Canyon Wallflowers

Some quick flowers in the night.

Sometime is doesn't matter where you are, as long as you know where you are going.

Still viewable on Boulder Creek Path, just west of Boulder City Limits

"Canyon Wallflowers" 8' x 8' Spraypaint on wall

Mike's Flowers

Now this one was an experience. I spent two nights under the bridge, the second night, in the rain and snow. Tiptoeing on the few rocks, I managed to stay dry until the inevitable slip hours later. In the end, I refined multiple new techniques, so now I'm faster.

Still viewable at Boulder Creek Path & 6th Street

"MIke's Flowers" 8' x30' Spraypaint on wall

Flowers for The Man

Late one spring evening, as the homeless slept on the river banks and the raccoons watched from the sewers, a great work of art was done along the Boulder Creek Path. Two artists transformed nearly 80 feet of blank, barren wall into a varying display of inspiration, wonder, and intrigue. One, following the resonant lines of vibration that emanated from her abstract character, while the other working in more vibrant colors, fading from one to the other.

A few days later, a majority of the work had been buffed over, but strangely, one section of wall, designated from the rest, remained alone and untouched. This particular section remained on display for a little over a month and then was finally buffed over a few days before this posting.

The inevitable question remains, why were the flowers not buffed earlier along with the rest of the work? Was there a choice to leave it? To appreciate it? Or was there just a lack of gray paint available? Could it be that someone was moved by this form of art? Could it be that this is actually art?

What is art?

"Flowers for The Man" ~6' x 10' Spraypaint on wall

I lika da fade.

A place to settle.

The realization of an idea I came up with long ago, painted in the once glorious 10th Block Gallery, it is now covered over poorly with a faded color of paint.

There was supposed to be a flap of paper hanging off the left side, where the wall was peeled back to reveal the settlement.

Well...

"Settling" 6' x 10' Spraypaint on wall

A few random bits.

Of course, all this refinement in art process is balanced with plenty of exploration of Boulder's streets. This is a small sampling of some themes I've been broadcasting.

We must endure.

Yet another piece that started as a study in painting something that I had previously drawn. It sat around for a while, but I eventually worked it through to completion and it gained a life of its own and compelled me to venture out into the night.

This tall, lonely wall in Boulder needs something fabulous on it don't you think?

"Life's tough... you must endure."

"Endure 2" 8' x 6 " Spraypaint on COMO paper (wheatpasted)

"Well, that's just like your opinion man."

A study in line.

Another great piece that started simply as a study in refining lines.

The hand was first, refined multiple times until I was happy with it. Then the bird, the background, the triangles, the man, the face, and then, wheatpaste!

"The Black Hand" 7' x 4' Spraypaint on COMO sketch paper

The first of many "fishbulb flowers".

This is a great concrete pipe I found, standing up like a column, waiting for some attention.

I wish I could move it downtown.

The strength of this piece sort of came together all on its own. It certainly has it's flaws, but it was a great study in different effects and applications. Learning so much on these early paintings.

"Flower Column" 10' x 4' Spray paint on concrete tube

More random exploration.

More documentation of art from last spring.
Some shots from the old studio (ah... a tear). The "child" is based on the the buddhist analogy of the hungry ghost. This was my first piece trying to follow something I had drawn beforehand.

The last photo is of my first wheatpasting. I pasted newspaper down first, to practice, but also to help the white paper standout on a white wall

The old studio.

Hit the streets!

Some documentation of early escapades into the night.
All pieces painted last spring (April 2011)

Simple stuff, mostly spontaneous, looking over my shoulder, holding my breath.

"fishbulb face"

"Paint flowers."

"Random tree"

"Blobman"

Life's tough... endure.

Another early piece, finished last year this time.

The guy sleeping under the concrete slabs had a lot to say about me bringing unwanted attention to his pad. In the end, he was an art lover... and some vodka helped.

"Endure" 3' x 9' Spray paint on concrete

Blobman in love.

It wasn't long after his conception that Blobman fell in love.

My first real public piece, which lasted quite a while (~5 months). Painted Feb 2011. Simple and unrefined, it's not that impressive, but it has something to say and it's out there (or was).

"Blobman in love" 4' x 15' Spray paint on wall

At first, a dream.

The beginnings. Art as a muse. Images in dreams that demanded to be manifested.
No, seriously, it was like that.

Two of my favorite pieces. Both have become consistent characters in my works. Painted Feb 2011.

backstory
I'd been recently wanting to do more traditional art (you know, using paints and brushes), but it just felt foreign. I had played around with spray paint briefly when I was younger, and painted two random, fun pieces, but I dismissed it as juvenile and pointless. I negated my own passion and talent.

Oh so many years later, I lay one February sick with the flu for over a week. During my time in bed, I caught up with an old friend called television. One film I happened to watch was Banksy's "Exit Through the Gift Shop". It was then I realized that I all art appeals to me, but it's those street masterpieces that really speak to me. The Mona Lisa is great, Monet, Picaso, and all the greats have their place, but what really moves me is when I turn unassumingly down a street and something is there. Even more so when it's relevant, poignant, and well done.

So, with that in mind, I promptly went to the local hardware store to buy paints, cut stencils, and challenge what people perceive as art (and vandalism).

"Paint Flowers" 8' x 2.5' Spray paint on craft paper

"Blobman" 4' x 3' Spray paint on foam board