences goes out to their families. I hope they find peace wherever they are.
One love.

Photo By: Getsofacto