TOOFLY NYC

DESIGNER CON 2016. This is my second time attending and I love it! mostly because I get to see some of my cali friends + there is so much to see in one huge convention center it’s awesome. This year Crewest Studios took on a lot of the production and set up a big booth for the artists invited. I got a chance to set up my goods, and hang with the the entire team. Crewest took care of all of us, curated panels, and set it off with the Secret Walls live art VIP after party event with guest DJ Z-Trip. The place was packed! and I finally got a chance to dance. One of my favorite ways to celebrate during my trips. With the Toofly pop-up in the mix, print signings, live art, and panels like “Latinos in Contemporary Art” I was a happy TF. Saturday Kano and I rocked the Secret Walls art battle alongside other artists, as well as hommie DJ Synapse, and host Mishka. When it was all over we all danced like crazy to the ill Z-trip set. WOW! I’m a fan. It was dope! Best part of it all was that we were all in good company, and happy people once the open bar took over. Shout to Marka, Liza, Upendo, Ritzy, Kano, and the rest of the LA crew peeps. Good times! A memorable and fun night indeed.

PODCAST LINK —–> Adventures in Design with Mike Brickey

LA / NY Connect!

I’m a little backed up again on posts guys! Had a hectic schedule this fall, but no complaints. I enjoyed myself. This year I made a quick stop in Los Angeles, for my “Love Warrior Print & Pop-Up” held at Open Space LA. Now that the series is 90% complete, I’m packing them up and taking them to every city I visit. Man One from Crewest Studios and I got a chance to co-curate and also make time for some Designer Con action. Alex and I worked great together. I was happy we had the time to build and relate to a ton of things going on in the art world. Spaces are hard to come by sometimes, but Open Space LA had the perfect size brick wall to hang my latest series. I had a hard time keeping them up on the wall, but that’s ok. Who would of known puddy would be such hell!!! –  Oh well, at least they held up as long as they could enough for folks to check them out, and connect. That’s what’s important, and why DJ Synapse and I went on for long hours on deep conversations about the world. Ha ha! I’m all about that kind of atmosphere, and cozy vibe. Open Space was a nice space to invite my NY/LA friends to kick-it and for Synapse to spin. The fairfax strip is chill, a little too much mens street wear for one street but cool for a weekend pop-up. Shout out to our friends Tried & True, and FCNY for holding it down for all the fellas. I guess the ladies can rock the gear in smalls and mediums till a ladies street brand pop-up! Till then supporting your homegirls when we are in town rocks. Thank you for the print love Ricky! — mad love to our new and true school LA friends; ManOne, Scott, Open Space LA, Dj Synapse, Ritzy, Kano, Ricky, Drew, Tried & True hommies, One 9, Cynthia Kelley, and everyone who came thru to show love and support. I’ll be back for round 3 next November!

@alfienumeric Thanks for the interview and canvas love!

NEW PRINT RELEASE —-> “Moon Flower” 16″X16″ Giclee Ed. of 25

THANK YOU NY/LA!

There’s a lot going on this fall and I have to make the best of it. I’ve been taking trips to NY every June/July and every November/December now for the last 5 years and it’s working out great! These seem to be the best weather months, and a perfect time to reconnect with my NYC community and friends. I enjoy getting them together for dinner/brunch parties, dancing missions, road trips, exhibits, and pop-up shops. Now that many of their little ones are grown up I can organize events for them too. Our community is filled with beautiful parents, it’s nice that we have reached an age where the whole family can enjoy it. It gives me great pleasure to set-off the #TOOFLYWORKSHOP this year with the AD HOC ART organization at 17 Frost Gallery in Brooklyn. This year they celebrate their 10yr anniversary.  Back when Brooklyn was just getting on the map, Ad Hoc Gallery was a perfect location for graffiti and street artists to showcase their work before the big boom in street art gallery work. A lot has changed, and the team has since moved on and back to the streets for the Welling Court Mural Project in Astoria Queens. It’s great to see your friends grow and transform spaces for the artist community to get together. I love it! Thank you Allison and Garrison for all your hard work! I look forward to this lovely workshop with 12 young girls and women in a space where our art/stories inspires the next generation.

I’m all set and ready for my trip to Los Angeles this year!!! Making the best of my short time there so I teamed up with CREWEST STUDIOS team. They have a been a huge help getting me set up for the opening on November 17th at OPEN SPACE GALLERY where ManOne curates exhibits. This year the team is hooking up a booth at DCON and I have been invited to participate and set up shop as well as join one of their panel discussions. More info will be posted on IG: TOOFLY_NYC as dates get closer. This will be my second time at Designer Con and I am looking forward to the Secrete Walls battle between my hommie Kano and I. Starring our friend DJ Synapse! It should be a great time, make sure you get your VIP Tickets for the VIP Party!

In the studio one more month preparing new works…Follow the process on IG: @Toofly_NYC

I’m ready for fall! This year I decided to head back to Cali. It’s been a minute since I took a trip to the westside, and visited my friends and family. As much as I love New York every now and then you gotta switch things up. The world is really big, and the more I create new prints, and designs the more I want to visit other places to exhibit them. It’s easier to pack and go these days, especially if you have the time and means to make it happen. #WHYNOT I say. Today, many artists can travel anywhere they want because all you need is a pencil and paper to create just about anything your little heart desires. “Visualization” is key. All you gotta do is show up to that life! aka pop-up:) There’s a ton of cities across the globe where we can showcase artwork, paint murals, and build/network with the local community. Indefinitely if your about it on the really real your ART becomes your LIFE. That’s how we livin’ ya’ll! – see you soon LA.

Press Release Coming Soon!

SAVE THE DATE! We are gearing up for the next ladies Love Project Holiday Pop-Up Shop!

That’s right, a #QuitoArtsWalk! There is none, so Erin Yoshi and the Trust Your Struggle crew got together and hooked it up in 1 DAY. It’s arts month in Quito, Ecuador ( AUGUST ) and the city spreads the word on Talleres Abiertos De Quito. I think it’s a great idea to have open studios by artists for public view, but once a year tho? If we’re gonna build a strong”all inclusive” arts community you gotta do it yourself. That means organize local crews, shops, and artists of all angles to come together for the cause. Professionals, youth, kids, families, even the older folk who love to water color down the block. We’re here to spread that creative love, and good vibes with others who are down. A foundation for local economies starts with each of us, and that means “manos a la obra” mentality. It’s how we do, and how it’s done here when it’s time to clean up a street, build a house, or rock a food garden. The historic center of Quito is an amazing place with streets like calle Junin and others like La Ronda providing spaces for the artists to take over public space. Is it safe? Yes, but sometimes the cops fuck with us/them. Harassing an artist using a spray can to create, or an artesano setting up shop on the floor to make a living is not cool. So we’re out here trying to create a safe space for them too, because art it not only for an elite class with fancy galleries and glossy pamphlets. We’re independent, and rep the streets where the heart and soul of people lives.

Collaboration with Trust Your Struggle Collective, Toofly, Alm Crew, and Sirka.

Gracias a todos!

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!

The #LoveWarrior art print exhibition this summer was lovely!!! THANK YOU NEW YORK. I am very happy I teamed up with @MyPlasticHeart to introduce ::: ALL ::: of my new print works. I’ve been working on the series since 2012. It has been a long process. One that materialized from new found love, and timeless freedom to create. The dedicated work ethic is in all of us if we can take it seriously. Sometimes it’s years before your next “heart felt” experience…when it hit’s you, you have to ride that wave of  bliss all the way to the end. Folks…this is not pop art, or an urban art style almost anyone can replicate using technology, high contrast photo icons, and splattered paint with graffiti tags. Anyone bored of that yet? – This, and other reasons why the illustrations in this series spotlight something completely new to bring ya’ll back to what original works of art look, and feel like. Honestly, we need it. Freedom Dreamer, Mas Amor, Free Spirit and the rest of the series are meant to be “felt” by the human heart, and vibrate back. Screens divide many of us these days, it’s nice that we can re-connect live and direct. For those of you who can appreciate all of what I am talking about in this post ((( Thank You ))) I refuse to compromise to anything else. Your attendance at the opening meant a lot to me for all these reasons and more. I am not in New York as often, and in time it will be less and less. From now on each event, workshop, exhibit, wall, or pop-up will be organized with special care so that we can meet once again as a creative family. WE BUILT THIS CITY!!! — Shout out to the beautiful, and diverse group of individuals who took part in the #lovewarrior experience.

In case you missed it —-> here’s a few photos by Alexandra Henry and TF. Video by Nancy Burneo coming soon!!! Once we get that the post will be complete.

My Plastic Heart <3

Shout out to the #lovewarrior team! @CraftyCocktales ladies for the michelada dinks, Yvey & Ana for holding down the pop-up shop corner, and Alexandra Henry and Nancy Burneo for documenting the event. Big ups to My Plastic Heart too! for a smooth and fun experience at the gallery/shop. To all my friends, and family, as well as the supporters of my work love and huggggggz! See ya in the fall for the year+holiday wrap up <3

SAVE THE DATE! – Press Release coming soon…

“Native Soul” One of my first sketch/ink drawings that set off the “Love Warrior” series…

The original ink drawing was damaged by my ice tray ( bad habit ) but I scanned and cleaned it up in photoshop to save the digital image.

I made a 16″X 16″ black & white giclee print that many loved and went on to become a limited line of totes at the pop-up shops held in summer and Holiday. The print is available on the shop ( limited QTY ) —> www.tooflynyc.com/shop $100.00US – ships worldwide.

Because April is a super rainy month in Ecuador, I decided it was the perfect time to start painting! I can’t go outside my patio much to soak up some sunshine and care for my garden. I’m indoors with music, paint, and an array of illustrations that are ready to bloom. Construction of my art studio is on hold for now so I set up a little corner in my office to rock. I can’t wait to have a whole floor dedicated to my paintings! I get excited when I think about it. When it’s ready I will go BIG YEO! Until then Native Soul, and the entire LOVE WARRIOR series will take form day by day. Will this become a print by June’s “Love Warrior Art Print Exhibit ” at my Plastic Heart ??? not sure…follow IG! and save the date JUNE 24th NYC!!!

Follow the process on IG: @TOOFLY_NYC

I’ve been having a lot of fun lately with the items on my shop. It’s finally taking shape and in the direction I want it to go. Every year I release a new item, and a new color way for the up coming summer or holiday pop-up shop. The “New York City” T’ is a favorite and this season we have it all in 3 colors! — Black, White, and Heather Grey. Good times with my cousin Eliana who modeled them as we cranked up some 90′s Hip Hop.  I will always love New York and this is my way of showing my city some luv with an original handstyle!

New York City T’ by Toofly $25 —> www.tooflynyc.com/shop

Model: Eliana Gutierrez, Quito Ecuador