TOOFLY NYC

Back from a fantastic 3 day graffiti urban arts workshop in Brooklyn with the Young Women’s Leadership School. The girls did an amazing job this week. They got a rare opportunity to learn the art and design of doing letters, and characters. There’s nothing more fun than learning about line, shape, and color when your rocking out your name in bubble or straight letter style. Many kids in our community live around graffiti and street art. This was a great opportunity to teach them something from their own block they can relate to! With a few markers, brushes, and paint the kids not only pieced their names they also collaborated on a large canvas mural that will be installed in their school. The message of choice to represent their winter camp: “ENERGY UP!” A conscious daily choice to get their health in check, and help fight teenage obesity 1 day at a time. Shout out to Big City Walls for teaming me up with Young Womens Leadership, and the Energyup.org program this year;) THANK YOU!!! Till next time…

Pilot marker outlines all by themselves! I was proud:)

Great job ladies! Keeping it fun, clean, and graphic…

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Better late than never…

Shout out to DEAL CIA for hooking it up! Congrats hommie:)

Sabe & Toofly where it all began…

About the book
Decades after the movement globalized, New York is still the mecca of graffiti culture. Painting there is a badge of honor, with graffiti artists from around the globe making pilgrimages to New York for that purpose. This is the city where it all began, yet few know the back story. Graffiti New York fills that gap, detailing the concepts, aesthetics, ideals, and social structures that have served as a cultural blueprint for graffiti movements across the world. The book features approximately 1,000 images, complemented by texts by the authors and relevant players in the movement, as well as descriptive graphics and sidebars. Ranging from the birth of simple signature tags to today’s vibrant murals, and covering the ups and downs of the movement, the culture’s value system, its social framework, the various forms of graffiti, and significant artists and crews, Graffiti New York is a major addition to Abrams’ superb books on graffiti art. Read more

Got an opportunity last week to custom paint a small scale version of a NYC F train for our friend ken_vs_ryu. Shout out to Sol who made it happen. I sooooooooOOo  WANT ONE TOO! Where do I get one?

rock’n my magic…

Vuala! finito, and ready for the tracks…

Shout out to ken_vs_ryu for the pics, and YOUTUBE video. It was a pleasure painting it! Thank Youuuuuuu….

B-Girl Be 2009 Block Party included Mainstage Performances, MCs, Spoken Word, DJs, Dance, Live Mural Painting, Film, Food and an Art Marketplace! Featuring local, national and international artists including aerosol artists Motel7 (Capetown) and Toofly (NYC); MC Eternia with Chesney Snow (Canada), DJ Chela (NYC); spoken word poet Tish Jones; Akira Johnson; Bloody Black Eyes; Ill Chemistry; Black Pearl; and the Twin Cities All-Stars: Katana, Maria Isa, Indigo, Desdamona, performing onstage together for the first time in twin cities hip-hop history!

FINITO! Got my piece done early so I can rock my style’n photography skillz. Here are some of my favorites….

Fall back now you don’t know me!

MC BIG TARA is a B-girl and MC with the Anomolies Crew, Fox Force 5, Shoten Zenjin and the House of HOWL. Born and raised in the Lower Eastside of NYC, she was influenced by the dance and music culture of her neighborhood. She has graced many stages across the country including the Apollo, BB Kings, Lincoln Center and the Manhattan Center and has worked with the Roots, Erykah Badu and LL Cool J to name a few. After receiving a public service award from the New School University, she decided to dedicate her time to helping non-profit organizations further serve marginalized youth. She has been working in community outreach for over 10 years and believes it is crucial to help guide our youth to live absolutely happy and productive lives.

LOVE YOU BIG TARA!!!

These girls were FLY! Their outfits wen’t great with the shoot;) YEAH BABY!!!

WLR…

Amanda Lopez, was also getting her shots in for THE GIRLS GOT KICKS! Photoshoot…

Amy Campion

Little Minniapolis Girls…

My new STEEZ was a hit…

MOTEL 7 ( Capetown ) Welcome!!! I thought I was fast, this girl went all out…

PROPS!

AM going high…

and stencil’n it up…

B-GIRL AIKO! See ya soon in SF;)

AIKO (Aiko Shirakawa) started street dancing at the age of 11 in the parks of San Jose, CA, and performed by the age of 15 with her group, Quick Style, opening up for Ice T in 1983. This began a long list of performances for Quick Style, who opened for many major bands and singers in the Bay Area of California. In 1995 Aiko began to teach street styles to youth in San Jose at the local youth centers and still does to this day. Aiko has been teaching after school programs for the past 7 years for YMCA and Catholic Charities. Over the past 16 years of teaching street dance to the youth, she has been writing a curriculum to add to her classes so that her students can embrace the history of hip-hop and how it can be better than what the media has portrayed it to be. Aiko has taught street styles everywhere in the States, including B-Girl Be 2007 in Minneapolis, MN; Street Science 2008 in Holland; and the film documentary release of All the Ladies Say in New York, NY in 2009 (she is one of the leading Ladies in the film). “Hip-Hop has been there for me and has saved my life; I will be here for Hip-Hop for the rest of mine.” —Aiko

It’s not easy triple threating it, You gotta have a heart, you gotta be original, and you gotta have style! We’re about to set it off…WATCH OUT!

Trinity sold like HOTCAKES!

The new team: MAMA made it! wooohoooo…

SHEVA + RUKUS + RUST

Shout out to CHICAGO who was in the house! Repping hard every year…

Well behaved women seldom make history! >>> Well said!

Shout out to T-Rose! Our wonderful host for the week. Made us some protein shakes, drove us up in the PLAY DATE Cadillac, and overall blessed us with mad love. Thank you T!!!

mmmm dinner time. The chicken curry was slamming! Time to rest, and get some energy for the DeCipher jam…

Photo by B-FRESH >>> More at: CITY PAGES

DJ CHELA on the 1 & 2’s

DeCipher This showcases the very essence of hip-hop dance: the ability to freestyle in the cipher. The 2009 B-Girl Be Block Party After Party with DJs and live drumming as locally and nationally recognized female hip-hop dancers take their turn in the cipher sharing their specific skills and raw energy!

Jen One was killing it! Be a part of instant creation as improvisational elements come together with some of the most talented female breakers, poppers and hip-hop freestyle dancers in the country.

Featuring Aiko, MimotheGreat and Venus Fly Trap Crew; with performances by AnnieUp, B-Girl monArc, Yonci Peaceful Jameson, Alissa Paris, Amy Sackett, Sarah Savengseuksa, B-Girl Seoul Assassin, Kim Sorenson, and Ti-en-T, and Legend ROKAFELLA!

Always inspiring to see these women rock and keep it alive. Budget cuts suck, especially when the organizers that gave life to the HEART & SOUL of B-Girl Be are not longer on board;( You can feel, and see the “DIFFERENCE”. Regardless of some minor mishaps, at the end of the day our community has to keep events like this alive. There’s a new generation that still needs platforms like this to represent, and come together to exchange new ideas. Money or no money true activists will continue to hold it down. I was happy to see some new talent brewing. Electro Funky Flowz baby! I’m diggn’ it!!! We missed our crews from the past B-Girl Be’s specially MELISSA, MARTHA COOPER, NIKA, ARUNA, VENDETTA, ASIA1, LADY CHAMP, MARTHA DIAZ, FAITH47, LADY PINK, QA, FEVER, SHIRO, SILOETTE, and PHEM9. We rocked it ONE LAST TIME, but It wasn’t the same without ya!!! To all the new folks who came thru to represent PROPS! Our hommie Big Tara did great! Motel7, Annie Up, PANDORA wow you blew me away w/ your skillz! DJ Chela, Eternia, Lori from Female Sneaker Fiend, Amanda Lopez w/ the Photo skillz, and many many more…I gotta get folks names right. Shout out to the ladies who had our back during the trip; MELISSA for organizing all the DOPE ladies to represent! AUTUMN for hooking us up w/ the goodies, and T-ROSE for being a wonderful host! THANK YOUUUUUU

Yesterday’s Younity Art & Designer MARKIT was a sunny successs!!! From dope handmade goods, fresh artwork, designer T’s, to the valiadas and hot dogs on the grill by Father Tom and the parish crew. Our peeps came through and showed maaaaaaad LOVE! Dj Jedi, and Dj Disco Wiz killed it on the 1 & 2’s playing the best in Hip Hops classics and Freestyle. Bboyz, and BGirlz would of loved it. Ya def up in the mix next time without a doubt. Can’t wait!!! Got lot’s more stuff planned for Markit#2 The Lady of Sorrows parish is down for us, that’s why I love COMMUNITY. Real recognize real;) Bringing together fresh creative talent to our hoods one summer at a time. Look out for the HOLIDAY MARKET in the works for December. Thanks again everybody!!! * Especially Freddy & my Momz who came to town, & helped us make folding tables, paint rings, stuff little pillows, and pack the tiny smartcar w/ all our shit. Gotta LUV family, they’re down for you no matter what. Have a safe trip back to Florida!

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT! >>>

Goodies for all…

My new Trinity rings were a success! I gotta make more they sold out;)

Thanks for the LUV GFC Peeps!

Circa 95, officially yours;) LUV YA! Pete, Rephstar, Patty Dukes, TF > Flick by Joe Conzo

DJ Jedi is the man!!! Hooked it up with the whole set up, the schoolyard was jammin. Big huggggggz to you for all your support hommie. See you soon for those METHODS catalogs.

INKS had some new goodies this year…NEON zebra print tank top styles, and houndstooth fabric pins so cute. Little NYC pillows sold out!

JUNKPRINTS > Check out that huge ass duffle. WHAT! this girl is NO JOKE. She’s is all about about it and we LOVE IT! Check her our soon on People Magazine. Congrats hommie!

GOODWOODNYC baby! Yeo Kerri’s new stuff is looking SICK!!! See for yourselves…

UNBELIVEABLE, there ain’t nobody on her steez, she is def ORIGINAL. Love it Kerri keep up the DOPENESS.

awwwwww it was so cute to see Psalmz from TWEAPONZ come through w/ his wifey and newborn baby boy. Your such a GREAT TALENTED DADDY!!! All the best to you and your fam;)

Destroy & Rebuild Collective > These fellas are all so talented. I can’t get enough. Shout out to 2esae, ski, and avone. Looking fwd to the collabo it’s gonna be illlllllll. Be sure to check out their set up up in Soho on prince near the apple store. They’re work is TOP NOTCH. I need my REVS & COST piece ya still got it?

624713 Collective > Grimy Patterns/graff + prints Art, T’s and much more. This crew is doing their thing, you can also visit their setup in soho. Lookout for Jenevieve713 in the FRESHER show OCT 3rd!

DOPE! I love art, especially when it’s from NY…

DJ DISCO WIZ came through to drop the skilllllllz. I think if there was a linoleum around i might have just thrown down even though I can’t break the music was so goooood. Thanks so much for sharing your time Wiz! Look out for his AWESOME book and bookstores worldwide IT’S JUST BEGUN. This is a LEGEND right here supporting YOUNITY;) Thank u!!!

TOUGH LOVE NYC cupcakes! too bad I don’t have a sweet tooth these look YUMMY!

STEPHANIE LAND > Photographs + Stationary. This lady’s images are so peaceful I love looking at them. I can’t wait to see her handmade Journal for the FRESHER exhibit!

FRESTHETIC > Our crew without a doubt! Repping amazing artists on T’s wood, and print. Check out their shop on 560 Grand St in Willy B, Brooklyn.

AM > Art, Knits, Pillows, Art and more! I’m in LOVE with your momz crochet earrings I want 3 more colors kid!

Sohnup> HIP HOPE FOR HEALING. Check out the organic steez…

Mina Suarez > Vintage purses, I’m so bummed I didn’t get the little wallet I liked. I was going broke shopping;(

La Araucana by Norma Bravo > Vee’s momma making some beautiful handmade knitted scarves, hats, and sweaters. Time to get cozy soon!

Ivette Urbanez > Handcrafted Dresses, Purses, and Silkscreened T’s. I love this pic!

Mr Tony Peralta chillin’ making plans for the next market. Joe Conzo was diggn’ it. Dimélo y que lo qué primo…

Thank you Father TOM!!!

Younity sporting the goods, new T’s gonna go up online soooon. Shout out to Yvey for hooking it up w/ father TOM on this dope schoolyard location. Especially helping to organize the DJ’s. Your a TROOPER kid! LUV YA;) Big hugz and kisses to miss Shana Louallen for holding down the Younity booth with her cuz and giving folks some Tarot Card readings. Your on the next FLYER!

Oh shit! Look who came thru to show the ladies love. Artists legend, graff head, b-boy, DOZE GREEN. It was great to see you!

Kicking off FRESHER 09 like no other baby! THIS IS HOW IT SHOULD BE DONE…yeah yeah OCTOBER 3rd >>> Lower East Side…

See you guys again soon THANK YOUUUUUUUUU!!!

Younity’s FRESHER flyer is finally COMPLETE!!!

SAVE THE DATE OCT 3rd, 2009. PRESS RELEASE BELOW>>>

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The YOUNITY Re-Fresh the Streets live street art collaboration is complete!!! I’m super tired. That wall took a lot out of me dammit! Working on a 15′ piece, going photo real was a bad move. What the hell was I thinking…I was wearing way too many hats this weekend;( From going, up and down the ladder, simutaneously working on the store front, talking to folks left & right, I’m surprised I didn’t just pass out on the sidewalk and screamed UNCLE!!! Bet no-one noticed. I think that’s why I’ve been tossing and turning all night this week, insomnia sucks. The perfectionist in me wouldn’t let me sleep. Anywayyyyy, had to vent. Super duper special shout out to our Younity Youth Jerely, and Talia who threw down with the can control. We are so proud;)  our Younity Crew Shana, Diana, Mama, and Samia for helping freestyle that store front. Jazzy jazz baby! I couldn’t have done it without ya. Especially Abeni Garrett for hooking up the video piece for this project I can;t wait to see it!!! Gracias MAMASITAS! Shout out to the owner of this entire spot, JERRY ( Official Hero Status! ) for being so humble and sweet with all us girls. Looking fwd to the Friday Jazz Jam sessions to close out the summer, SOUTHSIDE style. Mad love goes out to OUR people, the few left in this community who got smart in the 70-80’s and bought their property! This hood back then was one of NYC’s worst. Gentrifaction is inevitable, and we feel for you. THIS WALL IS FOR YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

RE-FRESH THE STREETS – YOUNITY Female Stylez, Ideaz, and Skillz!

Jazz Jam Sessions every FRIDAY NIGHT!!! wmcjazz.org. Support your local peeps who do this for the love not for the money. Especially folks like Jerry who have held it down from day 1!

Day 1: PREP WALL. Younity Crew; Shana Louallen, Diana Mc Clure, TF, AM, & Younity Youth; Talia, Jeraline, Tati, and Charlie, and #1 mom Oli.  Thank You!

DAY 2: AIKO fresh start…weather was great!

EMA, and Sofia Maldonado

Tabasco your so cute!!!

My cuz, Chill Will stopped by for a sneeky peek…

Classic Charlie! Repping the Dominican flag I LOVE IT! Photo by: OLIVIA

GROW…

I need another day on it it, lot’s to fix…

VIK – You killed it girl! I LOVE IT;)

My hommie from wayyyy back H.S Fashion dayz, stopped by to show us some love. Gonna hit some trucks soon! Shana in the back doing Tarot Card readings for everyone. Good Times!

Our peoples, Jim and Kala Murray from their latest BOOK: Store Front: The Disappearing Face of New York out now! taking professional flicks of our wall. THANK YOU!!!

MORE PICS >>> urbanimagephotography.com

So proud of our Younity Youth…give them a can and they FLY!

Freestyle skillz baby, off the dome…

Mama! Yeo thank you so much for the ladders and extra paint your BIG CITY WALLS HEART rocks!!!

AM going high with the sunflower seeeeeeeds…

My sister INKS came thru to rock some bird stencils…

JEN ONE work in progress…Fresher Logo in progress…We’re almost there ladies, SEND ME final flicks! It got too dark…

EROTICA 67 baby! I feel like going to Hawaii!

We were happy SHIRO got a chance to paint with us this summer while she visited us from Japan. Her flight was the next day and she banged this baby out in 1 day! Good job Shiro! We love youuuuuuu. See you next summer!

YOUNITY PRESENTS: RE-FRESH THE STREETS!

(New York, NY) – On August 9, 2009 from 1 p.m.-6 p.m. the women of YOUNITY Arts will host RE-FRESH THE STREETS!, a live street art production to kick off the festivities for the upcoming FRESHER Exhibit in the fall of 2009. A massive sixty-two feet long mural will be painted on an outdoor wall space. Additionally, the art is an effort to beautify the community with graffiti art and street styles that mirror the eco-friendly theme of the FRESHER Exhibit. The collaborative effort will be the artistic event of the summer, displaying the flagrant artistic talent of the female collective and participating artistic youth.

As seen in Marie Claire’s summer 2009 August Calendar, Sponsored by the Motorola Sweepstakes.

Sunday, August 9th 2009
1pm to 6pm.
South 5th Street & Bedford
Take L train to Bedford.

please visit: www.myspace.com/younityspace
www.theyounity.com

The Secret Garden. A YOUNITY + BIG CITY WALLS collaboration with female aerosol artists from NYC. Coming together to “RE-FRESH” the streets…

Rocking productions with 10+ artists is not always easy. Having a sketch helps. Not everything can go according to plan, but if you leave enough room to improvise you get pretty close…

THE SECRET GARDEN. J train to Gates ave. Corner of Linden and Broadway, Bushwick Brooklyn.

Great spot to chill, paint, play dominos, BBQ, and grow your own vegetables & fruits! There’s a farmers market every Wednesday if you want to check it out. Shout out to the folks who run this place and JOSEPH for keeping it beautiful for the community.

Big hug to Erotica for hooking us up with the ill grill meals! & for bringing by the whole fam. What else can be more fun than running around, playing hide and go seek, dancing, laughing, jumping, and climbing stuff?  WHAT FUN! they will remember for a long long time.

Day 1. Pieces were sketched in and set. On the hunt of colors necessary for Day-2 & 3 possibly 4..GREEN, GREEN, AND MORE GREEN!!!

THE COLOR GREEN. The color of nature, fertility, life. Grass green is the most restful color. Green symbolizes self-respect and well being. Green is the color of balance. It also means learning, growth and harmony.

GREEN ENERGY contains the powerful energies of nature, growth, desire to expand or increase. Balance and a sense of order are found in the color green. Change and transformation is necessary for growth, and so this ability to sustain changes is also a part of the energy of green.

In between the week I managed to squeeze in a Female Sneaker Fiend PHOTOSHOOT with Lori Lobenstein, and Amanda Lopez who flew in from San Francisco for the NYC June festivities. Now the IMAGES will live on FOREVER, and EVER, no matter what!

DAY 4.( I missed Day 2, and 3 ) I was crazed and unable to meet the team to help;( BUT I def made up for it on day 4.WHEW! I still feel I need another 2 days to be satisfied with it, that’s just my virgo talking. Still gonna go back and rock it some more, cuz I can go on for days…PLUS! Shiro is in town gotta get her on this wall…

Collabo between Lady K Fever and Toofly. Feeling RE-FRESHED yet? Flow like water and you’ll see what I mean.

Water unceasingly changes shapes and transforms itself. It is thus a model out of which everything can be born. It is also a source of purification. Purification for the individual beings but also for the whole of mankind. The Flood is a founding episode in numerous civilisations. Among Australia’s Aborigenes, a giant frog is said to have swallowed the Earth’s water to release it only when the other animals, dying with thirst, made it burst out laughing. The Flood in a re-creation of the world. One emerges from water in order to be reborn.

DIVA sweetest person ever!

MADGE def incorporated “THE SECRET” up in here! The key to our hearts “LOVE” and nothing else…

JES. Watch out for TOUGH LOVE NYC! Love these VENUS FLY TRAPS great color…

EROTICA. Yeo this WOMAN right here has got to be the ill#1 graffiti mom. She hella looked out for all of us and kept our bellies full. What a MOM! Got the whole fam in her piece too that’s LOVE. Blessing to you hommie and your beautiful family!

AM, K-STAR collabo. Damn AM wen’t mad high on this one what’s that 15feet? 20? word. K-STAR repping hard! Thanks for the beers ladies they were nice and cold kept us on a nice buzz while we worked;) Ya know how to party!

TADA!!! BIG CITY WALLS hooking us ladies up with wall permissions, paint donations/budgets, and urban arts workshops for youth in the community near you! We had a blast painting, BBQ’n, laughing, and taking maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaad flicks. Thank you lady for bring’n us all together!

GOOOOOOOOOOOOD TIMES you can’t touch no matter how hard you try HA!

This year’s Afro Punk Festival was DOPE. The wall set-up was tight, and the artist line up was on point. Mad characters! Felt right at home…

Afro Punk Festival, JULY 4, 2009. Photo above by Jay Maldonado. Thanks Jay!!! Love the pic.

Early morning sketch…

12 noon…

Space was transformed into a pop-up skate park: Skaters, Half Pipes, Decks, Live Music, etc.

My boy Cekiz!!! Can’t wait to rock a wall together;)

Rimix loved his line work…

AM

SHAUN from Trust Your Struggle Collective. Thank you for all your hard work!

Crystal Clarity

Rob Focused

My hommie DJ Jasmine Solano came thru to rock some joints on the 1&2’s

New steez, on my warrior shit…

Good job TEAM!

Dope pic by: thashadow06

Shout out to RASU from coup d’etat crew for hooking us up all day! Thank You;)

YAY!!! Just got confirmed to do some LIVE PAINTING at this year’s AFRO PUNK FESTIVAL

AFRO PUNK FESTIVAL
JULY 4-6, 2009 ( Toofly, AM painting JULY 4th )
12noon-9pm
BAM Parking Lot (Corner of Lafayette and Flatbush)
Space is transformed into a pop-up skate park: Skaters, Half Pipes, Decks, Live Music, etc. DON’T MISS IT!!!

From 4 th -6 th July , it’s the turn of bands, skaters and BMX take over downtown Brooklyn. Check the event page for a full line-up plus more details on the Nike SB skate clinic and the $5000 worth of prizes on offer through two URBANX Battle For The Streets skate/BMX competitions. The festival closes out with a Block Party on July 12 th featuring more live music, djs, fashion, food and local artists.

The festival is the center of the global Afro-punk community and the definitive destination for audiences looking to experience true Afro-punk culture. Last year 30,000 people attended, and this year even more are expected, along with 40 bands, 24 films, a visual art exhibit and a custom built skate park where you can check out pro riders and skaters from around the country.

ALL THIS YEARS EVENTS ARE FREE so it will be first come first served.

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Took it to jersey yesterday with the GFC fam. Rolling 30 deep is madness sometimes but we always make it happen. Shout out to TATU for organizing this sunny summer afternoon BBQ! Summer painting sessions are in effect especially with the little ones. Schools out but the real lessons have just begun!

Lesson# filling in the wall sketch…

team collaboration…

can control techniques…

Solid shapes…

outlines…and shading…

inspiration is everywhere…photo by ©Mark Anthony Vigo 09

a little Toofly teacher action…

FINITO! Good job little ones. You’ve officially been HOOKED!

LOL, now for the grown up sessionz…

Veester grilling, on the 1&2’s…mad food!

Summer, summer, summertime Time to sit back and unwind…

Remembering Michael and all the folks we lost this year. Making us consious to LIVE, LIVE LIVE. This summer kick back, make art, eat some good grub, hang with your peeps, and chill with your kids!

So I finally got around to checking my FLICKR. There’s too many sites to check these day. Hopefully someone comes up with a way to make it all work for me cause I just can’t keep up anymore! Anyway so I stumbled upon this image on courtesy of Jesus Saves flickr page. Trying to fin out what magazine this is and if this is a photo or a painting of a photo? Is this like a sticker book or something with someone’s favorite stickers? There’s some classic writers up in this…just wondering….

The graffiti community loses one of it’s pioneers;( graffiti writer, artist, pioneer IZ THE WIZ.

Damn mad sad. He was just in NYC like a week ago at TUFF CITY STYLES for his solo exhibit. He was as always a nice and humble man. May you REST IN PEACE IZ THE WIZ.

words from friend Alan Ket at:www.12ozprophet.com