TOOFLY NYC

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

GRAFITERAS

July 18th, 2017 OAKLAND, CA — On Friday August 18th, 6-10pm famed graffiti and street artists Toofly (NYC), and Dime (OAKLAND) team up for GRAFITERAS, a collaborative exhibition, installation, pop-up, and art workshop all in one. GRAFITERAS will be held at EastSide Arts Alliance & Cultural Center, a grassroots organization of third world artists, cultural workers, and community organizers of color.

GRAFITERAS is a multi dimensional exhibition that seeks to connect and build bridges between Raza artists from the east coast and west coast. Both artists exemplify sisterhood, latinidad, graffiti and have served as vital agents of influence for legions of women driven to rise in today’s art world.

Both women were raised in the tumultuous 90s era. Toofly hails from Corona, Queens NY, Dime from Oakland, California. As young graffiti artists they made their mark in a male dominated graffiti scene. The challenges of being immigrant and brown women did not deter their journey of self-discovery. In fact, it influenced the trailblazing art they create today. They were determined with mucho corazon which comes from instinctual feelings of love and community. Through their art, they not only represent themselves but the dreams, ideals and instincts of women, particularly Raza women.

Over the years they have carved out an important artistic space at the intersection of street graffiti, murals, and exhibitions—on their own terms, staying true to their roots and love for community. Eventually, the forces of the universe brought them together as grafiteras.

To be “Latina” or to be “Raza” in America means you celebrate two or more cultures through language, art, cultural traditions, music, and food. As daughters of families who at one point migrated to the states in search of greater opportunity and economic security, both women understand the power of their art in telling the story of immigrant families. In the face of struggle in a country of institutionalized racism, racial profiling, and an anti-immigrant legal systems, Toofly and Dime respond with art that uplifts, engages and promotes the inclusion of their communities. They have faced racism, and discrimination and so have their family members and peers. It is part of their lives and what gives them a thick skin in the face of adversity. This is what makes women strong, what makes them warriors. They are part of a growing generation of people of color who stand up for what they believe in and will weaponize their art to share their truths. Resistance is part of their culture, it’s in their blood.

Today, “Latina Americanas” like Toofly and Dime, are also spreading their craft into the broader society as educators, designers, educators, and community organizers. It has become the path of self determination for women artists who hold the roles of mothers, daughters, sisters, and aspiring professional storytellers. As grafiteras they have a complex story that speaks volumes of the strength and love that is needed to inspire and move society. GRAFITERAS is a powerful initiation to the complexity of what it’s like to grow up in America, and how Raza and many other cultures find a way to stand up, rise, and shine through it all.

Join us! Let’s celebrate women artists today who are the rainbow warriors of the new world.

As part of a 10 day artist residency, Toofly who visits from Ecuador, will host a #TooflyWorkshop on August 19th, 2017 at EastSide Arts Alliance from 12pm-3pm. Limited space. Registration required. Sign-Up: tallertercermundo@gmail.com

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TOOFLY

Maria Castillo known as “TOOFLY” is an international Ecuadorian/NYC artist, curator, and social entrepreneur. Recognized in the early 90’s for her hard and fluid character style, she gained popularity as one of the few females excelling beyond her peers in the male-dominated graffiti scene. Founder of female arts collectives, like; YOUNITY, LADIES LOVE PROJECT, and PROJECT GIRLZ. TOOFLY is a full time artist and runs her own independent art & design company; STAY TRU, where she consults, designs, and develops a variety of arts & culture events, as well as workshops. Her work has exhibited at many venues such as the Bronx Museum of Art, CAC; Contemporary Museum of Ecuador, and can be found on public walls internationally. TOOFLY is featured across media outlets like Graffiti Women, Outdoor Gallery, Juxtapoz, and Latina Magazine.

www.tooflynyc.com

DIME

Leslie Lopez, known as “DIME” is a Xicana Graffiti Writer, Educator, and first generation Mexican-American born and raised in East Oakland. DIME, A lifelong artist carrying on intergenerational traditions of cultural and spiritual resistance in her family began painting graffiti as a young teenager. Through her politicalization within the Xicana Movement and Oakland’s Eastside Arts Alliance she developed into a educator, organizer and public artist for community empowerment, healing, and self determination. Being one of the few women writers of her generation in Oakland, Dime developed a strong bond with the new rising generation of young women and used it as an opportunity to build a sisterhood and mentorship through a course she developed and taught to Middle School and High School young women called SHE’Rose. DIME is part of the EASTSide Arts Alliance Cultural Center. A member of BSK, Bomb Squad Kingz, one of the first graffiti crews in Oakland, Ca. put together by Style, Phresh, and West who were part of the first dozen of original graffers of Oakland to ever put paint on the walls of the city in the early 80′s. She is also part of Few and Far Women since it Originated in Oakland in 2011 it’s a collective of women artist, skaters, and photographers from around the world. DIME has worked collaboratively as part of Xochitlceive Collective and as an apprentice with Jesus Barraza from Dignidad Rebelde. Her collaborations are painted with youth and are seen in walls all around the city and beyond, including in marches and rallies reaching an intergenerational audience. Her work bridges graffiti and fine arts, as a muralist, printmaker, and mentor passing down teachings of her ancestors to all generations. Her passion and goal is to use art not only as a tool for social justice but as a tool for violence prevention, to reach young people, and entire communities and use art and Muralismo to cope, create change and empower.

www.lesliedimelopez.com

EASTSIDE ARTS ALLIANCE ( Gallery )

The EastSide Arts Alliance & Cultural Center presents free youth art classes, cultural programming, public art projects, ongoing gallery exhibitions, community town halls, and the annual Malcolm X Jazz Arts Festival. We work with numerous organizations and community groups to present hundreds of events every year.

www.eastsideartsalliance.org

Feels good to be back and writing these posts! I have a bunch to get thru and a mess of work so I will keep them a bit short. Welling Court Mural Project this year was smooth. No rain to worry about! usually that messes with my schedule. The sunshine peeked thru, and a little heat wave hit us so it made painting outdoors nice. This year @Sinned NYC, Maria, and I worked in a few details in each of our pieces to get the collaborative effect to happen. We should definitely try to do it more often with everyone on that long wall. I think it could give it a new twist. What do ya’ll think? Homegirl Daniella Harris came back this year to help me prep the wall, and continue to practice her aerosol skills. Thank you D! My lovely friend Irene ( TopShelf Photography ) pulled thru before the madness to take some action shots and catch up on all the bochinche we missed. Ha! We love to laugh, and we get along so great together. Love ya gurl! – That day was a lot of fun, and even more so that Ledania arrived to NY all the way from Bogota, Colombia! Such a treat to invite her to WellingCourt. She got a chance to paint next to Lady Pink. Happy I was able to introduce them at the Warmi Paint Festival in Ecuador in 2015.  It made it a lot smoother for her to rock a spot when there was none left. It’s tough man, there are hardly any new walls left at WellingCourt. Luxury condos are going up everywhere even near the projects. Less walls, means less room for artists to paint, especially traveling artists. I did notice a bunch of new artists this year, not many locals. I think it’s a good idea to get new folks in the mix, and switch it up. I must say there’s nothing more fun to see your friends from all the years of painting in this city back year after year. Change is inevitable, gotta enjoy the good old old days and the new days. Gentrification is not going anywhere, but more than likely we will be. What is important is to continue to get everyone together. A lot of people came thru this year, thank you for making the troop. Families, and people of all sizes, colors, and ages are still out there for the community vibe in the company of the artists that return with new work to share. Thank you WellingCourt!

Irene, Toofly, Ledania. I have an idea how about a painting trip to Colombia together!:) 2018

Photography by TopShelf ©2017

Photography by Alexandra Henry © 2017

I was unable to get a final shot of the wall facing ( front ) too many cars. There’s no parking here on Tuesdays from 10am-1pm anyone want to shoot it? 30th Ave, and Main Ave. If so please send to tooflynyc@gmail.com It’s a good flick to have in case it get’s published. Thank you! Photo by Daniella Harris

Year 8! Happy WellingCourt Mural Project is still on course. There’s are not many Street Art/Mural events I am fond of in NY that are as authentic as this one. It’s chill, it’s in my borough, and it’s put together by down to earth organizers. Folks that have been in NY building with communities before all the hipsters got here and turned these events into greedy corporate locations and leeching off our true school vibes. WellingCourt is still community based, and we like it this way! The community comes out to BBQ, their kids come out to play, and true new yorkers know what’s up when you troop it here. June 10th! Follow @toofly_nyc for progress shots.

www.wellingcourtmuralproject.com

I’m happy I got a chance to paint a collaboration wall with Pablito Zago during our trip to when Mexico City. So glad it worked out! Thanks to Gamma Gallery curators, and their friends at Muro and Hidroarte we made it happen. The wall took three days to produce and it’s one of my favorite mural collaborations I have done lately. Once I had the dimensions of the wall and a free day to soak in inspiration from the Anthropology Museum I was good. I spent a few hours at the park sketching and came up with an image that I felt motivated to paint. Many of my pieces are from my imagination, and feelings I want to express. I was inspired by a painting I saw at the museum that had women of different cultures by Jorge Camarena. Wow! Amazing artist, I am super behind in learning about his work.  I was blown away by the rock sculptures, and details in the artifacts. The museum was mega dope! #1 spot to visit in el DF. Because I like to paint strong empowering female images I try and take the opportunity to explore something new with each one. Mexican art, history, and culture is hands down my top 5 and I wanted to bring a little of it of everything I fell in love with from the museum into the piece. Art inspires art, and the more I learn and travel the closer I am to creating my new works. If you want to visit the wall it is located in: MetroBus parada EL COYOL

Shout out to Pablito Zago for being mega cool and chill on the collaboration. Our work is different but both love to interact with the people that come up to as when we paint. It makes us happy to talk to them, especially the kids who said things like eso esta chido!

THANK YOU MEXICO CITY!

What’s up world! I’ve been in a great mood lately. I have a ton of fresh new ideas for the year to come. Preparing as we speak for the fall and planting seeds for 2017. Living the artist dream and never going back to anything else. Moving from city life has given me the greatest gift ((( TIME )))  Time to create at my own peaceful pace, work on projects I enjoy, as well as travel and paint. I wake up every morning giving thanks for days like today. Full of optimism! — don’t get me wrong I have my bad days too. They suck super bad! it’s usually a funk that life throws at you when your not aligned. Getting off balance has many factors, but if you can curve it and get back on track your good. Some give up. Not me. My momma worked to hard in life, and I will never lose hope. If your doing what you love, the fruits of your labor will provide all you need in life. It helps to have love in your life folks. Love of self, love of others, love of love to love and love more. The secret to a life worth living…

Yeoooooooo what a trip! — I got back to studio after July 4th in New York, and a few days later I was booking to go back. I love it! That’s what that summer fun is all about when you travel to create. You never know when somethin’ gonna pop-up, and you gotta jump on the next flight. Super shout out to Meres & Marie of @5PointzCreates for the invitation to collaborate with the one and only legendary LADY PINK! Pink and I have painted at events in the past, and worked together last fall at the Warmi Paint Festival I co-produced in Quito, Ecuador. Re-connecting in 2016 to paint a digital MTA train was awesome!!! Not the real thing of course, but as close as I will get at this time. It was such an honor, and will go down as one of my favorite moments this year:) — If anyone follows the culture they know how full circle this is. I met Pink back in 2002 (15 years ago ) at the Graffiti Hall of Fame at 106 & Park Ave. Who remembers that?! It’s was an important day in graff history, especially for the ladies. I entered unchartered territory, with Muck that year. The only 2 women to paint. A year after others followed suit and it was our time to shine. We empowered many more years after, and the rest is true herstory! One day our story will be told and the graff ladies will hold their place. This and much more is why Pink will forever be an inspiration to all of us. One of the very first graff ladies to unapologetically represent and stay true to her art.

Big ups to the Panorama NYC Festival at Randall’s Island, I dig it! ART MUSIC TECHNOLOGY.  Amazing work by the #allcityexpress ( AST STUDIOS ) crew for introducing new technology with graffiti artists/writers to the masses. If you saw it in person you were able to see how amazing and awesome it looked. To the #5Pointz Team lot’s of True School Love, until next time!

Lady Pink, and Toofly Collaboration ( 45 minutes speed painting! )

Photo by Nic Lyte // Green Screen + 95+ heat

Photo by Nic Lyte / We did it!

Da Saturday Schedule Crew…

( Street ART NYC ) — All-City Express, a hugely impressive interactive art exhibition, made its world premiere last weekend at Randall’s Island’s Panorama. Under the curatorial direction of 5Pointz Creates leaders Meres One and Marie Flageul, Lady Pink, Tkid 170, Toofly, Meres One, Jerms, Topaz, and See tf painted live, covering digital subway cars with original artwork. Fusing graffiti’s underground roots with innovative video technology, the project was developed by Brooklyn-based AST Studios with Tangible Interaction. Here are a few images captured in the course of this three-day cutting-edge homage to traditional graffiti art.

I LOVE NEW YORK

Photo by ©Garrison Buxton

This year’s #wellingcourtmuralproject was chill. I didn’t make a crazy plan to shoot video like I did last year. It was a lot of fun, but an intense process under the hot sun. Painting, and shooting film can get complicated with the weather, camera angles, and time. On a time lapse you have to stick to the piece from beginning to end, and try to finish it all in one day. This means I have to prepare a piece that is a lot more graphic and simple. It’s tough, and when it’s crazy hot even worse! I love the video fun though, hopefully next year. This year I needed to chill. Every wall is an opportunity to produce something new and bring forth a new experience. I reached out to Daniella, a young sistah who loves graffiti, and street art. She was down to help me prep the wall and learn how we do what we do. She was very excited so I decided to turn it into a PROJECT GIRLZ aerosol workshop! It was a lot of fun. She is now officially part of the women youth team that comes together every year on my walls, pop-up shops, and exhibits. Their assistance is greatly appreciated, and I enjoy passing on all that I have learned to them. Each one is going to art school and pursuing the arts so it’s perfect! Daniella got the hands on aerosol skills scoop which reminded me of the many times I taught other women the same on their “come up” – It makes me smile as I look back in time and remember. Ha! time flies, amazing what the years reveal. If you have good values instilled in you then all shall be well. Today I see young people with a lot more supportive parents in the aerosol arts which means this generation is gonna be allright’. We have done our job right! Community spaces like Welling Court allow young women like Daniella to experience a welcoming environment to paint. YES, it’s easier for young people in the urban arts these days. We didn’t have it that way. We carved out what didn’t exist. In the end that’s it’s everything we strived for when we were her age. We made the way….a place to paint in peace and not be harassed by the cops, a place to make friends, and a place to learn valuable skills from each other. It’s what 5Pointz was all about. Today we only have Welling Court, because other spaces are on another agenda. @daniellaharris has since been practicing, and painting her own characters. Happy to see her on the path to the artist she aspires to be. Thank you for the company, Joe’s flicks, and the yummy pizza!!! Good times:) Lot’s of love and thanks to organizers Allison and Garrison Buxton for a lovely summer at Wellingcourt. It’s what brings “good peoples” and a positive community vibe together.

Daniella Harris and Toofly / PROJECT GIRLZ hands on aerosol skills workshop:)

Sinned and his beautiful wife hangin’ under the sunshine:) Fun day to paint with good peoples <3

Toofly Welling Court, Astoria Queens NYC 2016

Shout out to the #PROJECTGIRLZ team Ana, Nicole, Tati, and Daniella! Keep up the good work ladies. I see you!

Heading to Peru tomorrow! – Happy for the invitation to participate in #LatidoAmericano’s festival for the next 15 days. It’s going to be HOT. Literally…summer weather is at hand and it’s not as fun under the hot sun to paint but we’ll see how it goes. This year it is being held in Callao, Peru near a beach which will help with the sea breeze. Last time I was in Peru in 2013 the painting/festival experience was not at all fun and I was not very happy with what I painted. I’m confident this event will be hella on point with Entes & Pesimo leading the festival. The equipment, paint, and treatment for the artists is a lot more professional. Whew! Here we go. Bags are all packed…now if I can only find my sketchbook!?! I have no idea what I’m going to paint yet…I’ll let the wall speak back to me when I get there…

Follow the process on instagram: @TOOFLY_NYC

Back from Peru! Getting these blog posts up is getting harder and harder guys…Many of the flicks are now up on Facebook, and Instagram if you want to check them out just hashtag #latidoamericano. I would love to sit here for hours like I used to and write and post all my favorite moments but lately this blogging thing is not as fun anymore. Living in the moment, and no longer really caring to post much once it has all passed. This may change or it may not. I’m open to your thoughts.

Toofly X Oz Montana Collaboration, Callao, Peru 2016 #LatidoAmericano

Flicks coming soon…

#warmipaint – words and more flicks coming soon!

Warmi Paint 2015 Internacional an llegado a Quito, Ecuador Nov 12, 2015! Aqui con Lady Pink.

Toofly Y Ache Vallejo Photos by Carlos Duran

Martha Cooper Confrence Photo by ©Alexandra Henry

LADY PINK Photos by ©Carlos Duran

PANMELA CASTRO ( Anarkia )

BASTARDILLA ©Deluxtoy

LA SUERTE © Deluxtoy

LILI CUCA @marthacoopergram

VERO RIVERA ©Deluxtoy

Photo by Alexandra Henry

BELU LOOPS Photo by ©Deluxtoy

LIE Photo by ©Deluxtoy

Warmi Paint Bus!

BLN BIKE Photo by Mavizu

ABUSA CREW @marthacoopergram

Gracias a todos!!! #warmipaint

Warmi Paint™ is an all women arts, and culture festival ready to launch in Quito, Ecuador this fall. A celebration of women street artists from Latin America who focus on; graffiti, street art, murals, and empowering others, especially young women through their colorful work. A group of local and international artists will be selected by Maria “Toofly” Castillo and HTM that will include countries like Ecuador, Colombia, Chile, Argentina, and others.

Warmi = Woman in quechua, the name of a people of the central Andes of South America and their language. Women of all ages from this part of the world will create a new vision of themselves, nurture their community, and reflect a powerful message.

Special guests + 20 women artists will paint collaborative murals, host workshops, and present their life’s work to the Ecuadorian community. We will have graffiti films, slideshow presentations, panels, youth workshops, pop-up shops, and a live art DJ set! People of all ages will benefit from this unique cross cultural exchange, and community building experience.

Help support artist/curator; TOOFLY (NYC), and artist/curator HTM (Ecuador) get started! http://warmipaint.tumblr.com/

Here’s our fundraiser link —> www.gofundme.com/warmipaint

New York is always  hectic for me year after year, and now the projects in Quito are growing too. SO much so that I am short on time to catch up on my blog posts as you can see. As soon as I get a chance to relax I will get to them:) The easiest way for me to share at this time is via INSTAGRAM @TOOFLY_NYC or on my Facebook Page. In the meantime check out the Quito Transit Bus Project we had this past weekend. A first for Ecuador, happy to have been part of it.

Hello World!!! — I’m back from my summer travels and catching up on my blog posts. This summer was hectic, hardly had any leisure time but the small breaks I took made up for it. My first mission as soon as I arrived to NY was to rock a fresh new wall at Wellingcourt Mural Project in Astoria Queens. I decided this year that I will begin to document the painting process as a time lapse to bring a little more fun to the project. I touched base with my friends Serge, and Fubz at MOTIONGRAFF who worked on a stop motion video for me a while back entitled; STAY FLY Episode 22 – We had a lot of fun then and was excited to hear they were down to shoot the Wellingcourt wall with their friend Stephen. Luckily this year there was no rain in the forecast so we worked for 2 full days under the hot sun. I enjoyed building with Stephen he’s such a cool guy!!! Very professional and loves what he does. The energy was on point and the best part is we had fun during the process. The video looks awesome!!! I love the music they chose, and how the edits came out. THANK YOU GUYS <3 and thank you Alice and Garrison for keeping the family style street art community event alive year after year. Especially these days when all other events are turning into corporate media takeovers, and hipster trash parties. The work on the walls of our ever changing city is to bring communities together, locals together, and to enjoy the chill summer vibe where kids can run around and hang out with the big kids.  It’s not about corporate media piggy backing off our work and hipsters getting drunk and making a mess of our hood. Authenticity is not for sale, so back the f**K up! Our neighborhoods are going through a tough change with all these greedy mofo’s who have no respect for our people and hoods. Watching the change of my beloved city year after year is sad, but many of us ain’t going down like that. We’re warriors of this shit

I’ve been building with some really awesome peoples here in Quito. The talent is great, and many of them have been on the grind for years with the city to try and make some dope shit happen. Their ideas are finally coming into full fruition, and with each event it keeps getting tighter. They are taking over more, and more public spaces + organizing events that push the boundaries of what has been done before. It’s nice to see it all unfold. I am used to checking out some really cool stuff in NY all the time, but now that I’m here in the mothaland I feel proud! Shout out to Vera and Alm Crew for the opportunity to join them on their latest project #PROYECTOESPORA in collaboration with one of the coolest design studios in Quito; TORNO CO.LAB.

The project came about because as a community they felt the need to come up with solutions to a theft and garbage problem they were having in their barrio. They connected with their neighbors and shop locals to propose a street project that can help them, as well as other barrios with issues in a creative way. Kids, and grown ups drilled, gardened, painted, and prepared for a day of creative justice. The street artists took the “Vigilante” theme throughout their pieces to let thieves know this area will now be looked out after by everyone and they have no more business there. The area was dark so extra street lights were installed. Large garbage containers were built and some have a creative twists so kids have fun throwing away their candy wrappers and plastic bottles after school. Educating the public is a day to day process here still. There are no street lights, and garbage cans on every single street corner like there is in NY. Quito is still a developing city. Barrios are left to handle theirs, and this is a creative example of that.

VERA 2015

Mr. PAINT! mixing paint:)

JOINS BACK 2015

I got an opportunity to rock one of my favorite illustrations “MAS AMOR” near a funky little tree where the leaves added to the design of the piece, especially when the sun went down. The shade created a beautiful pattern design. These days any chance I have to paint near plants, trees, or nature is a big +!

“MAS AMOR” 2015 by TOOFLY, Quito Ecuador

Finito!

As the evening arrived there was a special video launch planned to close out the day’s event. Ecuador has strong ancestral roots and with the guidance of a native shaman we gathered in a circle for a personal, and neighborhood cleansing. It was a beautiful ceremony, and it was my first one. I’ve been meaning to go to some but never got the chance. As I joined the circle by Vera’s invitation I giggled at first but then realized something amazing. I had arrived!  That feeling you get when it allllllllllll makes sense. It lasts a few seconds but your like oh shit! The connection to the land, art, friends, community, and all I love reminded me why I had returned to my very first home. It felt good…and I’m still processing it…

It was then time to start, and end the late night show. Mixed media artists, dancers, and musicians set the tone for a mapping video projection at one of the big big walls. There was a lot of blank space for a reason. As the lights came on the projection started, and beautiful animated graphics took over the blank space along side the black and white line art illustrations. A collaboration effort by the ALM CREW that has been in the works for weeks. It was a sight to see! As the mural came to life I wondered, has this been done in Quito before?  Felt like a whole new level to street art was in the making. Elders, kids, and young people “ahhhed” and “oohed” and clapped as the show came to an end. For a minute I thought I could be in Dumbo Brooklyn or something. This was great!!!

Big thanks to all and everyone who made this event happen. Much continued success, and looking forward to more.

Painting season is 360 days a year in Quito, Ecuador. Which means the painting fun never stops. Ecuador has the best weather, it’s almost as good as California weather. This month was pretty action packed, gotta warm up for NY in June! I got word from our friend HTM that ARTE ACTUAL FLACSO was organizing a painting, and fine art spree, at a soon to be demolished building in the north side of Quito. I packed up a few scraps of paint and headed over. As soon as I arrived I ran into Boloh! We met at the 2013 GRAFFF festival in Ambato and remembered his chill vibe and intense pattern work. It was only right we took this time to rock a special collabo with an extinguisher artist who was spreading paint all over the walls. The effect was awesome! Everyone involved that day had a lot of fun taking over the place inside and out. No rules, go crazy! We felt like kids in a candy store…

BOLOH X TOOFLY, Quito Ecuador 2015