TOOFLY NYC

Back in the studio. It’s time to re-cap the experience of the Akumal Arts festival! Wow…where do I start?

Based on experience to these massive projects, especially for the 1st time one has to be patient, and organized. The crew did it’s best to accommodate all 70 artists. An ambitious number to manage but when your heart is in it, you have money, man power, and event is in a reasonably sized town everything is possible. Once artists had what they needed it to start their walls, we were rockin’. I think also when you personally prepare in advance it helps you a lot. Your travel, transport, paint list, accommodation details, etc; all small details are important too. Organizers can only do their best when they are being bombarded with a million questions during a festival. I experienced it with our Warmi Paint Festival and I can definitely say it is not easy. As an artist in a festival to be self sufficient as much as possible is in your benefit. The rest eventually falls into place.

I specifically planned on a small wall for this event because #1 HEAT EXHAUSTION. Mexico is hot, and if your wall has no shade your fucked for hours #2 IT’S THEIR 1ST EVENT. You can expect things not to go perfect #3 EQUIPMENT. It is never on time at any festival and with 70 artists there’s no way plenty of ladders / scaffolds will be available. So expect the unexpected and work around it.

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One of my favorite destinations to vacay and paint! I’ve been visiting various parts of Mexico for a good couple of years now, and each trip is better than the next. The country, the people, the food, the culture. I fall more and more in love with it on each trip. I am thankful for the opportunity to paint at the very 1st Akumal Beach Arts Festival this coming November. I plan to paint something beautiful, as well as educational to raise awareness to sea life issues. #ClimateAction is at the forefront of many of our mural projects these days. We need to raise awareness on what is happening in the animals in the oceans and decay in sea life/plant life. As humans we have to get mega strict on using less plastic, and educating ourselves on ways to do less harm to the planet. If each of us do something to change our ways it can help. If your in Cancun on vacation, take that 1hr ride to Akumal and check us out Nov 9,10, 11th. Support the cause, support the festival.

Sketch is ready, flight is booked, and artist lodging is amazing! There is a lot of artists involved, looking forward to meeting them all plus the festival crew.

Need more details? – learn more about the project on their facebook page and articles like Yucatan Times.

4Yr Anniversary at Torno Co-Lab! I love this place. A co-working location in center of Quito, Ecuador where architects, designers, and artists get together to work, and develop creative projects. Follow them and check out what they have been up to. Growing each year. Thank you for the invitation to paint. Joins Back X Toofly collab was fun under the beautiful sunshine. Just what I needed to get my wrist back on track.

Final Collaboration Photo coming soon!

Yes! we’re finally able to share a really fun installation project that took place this past summer in the heart of NY. The Lower East Side has a rich history, and true school New Yorkers all have memories of what it was like “back in the day”. 5Pointz Creates set out to capture the essence of what continues to make the “lower” special “A Vertical Love Letter to the Bowery” curated by Marie Cecile Flageul and directed by our dear friend Meres. A staircase with 21 floors, and 21 artists who work hard to represent and evolve as artists no mater what label they give us. Writers, graffiti artists, street artists, fine artists, painters, etc; in the end many of us are all that. If you are paying attention you can see how the lines have started to blur. Go up, or go down the stairs and you will see a variety of aerosol art letter pieces, portraits, landscapes, quotes, and designs that make this installation the Museum of Street Art aka MoSABowery. The more artists, and property owners can work together with respect/honor with deas like this the more we can keep the urban arts alive.

@MosaBowery project at the new CitizenM hotel will open to the public October 1st from ( 10am-5pm with ID) Free of charge. A great experience for art lovers and travelers worldwide, especially those that miss 5Pointz and want to learn more about the graffiti history of NY. Be sure to take a flick and hashtag  your favorite artist and the project — #5pointzcreates, #mosabowery, #citizenm

Yeo! remember the time when they looked at all of us like vandals who wore baggy clothes, listened to hip hop, and were up to “no good”. Look at us now! — all grown up, doing what we love as artists, and putting out a positive message for the next generation. Boooooooooya trueschool new yorkers baby #5pointz4ever

THANK YOU NY! #tooflynyc / @Toofly_NYC

Graffiti Productions in Quito with Alm Crew, and #GraffitiMujer Collective – more soon. Follow @Toofly_NYC on IG for more flicks.

@RudaFest in Bogota, Colombia last week was DOOOOOPE! I am very proud of my friend Ledania and Gerardo for teaming up to make this happen. Together with a tight team they put together a very well organized weekend event. The collaboration was on point. Dope location, dope hotel, dope artists, dope place to eat ( Canasto Bistro )  and great place to kick back and enjoy art and drinks LIVE! For community of all ages to enjoy. Various artists participated in this event Eelco from Holland – hella cool dude, Ben Johnston from Canada who made me laugh a ton!, Muretz from Brazil and his ill tattoos and many more like Type of Tape which I really digged’. This was my first time in Bogota which reminded of Quito, Ecuador. Mountains, historic city, modern shops, as well as parts of a nightlife city. Bogota has a ton of graffiti too – more so than I have ever seen anywhere else which is why I think they call it the mecca of graff in Latin America. I saw works on the streets by friends like Guache, Stinkfish, and Skore999. Overall event and my stay was awesome. I wish I could of have squeezed in another wall or two next time! Special shout out to the RudaFest team for the invitation and hospitality. I had a great time painting, and working closely with the staff who helped us on the lyfts, the projections, materials, and transport. Met some great people too that I plan to stay in touch with. Our international arts & culture community keeps growing and our travelz helps to bring us together as a arts family. Thank you COLOMBIA!

words and images soon

Images and words coming soon…

My favorite part of our summer trip is spending it on the chillax tip with my love. Arrived early in June and took advantage of the really nice weather before it got nasty hot. Babe loves the ferry, so this summer we caught the one that goes to Rockaway Beach from Wall St for $2.50 and in 1 hr we were there! We got a bunch of olives, bread, and fruits for the ride and then got hella excited for the arepa with jackfruit snack on the boardwalk. There was hardly any one at the beach. It was perfect and just how we like it. Less people, more nature, lovely weather, and good food. Highlight of the trip was to land an unexpected gig and lock in the job details on the beach. Gotta love NY!

In case you missed it! — The “Presence” exhibition curated by @artbygiawill showcase from July 24-Aug 18th @artspaceps109 @hiartsnyc gallery Hours Tues-Fri 12-5PM / 215 East 99st. 6 Train to 96st. Collect, appreciate, and enjoy the women contemporary artists of today!

Longest trip in NY this summer! Glad it’s over. Fun, work, and play for a month and a 1/2 was long, but the mission was acomplished. Got a lot of stuff done, and had enough time to catch up with my family and friends. Wellingcourt this year was nice, no rain! I usually get rain dates but the weather was perfect. I enjoyed the piece I worked on and the day in total. Especially when hanging with the @StreetHeroines team and my boo. “Freedom Dreamer” from the Love Warrior series is one of my favorite designs. It needed a bit of more work but was unable to make it back in time to add more details. Overall she’s FLY! especially next to @Sinned_NYC

Photo by Joe Conzo 2018

Thank You NY!

Great times in Austin TX this year! Shout out to Blue genie Art Studios, my friend Charles and the gang, and all my Austin ATX peeps who showed love. I had a blast working and hanging out!