Dias De Los Muertos
When I first began to sell paintings I kept hearing, "Art is dead."
I believe that artists do not descend from the heavens into their environments. Rather they exist made from and of their places of origin. I moved to the Mission District 20-some-odd-years ago and began to reflect the environment- more similar to parts of Oakland than one might think.
I have always been a session cat, not particularly interested in a particular style other than the best color I could find for the job. Most street artists put their work all over the place to gain recognition. I did fairs and festivals but I kept putting my shit in the same place, where I live, on my block.
As I witnessed the transformation of the Mission I became acutely aware of “Los Desaparecidos”, the disappeared. Death has always walked with me and it is my connection to vision that enables me to see what has, is, or will be.
Instead of worrying about whether Art is dead, I paint the life that is after death.
Honor, Tribute, Respect, Reverence, and sometimes satire!
