These two paintings are a product of my friendship and admiration for Aaron and Guy. These artists are considered the best and their work speaks for itself. The intensity of these paintings are a reflection of their own personal traits. They are painted a certain way because of their energy and personality as well as an interpretation on their styles. I hope that makes some sense, but when you look at the paintings you can gauge your own reactions. I see the interaction between myself and these epic tattooers as a small bridge between the graffiti and tattoo worlds.

These two paintings are part of a triptych. The third is with the ever prolific and my good friend Grime in SF. Maybe one day I’ll get all three of the paintings together for an instillation. I’m always glad to be a human canvas for such talent.

Painting for Aaron Cain

Painting for Guy Aitchison

Painting for Grime

www.aaroncain.com/

www.hyperspacestudios.com/

www.grimemonster.com/tattoos.html

This poor guy was freezing so he made himself a fire with what ever was near him on the street, trash, newspaper, etc. Drunk as hell, all he saying was “Beer, Beer!”, sounded more like a chirp. He sort of reminded me of a little boy, mischievous yet simply cold. Then some touchy neighborhood asshole calls the police. From around the corner the fire trucks come, lights and sirens blazing. They jump out, yell at him for a minute, stomp out his measly fire, and move on, leaving him alone cold and quiet.

Another of my photographs. This is my native Los Angelino friend. He’s been creepin around at night, but I don’t mind and it seems the street cats don’t either.

EWOK

KRUSH

RISK

RETNA & THE MAC

REVOK

REYES

SEVER

DAME

KOFIE

REVOK

AUGOR

TACKZ

TWENTY – SIX:
New Works by RISK
December 13 – December 20, 2008

Opening Reception:
Saturday December 13
7-11pm
Track 16 Gallery
2525 Michigan Ave., C-1
Santa Monica, CA 90404

In a career spanning twenty-six years, graffiti artist RISK has impacted the evolution of street writing as an artform in Los Angeles and worldwide. RISK pushed the limits further than then any LA graffiti writer had ever gone before by bombing – what would later be referred to in the graffiti world as a ‘heaven’ – on freeway overpasses and other highly visible spots throughout the city gaining major notoriety for his unique style. At the peak of his career he took graffiti from the streets and into the gallery with the launch of the Third Rail series of art shows; he later parlayed the Third Rail brand into the first authentic line of graffiti-inspired clothing.

In describing this exhibition, RISK states:

Twenty-Six is a collection of letters that I painted as if I were painting on the streets, using what paint and materials I had in my studio, while making sure they all had the movement and the energy of good old school graffiti. It is a celebration of where I’m at today and where I have come from. Twenty-six letters of the alphabet, twenty-six years; I can’t think of a better way to define myself and my view of graffiti art.

Contemplating the arc of his career, RISK attributes his success to something deep inside him. “I think I was the first to do a lot of stuff because I was competitive. I always wanted to take things one step further.”

For more event information, please visit the Track 16 website at www.track16.com
For all press inquiries or photography, please contact info@delarosapr.com.

We flew into Mexico City and then drove 3 hours north to
Santiago de Queretaro.

Downtown Queretaro is a beautiful old, well-preserved,
Spanish colonial town. With cobble stone streets,
beautifully hand-carved large wood doors, court yards in
almost every building, and interesting street vendors on
every corner. We stayed in a two hundred year old hotel
called the Hotel Hidalgo that was a history professor’s
dream with all the notable people that had stayed there.

Queretaro was a very important city during the Mexican
Independence movement and has many statues,
monuments, and historically preserved buildings
commemorating that. Today it is becoming the
international business capitol of the country.

But obviously I was there to paint and meet other like
minds. I spent four days straight painting two different
pieces in two different locations. I decided to use buff paint
primarily, instead of all spray to show people to some new
techniques.

Everywhere we went there seemed to be some sort of
painting project in process. All over the city there are new
community centers being built, from small neighborhood
spaces to huge community centers that can accommodate
the entire city. It was very impressive, and you can sense
there is more importance placed on introducing and
including youth into art projects like murals.

Throughout the years I’ve visited Mexico many times and
these kids are getting better and better. There is endless
wall space and the writers are very focused. I would say
that in the near future Mexico will become an important
painting destination for the rest of the world.

I met some genuine people and some strong writers in
Mexico. Queretaro is a mellow place and I love how
important the history is to citizens. Most of my experiences
on this trip were positive, (minus the five-animal meat
torta).

Thank you to No Limit, SF Crew. Mibe, Humo, Baht, Seta,
Borra, Chino, Aliaz, and anyone else I forgot.

Cathedral In Downtown Queretaro

Cathedral Ceiling

Altar For Mary

Cathedral At Night

Statue For Memorial To One Of The Saviors Of Mexican Independence

Eagles At The Base Of Josefa Statue

Statue Outside Cathedral

Hill Top View Of Los Arcos Aqueduct. It Was Built By The Wealthiest Man In Queretaro Because Of His Love For A Nun

“Pyramid Of El Pueblito”, Toltec Pyramid With Spanish Fort On Top In Queretaro

After All Day Painting, Nothing Like A Nice Little Fire

Mucho Mas Graffiti!

This Kid Painted This After His Lung Collapsed!

Through Upper Playground, I was one of a bunch of artists who where asked to be part of an interesting collaboration with Roland Sands Designs.

Basically Sam Flores, Nate Van Dyke, Estvon Oriol, Jonas, Roland and friends, painted the backdrops for up and coming motorcycle conventions. These are the sickest bikes I’ve seen, and the goal was to create themes that went with each bike. Everyone put in long nights, and it turned into a paint menagerie.

Each artists mural was unique to they’re own style. This is what makes this project interesting. Each piece was great and different by itself, then put those amazing bikes in front of them, it couldn’t get any better.

I was very excited to work on this project because I appreciate the constant contortion of motorcycle design, especially Roland’s approach to style. When I see those sexy lines on a bike, I want to push my artistic style even further.

Futuristic, powerful, hyper, sleek, sharp, dangerous, wicked, complex, these are the perfect attributes that translate well into my painting style.

The bike in front of my wall was a one of a kind Ducati, red, silver, and black. I wanted to match the color pallet with fast-moving, sharp biomechanical bits, mixed with digital racing stripes.

I think this could be one of the first contemporary collaborations with street artist and the motorcycle culture. I’m definitely looking forward to more projects with Roland. Maybe one day soon there will be a sick Saber/Roland bike collaboration.

My Wall, but this is NOT my bike.

Estevon Oriol, hard at work…..

Sam and the girls…….

Nate Van Dyke’s Wall….

Roland Sands’ Wall

Sam Flores’s Wall…..