Going Beyond Graffiti

Growing up I had a natural talent for putting on paper what was in my head. Won awards in elementary school. Went to the normal art classes throughout grade school. While in middle school and high school I realized that I hated the rigid requirements. It wasn't engaging for me. Luckily my art teachers seemed to understand the struggle. I think it came from them being creatively minded as well. They would see what I was working on and put the current projects requirements into my current curious works.

My creative desires took me all sorts of places.In high school I wanted to figure out graffiti soooo badly. I couldn't seem to figure out how to get more information about it on my own. My googling skills were lacking the knowledge of key word searching. After almost 2 years of frustration and bashing my head against the wall in the library. In the middle of social studies class I witnessed the new kids colorful paper caught my eye. It was real graffiti! RIGHT.IN.FRONT.OF.ME!

He must have thought I was crazy, I did not leave him alone until he gave me some direction and guidance. He finally relented after 2 weeks and pointed me to www.ArtCrimes.com . Which was all that I needed.

For the next year solid I dedicated my time to learning and practicing graffiti. I completely filled a blackbook cover to cover with bright colorful drawings. I researched styles and color schemes. Once I felt competent in a specific style I would find another to try. Its what I did every day, in every class. This obsession consumed me and continued the next 13 years of my life.

It was a great run. A costly experience. From getting the materials to paint, to running from the law. Something many still fervently engage in, it is a lifestyle. It is a very strong and thriving sub-culture that impacts a must larger community. In the end I chose to leave it behind, my life is bigger.

The past couple of years I have been floundering to find a different direction/guidance/purpose.Within this duration of time there has been some real interesting attempts at several things. The whole mindset of 'it worked for them, it should work for me'. Now there is merit in not reinventing the wheel. There is also huge advantages to finding yourself. A treasure that seems to escape a lot of people. When you define your creative self in one avenue during your developing years, it is a task to redefine yourself. Heck, it is always hard to redefine yourself. Once I have finally accomplished this task people have thought I have changed, but I am still me. Just a better version. More enhanced version. Which isn't even my final form! There isn't a final form. There is change, the only real constant in life. Especially my life.

I am super excited about this development. I just started working with brushes and traditional paints. Learning curves all over the place. I ain't afraid though. It is about time I stretched myself like I did when I taught myself graffiti. Time to expand horizons, blow the dust off, ruffle my feathers to new heights.

Time to be defined by constant creation.


-Maxemis-

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