TOOFLY NYC

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!

 

Back from Austin, TX! What a lovely place it is haven’t been back since 2012. It was super nice to see my friends again especially to take advantage of the trip and create a NEW Mama Sana Mural. There’s a bunch of press online about it, you can read. It’s a pretty interesting story that talks about gentrification, and the power of community.

I havent had the time to write a post in a while on this here TF blog. I try my best to keep it up to date, even if posts are a little late. My blog is a place to document it all, but more and more Instagram does the same. Websites, blogs, etc are feeling dusty. Check in on them once and a while or none at all right? Aint nobody logging on to your page! We are all busy scrolling on IG, FB, Twitter. So that is to say that I am unsure how long I can keep up to date with yall here meng. It is time consuming especially now that it is getting busy as fuck. I am waiting for my flight as we speak and took a minute here. It is however a great place to write long ( Day in the Life ) stories that reflect more than any other place.  Folks can check in here when they like, just cuz.  Back when I had started the blog there was no social media you guys. I enjoyed taking photos myself and sharing it solely on my blog with my thoughts and ideas.  I threw in a little personal stuff, my art, travels, and ideas. These days I have a personal IG not everyone can see. I like that kind of privacy with my closest, trusted, and most respected. I also have the public one which allows me to share just work and projects with anyone worldwide. Not everyone gotta be in your personal business know what I mean? These days its all instant and your cell makes it easy to post every damn thing, image, thought that you want. I guess its cool, sometimes. So many of us go overboard with it. Like how many feet photos do I really need?  These apps are so good these days tho. I never learned how to drive living in NY because theres an excellent subway system in place that when it works works well. Buses, Bike Lanes, Shuttles etc. Now that we also have these taxi apps like Lyft, Uber, etc you can grab a taxi for short or long trips it makes everything that much more productive.  Car pooling, and sharing rides helps everyone —-  and it helps stay on budget when its for a job mission. As a full time traveling artist/mobile artist these days its helps biz run smoother than before.  All to say that technology is helping artist like myself in many more ways than before as we continue to grow and improve society. Unsure what the next change in tech will be for us dreamers adn doers to continue to do what we do. Shout out to everyone who supports my work, and to the universe who looks out for me and mine. Hard work pays off, and loving what you do makes the world go round . It makes you happier too. 2018 is big year for my biz and personal life. I am truly loving all of it!!!  #NEWYORKCITYGIRL 4EVA.

I released a FLY red sweater this Sprig. Really happy with the way it came out, its look and feel. Super cozy! Shout out to all my homegirls out there who got theirs it was a super limited run. More colors to come in the fall. www.tooflynyc.com/shop

The #TooflyWorkshops are growing in number every year, and I am happy to continue to work with the Pepatian folks uptown in the BX.  This year they granted a few of the women in hip hop artists like myself the opportunity to teach and continue out graffiti, break dancing, DJ, spoken word, and much more lesson plans.  Shout out to the youth at Bronx Works, and The Point after school program who took the time to create some cool art with messages during these cold March days in NY.

Mural Installation in Dumbo Brooklyn for Project Art! Trying to diversify my stylez in art & design for my STAY TRU clients.  Shout out to @Mistadrumin for the art assistance, baked oven pizza, and laughs. Thank you Adarsh and team at Project Art. Doing great things for youth in various communities across the USA.

 

Thanks gang! #TEAMWORK

I started this sketch back in 2017, and the idea unfolded as the new year set in. I thought she would be dope for #WomensHistoryMonth during my trip to NY in March. The rest is herstory! Don;t miss it. ONE DAY ONLY March 10th, 2018 7-11PM. UPTOWN NY at Taller Peralta.

The new year brings a fresh and new start. It was time to get to work! I have been in construction mode for 1/2 the year on the 2FL art studio and I couldn’t wait any longer to get started on my large canvas works. I set up shop on the 1st floor and began to work. SKY is one of my favorite inks from the Love Warrior series a project I have been working on ever since i moved out of the US and back in to my native land of Ecuador. It is now year 6 living here and I could not be happier. I have had nothing but good fortune on an array of things in life since I moved out of NY. Happy and thankful I took the dive. Unsure when this series will come to an end I feel like its still growing and has much to day. Inspired by TRUE LOVE.

I LOVE TO TRAVEL!!! Especially with my dearest family and friends. This year we had so much to celebrate that I decided to treat my mom to a vacation! One that she would absolutely love and we can visit various places like ruins, beach, cenotes, and more. It was a beautiful trip I love the Yucatan. I super enjoyed it with my two most adored people in the world.  Appreciate your loved ones!!! and your time on beautiful parts of the planet before its really all too late. Time waits for no-one.

HAPPY NEW YEAR BITCHES!!!!

Whoa! The year is about to come to end once more. What a year!!! I personally was having a great one until mercury retrograde knocked on my door. All good. Gotta take the good and the bad and make it work. I don’t like it when the reality of life rains on my parade. I work very hard to keep things in order as to avoid all conflict but sometimes it likes to mess with me. I decided to head down to Miami and see my friends and avoid it the bad vibes. Family dramas or conflicts are unavoidable in life unfortunately.  It’s a good thing I was in a rooftop pool with my friends when it all went down. The infamous e-mails where you let out all your feelings as raw as possible so it can drill into your family’s head that they suck. I swam it all away that day. Even the tears. No regrets. It needed to be said now or later It be that way sometimes right? — The good, the very good thing I do well for my own sanity is “LET GO” It’s an amazing trait to have. I personally can let things go much easier these days. I easily close doors on fucked up shit in life and move right on. I do not anything waste my time anymore. If it doesn’t work it doesn’t work. I know how short life is and how precious it is and unless its full of the good stuff I don’t need it.

Miami was the perfect place to be when dealing with the family drama. The sunshine, the water, my friends, the meals, the parties, the fun! I love to have fun. It makes me happy and it gives me peace. Anyways, at some point the family stuff works itself out. Or not? Either way each of us keeps pushing forward with what feels good what feels right and what truly matters. Everything else can fall back. Care less or care more where necessary to keep life in balance. That’s why my friends are my true family and always have been. Blood doesn’t mean a damn thing. It’s a good thing Art Basel was spent at one of my BFF’s home because it made even more sense who I need to be around. So yes, Art basel was cool for this reason and many more. I was not busy painting, or showcasing any work. It gave me time to spend with my dear friends, enjoy the simple things in life, and enjoy the moment. It was dope! I recommend everyone to check out Art Basel during December especially if you live in NY and need a break from the winter cold. A special shout out to all my hommies who made the trip there to link up and boogie, especially my BBF Mr. @LatinoLife who made our stay amazing!!! Every luxury you can imagine, was all that and more!