TOOFLY NYC

And just like that it’s time to wrap up the year! 1st stop Los Angeles, CA — geared up and ready for the Ladies Love Project Pop-Up Shop sponsored by Crewest Studios. On Saturday November 9th we kick-off the DCON party at Escala in Korea Town. Everyone is invited!!! Ritzy P, myself, and Nisha K Sethi are teaming up to rock a fly booth with original works of art, live art, limited edition prints, gear, goodies, and much more. Follow our IG pages for the inside scoop and behind the scenes action. We will be at the Crewest Studios Booth #1708 for 2 days! Stop by and check us out. Press Release below.

Sometimes my travels are not all filled with fun. There are important matters to take care of and I make the effort just the same. I testified last week and did my best. I can not talk about the case at this time but I do want to mention that we are standing for what we believe in. You can follow the news articles online for some insight into the case. We’re making history. Shout out to friends and artists who stand for the culture that raised us and we believe in.

qz.com

www.nytimes.com/2017

www.nydailynews.com

#Justicefor5Pointz

Made a quick stop this fall to work on a wall installation in Yonkers, NY for Soyo Nails. I got a chance to use the water based MTN Colors SprayPaint on a gig at last! I tried it out at the Grafiteras exhibit and now I had the opportunity to work more with it. I like it. It’s great spray paint for indoor use because of it’s low odor. It did spread into the air like other spray paint materials so we had to make sure to keep areas like the floor and tables covered with plastic. I liked that I was able to work with acrylic and blend into it. Covering large areas in half the time helps so much with aerosol especially with a watercolor theme direction. The soft palette allowed me to blend the soft color tones and tie in the nail salon brand colors. I am used to dark, black, hard graphic line work but as I move forward with my client work it gives me the opportunity to try new styles and effects. Shout out to my assistant on the gig Daniella Harris who helped out on the logo and many of the production set-up. Having assistance is the bomb! There are so many details involved that you just can’t do alone. Having a team is important and every year we get tighter and tighter. I am also able to mentor D, and motivate her as she pursues a career in the arts which helps me continue my Project Girlz work. Thank you Jenna for reaching out to me online to work on your salon walls. Walls look beautiful! Grand opening soon —>  Follow @soyonails on IG.

2017 has been a busy year, I like that! I enjoy working as much as anything else. I take pride in each project I do, and make sure whatever I take on is in line with my work and message. So a little bit about Timberland, I’m a boots girl. I love boots especially now that I am in a mountain terrain most of the time during the year. I rocked’ Timberland boots since  my teens, they are my choice in footwear and they go with my style. When the team and friends at Billionare Boys Club NYC reached out to me to customize a pair of the new #ghostwhite timbs I was down for it. They shipped the boots out to me during my trip in Oakland and I wipped out my markers and do what I do best. Hard and fluid flows, handstyles, and signature character. Check em’ out! Shout out to my cousin @Mistadrumin for attending the opening release party and taking flicks on my behalf. Thanks you Mimi, thank you Tada!

During the #Grafiteras trip in Oakland I got word that our Crewest Studios locked down a few walls for our team to paint in Atlanta, New York, and Los Angeles. The timing couldn’t have been better! I was already in the states and client just had to make the flight switch. My schedule was open and ABC studios covered all expenses. Gotta love when those gigs come in because the hotels are fly, transport is taken care of, and you can work with quality materials and hire a your team. The mission to rock a fun, and colorful letter piece that captures the essence of the show and characters. Hip Hop is a huge element in the series #TheMayor and I drew from the culture that bred me. This was my second time in Atlanta a growing and booming city. I love how green it is too!  The heat not so much. Not too long ago my family moved here and I was so happy I got a chance to see them once job was complete. It was an awesome trip and job! —- Thank you ABC, Crewest Studios, Richie, Sean, and Paul for all your help on this wall. Shout out to The Mayor premieres October 3rd on ABC!

Sean is working on a video of the piece, you tube link soon!

#Represent #TheMayor

The job perks. After them long and hot days at the wall hitting the pool was a must! The Marriott hotel was amazing!

Last time I was in Atlanta I flew in did a job and flew out. I did not get a chance to check out the street art scene. Once job was approved I hit the streets in search of walls, Atlanta has some great spots! Would love to return and paint at one of their festivals.

Thank you Atlanta! Thank you family! Till next time…

Grafiteras opening day! Dime and I put some good work on this event and the space was perfect to display our works, rock a collaborative installation, set-up shop, and invite young people for a workshop the next day. We had a great time! I looooooved seeing my Oakland friends, and meeting new ones. Our guests truly enjoyed the exhibit, and the space. These are the kind of gallery exhibits I enjoy the most where it feels like a community vibe and genuine appreciation for what we do as artists, and how we represent our people. Breakdancers and all! Check out the flicks a big thank you to everyone who was involved in making it happen. Exhibition runs thru October 1st! Don’t miss it. #Grafiteras

THANK YOU OAKLAND!

Oakland, California 2017! — I returned. I love Oakland mostly because folks there are like folks in NY. They show LOVE. Arrived at my 10 day residency ready to rock with homegirl Dime. Dime and I met back in 2009? I forget. I was invited to paint with Meme of Few & Far at their very first wall and Dime rolled by to meet us. I checked out her work and got her down on the wall along with Agana. Every time we had a Few & Far wall Dime and I tried to collaborate. We always felt our styles worked great together + we connected right away because of our latin roots. Dime has a sharp classic graffiti lettering style that goes really well with the Toofly flows and characters. Dime had an opportunity to curate a show at East Side Arts Alliance new gallery space and worked to get the grant. So grateful! it helped cover all our expenses and stipends. Thank you Dime! Thank you East Art Alliance! We rocked a beautiful exhibition, installation, workshop and pop-up event entitled “Grafiteras” Check it out!

((( CHECK OUT THE VIDEO ))) by Stevie Sanchez

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

A week before I had to head back to Ecuador I landed a niiiiiiiice gig. Refinery29 hit me up to get involved on an adidas custom sneaker at project with 10 other women. I had a crazy schedule but I made it work. The mission to customize 5 pairs of Adidas UltraBoostX kicks inspired by 5 different states. My fave “New York City” – once the agreement was signed I scooped up a bunch of fresh new markers and got busy. Phase two of the project to shoot a video. Only two women artists were chosen! Check out the video link below. That day was cool I got to meet a team of folks involved that were really nice and liked the pupusas we ordered for lunch! That’s when you know folks are open to culture. The shoot went great, special shout out to my friend Sabrina who’s Brooklyn loft worked great for a Toofly Pop-Up Studio. Whew! She saved the day. I want to give a big thank you to the entire team involved, especially Rafael Jimenez for recommending me for this project. The shoot looks great, and you can now bid on your favorite custom Toofly kick on the link below. A silent auction supporting Women Win.

Women Win leverages the power of play to build girls’ leadership and the communities’ abilities to address gender equity. Through the power of play Women Win helps adolescent girls and young women address the most pressing issues in their lives, including access to sexual and reproductive health and rights, gender-based violence, attaining education and achieving economic empowerment. Women Win has impacted the lives of over 2.24 million young girls in over 100 countries. Learn more about Women Win at https://womenwin.org

YOUTUBE VIDEO
http://www.adidas.com/us/ultra

ADIDAS & REFINERY29 PARTNERED WITH CELEBRATED FEMALE ARTISTS TO CREATE ONE-OF-A-KIND PAIRS OF ULTRABOOST X REPRESENTING ALL 50 STATES. THE LIMITED EDITION BOOST THE NATION COLLECTION IS CREATED FOR WOMEN BY WOMEN TO UNITE CREATIVITY THROUGH SPORT AND REFLECT THE INDIVIDUALITY OF THE NATION.

SELECT YOUR FAVORITE SHOES FROM THE BELOW, THEN SUBMIT YOUR BID TO WIN. ALL PROCEEDS WILL BE DONATED TO WOMEN WIN, SO BID FOR A BETTER, BRIGHTER FUTURE.

Ladies Love Project Summer Pop-Up Shop 2017 At The Living Gallery this year! Good times. Thank you LLP Crew, Circa 95, and everyone who helped us get the event rolling this year. Our guest photogrpher this year 19 year old Tatiana Lovera. ( some are Toofly flicks and some are Shiro Flicks )

LLP DAY 2!

THANK YOU LLP FAM!

The #TooflyPopUpShop returned this year for the 2nd time at Rebelution Ink now known as Fresh Off The Press. The printing location where my shirts, tank tops, and tote bags are printed. The space is a perfect size for what I need and it’s in an excellent location in Williamsburg  near train, restaurants, bars, parks, waterfronts, and more. When curating an event all these elements need to be in place. It allows guests to hang out in the neighborhood after or before pop-up and keep the night going long after event is over. This year I decided to give it a little twist! In the past I only opened up shop for 1 day, this time I decided to do a weekend long event and introduce a sip & mingle mixer in the patio, and a workshop. It worked out pretty good, despite the rain. You just never know with the weather these days and Saturday was pouring! Special shout out to friends, and guests that trooped it that day. Especially my cousin Chill Will who got a chance to celebrate his B-Day with all of us after the pop-up. Sunday was a lot nicer and I was happy to see the hommies swing thru for a much needed chat. There is never enough time but when we carve it out it’s perfect. Students enjoyed the workshop earlier that day, and it made me think that an adult workshop needs to happen. Who doesn’t want to sip and make art on a Sunday afternoon? I found that the conversations with the ladies and gents is hella fun! I need to work on this idea a bit more. The events I am curating are small and a great learning experience to fine tune them. It feels good to bring people together and the vibe is genuine. It’s not about hype or faking the funk that your authentic, like so many events these days. Before all that BS we just had a good time together with music, drinks, and company. Community minded folks know what’s up and they will troop it rain or shine. I appreciate that. These events take months, love, and work to prepare. Shout out to everyone that came thru to support and purchase some TF goodies, Randy for holding us down on all aspects of the space, and to my wonderful team Ana Lovera on TF sales and Crafty Cocktales for teaming up this year on the mixer. Thank you NYC!

By now ya’ll know I don’t live in NY anymore right? I have been gone for 5 years and the transition was pretty smooth. I still gotta work tho. Only now I get to live as an artist full time. My dream has come true! It’s something I have always wanted and strived for. I have chosen to live the country life in Ecuador, and the city life in the states a few month out of the year. When you grow up in NY you have this “you can make it anywhere” mentality, and it’s true. You can. When you grow up in NY you make a lot of friends, it’s part of city life, it’s part of urban life. Over time those wonderful friends  jumpstart their biz, and the real work begins. Especially when their business models are educational, creative, and socially responsible. It is the kind of friends I like to work with! I am a worker. I love to get involved and make ideas work. It is the kind of energy that motivates me. I now have the opportunity to pop-up in NY for a workshop, a project, a gig, a wall, etc; It keeps things in life fun for me. That is how I do these days, and it’s working out. I LOVE IT! June is not too hot, and not too cold. Perfect to work outdoors. This year Thrive Collective and I took the time to reconnect and set-up a workshop as soon as I arrived. The #tooflyworkshop has become part of what I do as an artist. I have so much I have learned over the years that I can now share with others on a professional level. It is gratifying work, especially when it’s with youth. Each workshop is different, and with Thrive we have history. It makes this particular collaboration special to me. Wow 10 years. Time flies in NY.Make sure you make the time count. Back in the days when LASE NYC and I worked together ( Motug Days ) he brought me on to many creative and pioneering projects that I am thankful for. With Thrive, I think before it was called Thrive we painted at a public school in the Lower East Side. This is where I got to meet Jeremy Del Rio and all the wonderful community folks who continue to do the “good work” in a changing city. I am happy and proud of them. Thanks guys! Shout out to all the students involved in beautifying their schools walls.

Thank You Thrive Collective!

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

Its time to save the date! Flyer and press release coming soon…

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