TOOFLY NYC

After the Talking Walls mural festival in Charlotte, I had the opportunity to dip into NY for 2 weeks. I was invited to work on a gallery installation for the #Bormix group exhibition entitled “Sierra / Costa” in the heart of The Lower East Side. The neighborhood is going through another big change these days, luckily The Clemente continues to hold on as one of the few places left where we can celebrate our culture on the walls, in theater, and on the dance floor. If you missed the opening you still have time to view the exhibit! It will be on view until November 30th. Special shout out to Anthony Limongi for the recommendation to take part in this project, and for my homie Tanya Cuevas to pass on the good word about my work. I enjoyed working on this mural with my cousin / assistants help @mistadrumin who came thru with the photography. It’s been a nice journey illustrating, painting, and creating murals of the “Love Warrior” series from north to south. I have been pouring my heart and soul on it since 2012, and ready for that full circle moment coming up. I’m currently looking to showcase the entire collection in a solo exhibit soon! stay tuned…

“Free Spirit Remix” for Bormix, The Clemente 2019

Native Soul 27″X30″ Acrylic on Canvas – Available. Inquiries: tooflynyc@gmail.com

I come from the “Sierra” a region along the belt of the andes mountains with valleys, rivers, and rich fertile soil for agriculture to last lifetimes. Ecuador is by the equator and near the Amazon where wildlife thrives in a harmonious eco-system. We have Costa as well but the eternal spring like weather in the Sierra is my home. Where my ancestors and the Inca Empire ruled. Where my roots were pulled from during migration in the 80’s. I’m slowly finding my way back to tell the story and reconnect with the other half of who I am… 

Thank you NY! See ya in 2020.

September was a nice time to be in New York, especially to paint. Something I need to make a note of for 2020 because the weather is perfect. This year I was invited by the lovely Ayana of @UptownGrandCentral organization who put together a roster of 50+ artists to paint a lot on 125th st in the east side of Harlem 125th between Park and Madison. For three Saturdays in a row various artists gathered to paint. Each one taking up a section of the wood construction planks to make colorful pieces that brighten the neighborhood. I keened in on a beautiful african american /afro latina woman that can rep’ the essence of Harlem. Locals loved it. They felt so proud to have this image emerge on their block. They knew exactly what she stood for, and what she represents. Harlem has a lot of history, a place of kings and queens before it was infiltrated with drugs, crime, and crack. Harlem is still a tough place to hang around these days because of all that. You have to walk tall, proud, and strong so nobody messes with you. You have to be alert, always. The streets have many characters, and you can’t let your guard down in these parts. You will never know what can happen when you turn the corner. New Yorkers know what’s up, and that’s how the vibes are uptown. “Harlem World” – where you can find an array of jewelry shops with you favorite door knocker earrings or name plates to represent who you are. Classic, timeless jewelry that many “fly” women adorn themselves with to feel good and represent where they are from. An authentic style, attitude, and grace that can come at you with love or stance. One of the many examples that brews here + influences the world at large. Shout out to @mistadrumin who joined in to paint a native pattern which enhanced the love warrior marks on her face, and the roots of her nature. Never forget where your from, and what made you!

Join the bock party Saturday Sept 21st and experience Harlem #UptownGrandScale for yourself.

“Harlem World” 2019 Harlem, NY

Mompiche Ecuador 2019! What a dope little road trip to paint, and vacay in August. It’s been a creative month here in Quito ( Arts Month ) There’s a lot happening, especially with creatives from the urban arts community. Regardless of the country’s shitty economy, artists don’t stop. We keep it alive! @Detonarte_ec was independently funded this year due to lack of funds in the arts sector in Ecuador. It makes it hard on artists because it is how we make a living. With a little free time and a few extra bucks a few of us were able to pull thru to rep’ on this important mission. 12 local / international artists, a lot of acrylic paint, and limited color palettes went far this time. We received 10 cans of spray paint ( sad face ) by local paint sponsor @Evans ///  If you planned your piece ahead of time, threw in a few extra cans of your own it worked out. That’s how we did it ya’ll. For the love of NATURE! This year Luiz Auz founder, and curator of Detonarte with the help of locals the event launched. Shout out to Santiago, and friends from @SavetheParadise @SecretGardenMompiche and locals in Mompiche. The municipio helped a bit too, I guess 2 canecas of paint is something? Smh. They set up a stage for a performance that started way too late for anyone to care. All it did was create fights with locals who felt they would lose business. All those people get no props they have no clue what they are doing. It truly takes a village in these parts of the world and unless your on board with some serious care you can suck it. At the end of the day all the love goes to the folks who recognize the value of art, and culture as a tool for social / environmental change. Various eco-hostels hosted many of the artists and crew – thank you! We had healthy organic food, and seafood at different locations that volunteered to feed us – thank you! There was plenty of clean water to refill our water bottles so that we do not cause any more plastic waste – Thank you conscious artists! Our mission: 3 Days to create beautiful murals that inspire, and bring attention to the importance of protecting nature. To take care of it’s plant life, wildlife, oceans, rivers, mangroves, beaches, and rain forests. Thank you Detonarte, and Mompiche for taking this important step in the country we hope the goverment and local mayors of the coast take notes!

As a traveling artist I make sure to take the extra time to explore + learn enough in a short stay to report back. Babe and I made it to Mompiche a few days before festival and the 12 hrs was worth it. A roadtrip here is hard by bus, I recommend getting there directly by car next time. It is probably why this beach is still so pretty compared to the rest on the coast of Ecuador. We got a chance to trek and check out Playa Negra ( Black Beach ) as well as enjoy a nice stroll thru the countryside. Next time we gotta make it to Portete!

Shout out to Morongo for the lovely airbnb stay. Bamboo eco-hostals are the best at the beach. One of the best beach views thus far on my travels. Loooooved it.

My rock. Babe is my personal everythang! 23yrs in enjoying life and growing happy together. Happy Anniversary boo boo!

DAY 1 — Artist Trek thru @savetheparadise  // help these wonderful environmentalists save the rainforest in Mompiche. They are cutting down hundred year old trees, and endangering wildlife for palm oil farms and corn oil farms. Stop supporting products with chemicals that affect these environments and nature in general. We all have work to do, and every little bit of change you can do in your life helps. For more information about the project visit their website. You can donate here —> www.savetheparadise.com

Artists for environmental changes! Get educated, stand for a cause you believe in and make the changes necessary to fight the greedy monsters messing up our planet! You know who they are, just look at the back of the labels. If it’s not natural it’s no bueno.

Paintr

Bless

Dieztro

Huesos de Buda

“Proteje La Naturaleza” ( Protect Nature ) It’s beautiful, it gives and gives, do not hurt her, or try to destroy her. She deserves to thrive and live in harmony with humans. In all honesty she does not need us, we need her to survive and live on this planet a bit longer. There is no planet B!

our 1st @LadiesLoveProject #FunkyFreshNY Exhibit and 1 Day Pop-Up Shop. We are happy to have held it at @Bierwax in Prospect Heights Brooklyn aka Fort Green. Why they are changing the names of NYC neighborhoods? – it’s no surprise to most. Anyway the  location had a beautiful outdoor patio for a sufficient amount of vendors, and an indoor cozy space to hang artwork. Latino owner, Chris Maestro, his wife, and team welcomed us with open arms and made the event super smooth experience. @Ylove57 a long time friend and supporter of the Toofly “ideas” teamed up as the point person for the art sales. We had worked together in the past on Younity exhibitions and her assistance was very helpful. Together we hashed out the details to push the event to new heights. The Ladies Love Project is a growing idea that evolves with time. It flows to the beat of NY. Each year we team up with different artists, artisans, designers, and and staff to see what kind of flava they can add to the event. It is carefully curated to bridge the gap between established talent, and up and coming talent. We are known to head into different neighborhoods as much as possible to discover different parts of our city. We like to be all inclusive with the folks we build with because representation matters. Everyone is welcome at LLP as long as you are serious about your craft and message to the world. Locations are our biggest hurdle each year, but somehow we manage to partner with spaces and orgz. Sometimes a community space will charge us an arm and a leg with no care for our project, and sometimes they will allow us to pop-in and do what we do best with full support. Every year is a different experience, and we try everything to see what works and what doesn’t. It’s the best way to create. As an independent, and self sustainable project we have had our ups and downs. The journey to curate arts and culture events in NY, LA, and other cities to represent who we are continues. CULTURE IS OUR POWER it is OUR LEGACY to this ever changing “New, New York”. Thank you ALL for pulling thru, and making the troop to Brooklyn. Your support for the LLP project means a lot to all of us. We are heading into our 10Yr anniversary in 2020 and will be planning something special. Look out!!!

More flicks coming soon…

Who doesn’t love nails these days?! Nail art has become a new creative market for many women entrepreneurs. It’s amazing to see how much art can fit on a small canvas like nails. It’s pretty! I especially love women who venture off to set-off this new business model and take it to the next level. Especially women who love fashion, design, and art. They can now hook up their spaces with fresh decor to welcome women for a spa-art kind of day experience. Top it off with a location featuring women street artists from NY, and bang! you got a dope new thang happening. Right? Right? I dig it. It’s happening up in Yonkers ya’ll, and it’s called Soyo Nails run by the lovely Jenna. A beautiful new client, and space. This summer I had the opportunity to rock a colorful installation that is a little bit more abstract, and completely different from what I do. Exploring structures to paint on. Having fun with it, staying active on these mean streetz check it out. Shout out to Daniella who assisted me on the project in 2018, and now 2019. Go #teamtoofly!

10 yrs at Wellingcourt! It’s official we have been at it for a minute now. It’s nice to see how our work has evolved, who’s stuck around and who hasn’t. Most of all, how many of our friends continue to support this “community” event without all the hype. A family friendly event where artists can focus on the art of the street. Many of us truly take the time to create meaningful work and strut our skills to continue to elevate the art form. We stay present as the times and neighborhoods change, especially in New York. It’s nice to see more people fall in love with what we do, it will extend it’s life. It has taken a while to get here. Our sweat and tears to keep this culture alive has finally payed off. A legacy we are proud of. Even when so many hated the transformation from graffiti to street art. In the end at 360 you can see how much it has saved lives, created a trade to survive on your own, and showed to so many how much this art matters from the bottom to the top! We will forever miss 5Pointz, we are thankful Wellingcourt has has become a second home for some of us. We will continue to bring you the gems. Thank you ADHOC for setting it off, and Garrison for keeping it alive. Special thanks to @NYCPride for sponsoring many of the murals throughout NY this summer in celebration of the 50th Anniversary of #Stonewall riots. I think it’s time for a book yeo! What do ya’ll think?

“Get Free”

Sinned, Toofly, _____ 2019

Shout to everyone that came thru to say hi, kick it, and take flicks 🙂 It was a beautiful day in NY!

Nina Shunku – a community space in the Centro Historico of Quito, and one of my favorite spaces to support. When I arrived back in 2012 the building was in shambles but little by little the crew has fixed it up and is now running education programs, workshops, music events, cultural gatherings and much more. Proud of them! It as time to rock a new piece before my trip to NY and squeezed it in just in time for the 7/10 year anniversary event.

Hello 2019 — new year, new projects! Setting it off with a collaboration wall production with one of Quito, Ecuador’s most recognized street artist APITATAN. He’s been making moves for years, and is a leading aerosol artist in many ways for the culture. We have been meaning to work on a piece together for some time now so when our friend @Sramdip from Nepal arrived for a visit we decided to go for it. As character artists, and in touch with our energy frequency we felt a mystical theme would work great with Sramdip’s pyramid calligraphy. It took about a weekend to get our schedules organized to meet up and get to work. Worked it out as best we could, and was happy with the time we had to build. Also the 1st MTN aerosol graffiti shop has arrived to Quito and was a few blocks away. We will brew! stay tuned…

“VIBRATIONS” Location:  Calle Pablo Claudel Street Jipijapa sector

Thank you friends!

#Tooflypopup at the next La Carishina event in Quito, Ecuador December 15 & 16 from 11am -7PM. See you there!

This fall I had the pleasure of reconnecting with my friend Jose since our days at School of Visual Arts. As the Artist Programs Manager of the Youth Artist Initiative at Joan Mitchell Foundation he is able to find creative ways to expose young alumni to professional careers in the arts. I am so thankful for the invitation to speak about my work, and to provide guidance and tips to young passionate minds. It was such and honor, and it made me super happy to see my friend with a big heart again. Thank you for all you do!

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

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!

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.