TOOFLY NYC

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!

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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

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