TOOFLY NYC

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!

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

 

Thanks gang! #TEAMWORK

There’s a new line of work that is developing “Rebel & Rise” It’s a black, white, and red graphic art collection. It started with some marker drawings one day and then I decided to make a tote. Now I have a love icon tank top, 4″ sticker, and a button 4pack to add to the collection. It will grow into a few more designs as time moves forward. Enjoying the process and what develops.

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!

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!

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

The #TooflyPopUpShop is back! It’s been a few years but this time around I had a little more time to put it together the right way. I am currently enjoying the process of curating events at various places. Something about getting all the pieces to an idea where people get together gives me great joy. Like painting I am putting together theme, color, and design to tell a story. Our story. Save the date!

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

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

Earlier this year during my Mexico vacation I got a gig to design some graphics for the Free State Aeropostale line. It was a nice opportunity because I had been inking tons of lettering works, and the t-shirt design gig was a perfect fit. The artist series release would promote my style of work + my street work via video. Our good friend ED from our Sound of Art Days got in touch and made it happen as smoothly as it can go these days with corporate companies. Shout out o Jay Maldonado who teamed up with us to showcase his Toofly video.

Taking the time to pull together my last post before I devote my heart to my family this holiday week. I had a very short trip to New York this fall which made it super difficult to do everything I would have liked, and needed to do. Next time a 1-2 month stay in New York is about do! Promise. The goal this fall was to rock my first ever Toofly Holiday Pop Up Shop. As some of ya’ll have heard The Ladies Love Project is taking a mini break so we can try and switch things up for 2015. Unsure when we will return exactly but trust we are working on a fresh new twist for LLP. Until then I will be keeping the holiday spirit alive <3

For years now I’ve been building with our hommies from Rebelution Ink and Fresthetic who’s local owned businesses continue to hold it down in Williamsburg. These are the folks we gotta support these days so they can rise above the crude reality of gentrification. Rebelution Ink is a small silkscreening biz and boutique on 560 Grand St that is open to print, and share their space with independent artists and creative folks. Randy Quiles and his team do a great job on all the Toofly t-shirts, totes, and hoodies. I love this place! I dig the people that run it, as well as the people who come to the space to connect. They are a community of “true school” New Yorkers. Heads who share a common passion for their neighborhood and the rough changes it’s going through. They are here to support their hood, the local businesses, friends, and family who hold a tight grip to Bushwick. It’s hard not to vent about what’s happening all around them especially with people who identify with the change. We all came up together in this nitty gritty concrete jungle. A “dope world” back then of diverse energies and fly authentic vibrations. We sOoooo miss it!!! It’s why we are still here sharing them good ol’ vibes on a community tip. We genuinely care to be in each others company because it makes us comfortable. We can indulge in sincere conscious dialogue about the life around us because we truly do “relate” to eachother. I appreciate each and every person who came thru this past weekend because of this and much more. What you shared and brought to the space says a lot about why you came thru. That’s what it’s really all about folks. I don’t know how much longer we will have these kind of spaces and places. It’s important these days to show your support because like the destruction of 5Pointz, which hit us hard this past year, it can be here today but not tomorrow. True New Yorkers know the impact it has on our lives and the new generation when we lose “our” spaces in the city where all our dreams were planted. Fat Beats, East Village Radio, Pearl Paint, are no more. The luxury condo loving, glass encased, suburban lifestyle that is glued to a screen 24hrs a day, has taken over indefinitely. The illusion is thriving and making born and bred New Yorkers feel a certain type of way. It sucks. Just like everything else that’s no longer original to this city. Art, music, and even our local piragua man is being re-packaged and replaced by some hipster to sell multi flavored ice’s to the masses of uncultured transplants. It’s real out there son! and it’s wack how we let it all happen. Not much you can do about it now. So I’ll be back ( just to visit ) because this New York City sistah is a continent trooper now, and I belong to a immense universe outside that city bubble that inspires one to be young, wild, and freeeeeeeeee ready to kick brand new flava in ya ear!  

Photos by #LifeRoundHere and #TooflyNYC – Follow us on Instagram. 

Big ups to poet and actor Lemon Anderson who came thru with his lovely family to experience the Toofly Pop Up Shop. Looking forward to rockin’ a beautiful new marker piece on his walls with a fresh message:)

The Toofly Pop Up Shop will be up for one last week at Rebelution Ink 560Grand Street, Brooklyn NY. With T-shirts, Hoodies, and Prints! Last chance to cop that “limited” edition item for the holiday season. We’re down to the last of the “Love Warrior SKY” pieces. 

My future Toofly Pop Up Shop intern lil Ani! the youngest member of the Project Girlz. Time is flying:)

Building the Toofly New York Team! Shout out to Blanche for holding it down:) Thank you Teatulia Teas!

Shout out to Shiro for being an awesome guest artist!

THANK YOU for the product sales love! Happy artist happy customer:)

Congratulations to all the tote bag raffle winners! That was fun…

JILL DE BUSHWICK a Williamsburg true school local on the 1 & 2’s. Happy we got a chance to rock it on the last day.

THANK YOU NEW YORK CITY!!!

All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy; for what we leave behind us is a part of ourselves; we must die to one life before we can enter another - Anatole France

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: TUESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2014

PRESS CONTACT: E: Blanche.cote@gmail.com / 718.877.6082

TOOFLY HOLIDAY POP-UP SHOP COMES TO BROOKLYN!

Renowned Street Artist TOOFLY Hosts Solo Pop-Up at Rebelution Ink Boutique and Gallery

BROOKLYN, New York—October 21st, 2014—After a successful three-year run with the Ladies Love Project Pop-Up Shop (LLP), New York’s beloved street artist, designer, and entrepreneur, Maria “TOOFLY” Castillo will host her first solo TOOFLY Holiday Pop-Up Shop at the trendy Williamsburg boutique, Rebelution Ink.

The popular boutique and art gallery will play host on Friday, November 21, 2014 from 6PM to 10PM and Saturday, November 22, 2014 from 12PM to 8PM to graffiti enthusiasts, fashionistas, and the Brooklyn community. All will get a chance to view select paintings by TOOFLY as well as shop her highly sought-after, handcrafted goods. Fellow street artist Shiro, who hails from Japan, will make a special guest appearance on Saturday from 3PM to 6PM to celebrate the unveiling of new art print releases ($35-$75).

With TOOFLY’s signature style, shoppers can find the perfect holiday gift to spruce up any home, office or wardrobe. At a time when women’s rights are at the forefront of today’s headlines, the mixed media artist has gradually increased her collection by adding an array of illustrations capturing fierce indigenous women. Such works embody the palpable presence of feminine power and creativity. The same can be said of the women who grace her t-shirt, hoodies, tote bags, and sketchbooks as sold at the TOOFLY HOLIDAY POP-UP SHOP. Attendees will experience a colorful, culturally rich world with an opportunity to sweep up a special TOOFLY tote bag valued at $50.00. Teatulia Organic Teas will be serving warm drinks alongside JC’s Sidewalk Cafe with special treats. There will be Hip Hop, Rock, and Funk playing throughout the two days to help usher in good tidings for the holidays and build community spirit.

As an added bonus to what will be a rocking event, both SHIRO & TOOFLY will kick-off black book signing–a graffiti ritual with roots in nostalgic New York, where artists reverently swap black books to collect drawings or catch “tags.” With live artwork, funky clothing and collectible designs by TOOFLY, this two-day event is not to be missed!

“Having the TOOFLY HOLIDAY POP-UP SHOP in the heart of Williamsburg, Brooklyn is dope!” says Randy Quilles, owner of Rebelution Ink. “TOOFLY’s work honors the ‘true school’ New York vibe and her recent re-connection to her latin roots demonstrates a unique progression of her artistry.”

TOOFLY will be available for interviews prior to, during and after the holiday event to discuss the changing landscape of street art in direct relation to changing communities.

Read more

The Toofly “Love Warrior” Lookbook is finally up! I had a great time working with my homegirls on this photoshoot. It’s been a long time since I focused some of my energy back into my love for fashion and style. I have a ton of new pieces I never got a chance to shoot when I left New York, so I pulled it all together in a week and met my girlz in Dumbo Brooklyn for some make-up, hair, styling, and photo fun. Thanks for the collabo love ladies! Samantha Morales, Alexandra Casula, Isabella Dunham, and Lady fancy Nails <3  – Behind the scenes flicks coming soon!

Back from New York and ready to get these blog updates started! It was a busy busy trip this year. The NYC grind was in full effect. Shout out to everyone that came through to support the LLP crew this spring. It was a rainy windy day to start, but by the afternoon when most folks roll thru, the sunshine blessed us with a beautiful day. Just in time for the performances, and all our big supporters. This year the LLP team invited a few new vendors to join the creative art and designer crew. Check them out, they do beautiful handmade works! We love LOCAL, HANDMADE, and ORIGINAL CREATIONS. These guys fit right in. Aurora Barnes and Rhyme Factory did their thing, and DJ Enigma had us dancing for a bit to close out event. It was FUN!!! Besides the morning showers the Ladies Love Project Spring Pop-Up Shop this year was a success once more <3 Love to the crew and everyone who participated to the very end. We will be taking a break for Holiday this year, ( sad face ) but be sure to check our updates for 2015 as we revamp and prepare for something bigger! YOU KNOW HOW WE DO:)

RAIN OR SHINE!!! Ladies Love Project Spring Pop-Up Shop 2014 – Shout out to Samantha Morales for the beautiful flicks:)

LLP Crew fun every spring in the heart of the Lower East Side <3

The Toofly booth of new goodies was a success! THANK YOU TF supporters.

Hoodies sold out, but new ones coming this fall stay tuned.

Shout out to publisher Yoav from OUTDOOR GALLERY NYC Book. I finally got to sign his copy:)

Toofly / Love Warrior steez ” Staying True”

LIL EGO Fly as ever! Fashion and Lil Kids gear.

Vanilla Medallions Rock’n it! Her new handmade caps are dope!

Besos Not Bombs – gotta love the name!

Molly Hein with some new handmade cards:)

Wonder Lee the life of the party! Good Times:) We must hang more…

Shout out to my hommie Yvey for holding down the TF booth! and for all the peeps tweeting away event flicks. Go team!

We have lot’s more flicks of our vendors be sure to check out our facebook page here —> LLP SP/2014

Circa 95, Aurora Barnes and Rhyme Factory did their thing!

FUN IN THE SUN NOW AND FOREVER with my bestie <3

Beautiful People, Beauitful families

THANK YOU NEW YORK!!! We’ll be back bigger and doper than ever in 2015!