Mexico Trip: Day 4

Early in the morning Dyle, J one (left), Threat, Ezra and I headed to the writerz block. The writers block is a huge place with tons of walls. I saw some pices from very famous writers who have painted in the same spot. I felt like it was a sacred ground of graffiti and that I was the tag along. Especially when Ezra in a nice way told me secretly that he wanted me in the corner so that when he takes a picture of the whole production he could cut me out. I can understand where he's coming from but it's a really big diss that the other guys wouldn't have stood for it but I just went along with it. We met up with Fasm, had a group prayer (minus Ezra) and started painting. It was a trip doing a big production with so many talented artists in such a famous spot. We finished late and we had an oportuinity to talk with a guy who helps run the place called cutfather. He was the son of a pastor and he hinted at being an artist or being in the scene for 25 years. He gave us so many compliments which means alot coming from somebody that experienced. But one of the things he was most impressed about was the positivity of our message and he talked about how that as artists who answer to God we have a responsibility to do something with our art.

Mexico Trip: Day 3

I woke up in the morning and I met Threat (who's house I'm staying at). He is a very considerate host and a very generous one too. I'm over whelmed by his generousity to a comlete stranger, he sent a guy to pick me up from the airport, he's letting me stay at his place, eat his food and use his paint. He took us to the beach and it was my first time swimming in salt water came back and had a big BBQ where Threat talked to me about the roots of graffiti, how he learned, letter style as it relates to witnessing, and what it means to him to be a christian graff artist. In the evening Threats wife Cindy, J one and I painted the "hall of fame" which is Threat's garage. I sketched something really quick and different, lost my tips, and started rushing the piece as the gangster rap flew in the backround. It wasn't going that well, I'm used to painting with one type of can and one type of tip, Threat has three different types of cans and I had very few tips. Not knowing how much paint would come out of the can or if it would come out of the can was frustrating. I spent a quarter of my time trying to figure out what tip would work on a belton can. I was also frustrated because I was really trying to paint very well and step it up a notch here but I was faultering. I began to swear in my head and as three drips came down I let the words slip out of my mouth. I stepped outside and started to pray, I came back and put headphones on which drowned out the vulgar rap in the backround and I began worshiping God instead of trying to paint well. The result was that I was able to finish the piece and I painted alot better after. J one pulled off a sick piece next to me, we cleaned up went inside and crashed on the floor.

Mexico Trip: Day 2

What a day! I flew out of buffalo and then had an eight hour layover in washington. I spent the time meeting some fellow travelers. Sumit who saw me drawing and said he really liked my stuff so I drew him his name and a character of himself. And I also met a in his forties (I felt compelled to show him a magic trick) and it turns out he used write "wall" twenty five years ago. I drew him a picture too. Then I flew to San Diego and got picked up at the airport by Dom at the airport.

I'm arrived at Threat's place and it's so cool theres like 5 other writers staying at his house. I'm trying not to be star struck. I met J1 from new york who is the the friendly giant he's 6'4" has a really deep voice and loves playing with Threat's kids. Dyle who is from New Zealand and is really nice and conciderate. Ezra who's from switzerland sat down with me and taught me some things about light source, shading and cutting. We sat up till really late talking about God, the church, the validity of the bible as a historical document, his faith in "energies", and his disappointment in his catholic upbringing after, I asked if I could pray for him and he said it was cool.

Mexico Trip: Day 1

Well here I go. My big trip to Mexico to paint a wall and hang out with some christian writers out there. I took a cab from work to the buffalo airport. We (Elly and Dave the cab drivers and I) crossed the border fine and the customs agent was very friendly and even joked around with us. Got to the airport and I found out that I really should have looked at my ticket a little more closely cuz it turns out I missed my flight. But I ran into a nice guy at the terminal named Keyshon who changed my ticket free of charge so that I could still get to San Diego flying out the next day. I then proceeded to check into the hotel across from the airport and it turns out they have a "distressed traveler" discount.

Bonus Material

"serve one another in love. The entire law is summed up in a single command: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other." Gal 5:13-15

*this is a bonus piece for those who check the archives. It was done in Threats garage.

clearer and clearer

I was reading a post from a blog about "Justice, Benevolence and Enabling Oppression" it had some powerful quotes and some good things to say about our society and a message that everybody needs to hear. I thought back to an old idea that Viceral and I have been thinking about scince we started 10 months ago and how it fit in with our message. We've been getting pieces of the puzzle individually to put in this mural and it keeps getting bigger and the problem (in my mind) is where to put this thing but, I thought about it. The Embassy! - (where I painted piece #11) I was so excited I rushed over there at 12:00am and talked to the owner about reserving the wall until I get back from mexico. I explained briefly about the colour scheme and the subject matter and he said it was cool. I also asked how he liked piece #11 and apparently all the drunks who frequent the bar have been having religious debates and philosophical discussions sparked by it. That was so cool to hear that it was having an affect on people and it's gotten them thinking about what is really important. Man, I'm so excited to go to mexico but I'm almost even more excited to come back and paint the wall. Ohhh! I love this! and I'm not ussually too excitable but when I see the plans of God unfolding around me, I just love it!

Piece #11

Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin. For I recognize my shameful deeds they haunt me day and night. Against you, and you alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight. You will be proved right in what you say, and your judgment against me is just. For I was born a sinner-- yes, from the moment my mother conceived me. But you desire honesty from the heart, so you can teach me to be wise in my inmost being. Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Oh, give me back my joy again. psalm 51:2-8

au"GG"ust

Every year the Gospel Graffiti Crew has a get together where they all paint one wall. This year it's in Rosario Mexico and today I just got confirmation of my flight. So, I'll be heading off to mexico for a week to paint with some really cool guys and hopefully learn hands on from some real writers. I'm really excited! It'll be so cool to get together with a whole group of people who have the same passion. Makes me feel less alone in the fight like there are other people on the otherside of the continant who have gone through all the stuff I have and are still going.

exchange gifts 2

I've recieved some more gifts. Other writers writing my name. None of the work in the following three pictures is mine.

battle by snatch316

battle by emcy

battle by dust

getting priorities straight

I went to take out some money from the ATM to pay back my mom for some spraypaint products that I bought with her credit card. I didn't have enough in my account for it, I was broke. The account was empty for the first time in 3 years. I've always been able to at least cover all my expences. I tried to think of what the problem was. I wasn't buying videogames anymore except for that one videogame about spraypainting, dvd's (expept for graff dvd's) or useless junk, it had been a year scince I bought any expensive new electronic gizmo, I hadn't made any purchace over $300 in the last year except for paint a few times, I havent been eating out as much, I just got a raise at work and a bonus for all the overtime i've been doing... hmmm... what have i been spending money on? oh yeah, I bought some paint today and yesterday. Wow that's what it is... paint and tips and cab fares getting to the walls and graf dvd's and markers and inks and rollers and gallons and magazines and books and a camera to take pictures of it all. At the realization that I had spent an obsene amout of money there was the temptation to turn to depair and say it was all a waste.

But was it really? Yes and No, I'm happy with my spending even if I'm flat broke now. Cuz I know most of it went to a good cause. But in the future I'll buy less junk like bombing dvd's, magazines, and books. I don't regret the paint I don't think I ever will but I'll buy cheeper runnier paint next time for the fills. I'm also not gonna get a scanner, scaffolding or that fancy paint machine i've been thinking of.