november in a few days. wait, whaaaat?
time is a tricky beast these days but that’s okay, we’ve been plowing ahead. which brings us to graffiti.
last month, we sponsored and caught up with dripped on the road, a traveling artist residency makin’ towns pretty using eco-friendly paint, sharing large scale murals and planting trees. we also screened an old school nyc documentary, bounced over to the les #lovethybodega for sips and treats, and hit the beats with rockaway radio.
our motto this month: keep on keepin’ on.
RAMIRO DAVARO-COMES
We’re amped to share some behind-the-scenes scoop from a handful of DOTR artists & directors----and some choice advice for how to create.
DOTR was co-founded by Ramiro Davaro-Comas, Denton Burrows and Jonathan Neville.
Ramiro is an artist living outside of Albany NY. He’s painted over 200 murals and traveled around 20,000 miles searching for new walls and projects.
ROCKAWAY: Where are you from?
RDC: Originally I am from Buenos Aires, Argentina. Now I live just outside of Albany NY.
ROCKAWAY: You are staring down at a blank canvas...what’s your process?
RDC: When I stare down a big canvas I am excited. I take different ideas and illustrations from my sketchbooks and put them together as a cohesive image for a wall or large painting. If it’s for a public wall, I try to reflect the community the work is in.
ROCKAWAY: What are you working on right now?
RDC: I’m currently working on learning. I have a practice wall at my house, and everyday I paint something new, and try to get better. I watch videos, read, and talk to artists. I’m also researching and learning new techniques to keep my public art practice sustainable.
ROCKAWAY: What inspires or influences your art ?
RDC: So many things! I love to draw people --- i can spend hours on the subway just drawing amazing New Yorkers. I love to go to museums and galleries to see new work. My partner Grace also influences me when we sit and chat about our work, and its direction.
ROCKAWAY: In a few words, what is your life motto?
RDC: Get up and do it again. Life is like skateboarding. It's not about IF you will fall down, but WHEN you will fall down. When you fall down, you gotta figure out the best way to fall, so that you can get right back up and do it again.
LENA “MAC” MCCARTHY
Lena “Mac” McCarthy is a painter, international muralist and street artist. After attending the College of Fine Arts at Boston University, she took her work to the street while living in Santiago, Chile and has continued to paint across the globe ever since.
ROCKAWAY: Where are you from?
LM: Just outside of Boston.
ROCKAWAY: You are staring down at a blank canvas...what’s your process?
LM: I always find a blank canvas to be intimidating and exciting. My process is mainly about consistency - I paint nearly every day even if I don't have a lot of time and over the weeks, months and years, those hours gradually add up.
ROCKAWAY: Tell us about what piece you're working on for DRIPPED - why is it relevant NOW?
LM: For DOTR I did two pieces. The large work is done in an geometrically abstract style with organic and nature inspired shapes. It's about grounding and rooting in place. I find in my life and the world today there's a lot of noise, and my work tends to gravitate towards seeking calm and inner peace.
ROCKAWAY: What inspires or influences your art ?
LM: The sky and everything in the natural world, books I read, and other contemporary artists inspire me greatly.
ROCKAWAY: In a few words, what is your life motto?
LM: My Dad says most of life is showing up and I try to go by that, including showing up for myself. I try to remember that everyone is coming from somewhere, and try to universally respect all life.
JUSTIN SUAREZ
aka AEROSOL KINGDOM
Justin Suarez AKA Aerosol Kingdom is an artist who brings together the rural and the urban.Celebrating wildlife, he paints flora and fauna flawlessly over concrete and brick. He’s painted murals across the US, and his work has been exhibited around the world.
ROCKAWAY: Where are you from?
JS: I am originally from the Albany, NY area, but have been residing in Rochester, NY for 15+ years now.
ROCKAWAY: You are staring down at a blank canvas...what’s your process?
JS: It's all about setting yourself up for success with a solid sketch. From there, I focus on getting all of the blank space covered with a solid coat of paint, and then move on to layering, and finally DETAILS!
ROCKAWAY: Tell us about what piece you're working on for DRIPPED - why is it relevant NOW?
JS: I did several pieces in Blairsville PA that focused on migratory birds who pass through the local flyway, and are currently threatened by climate change.
ROCKWAY: What inspires or influences your art ?
JS: The bulk of my work focuses on the connection between humans and the natural world.
ROCKWAY: In a few words, what’s your life motto?
JS: Just Paint!! This can refer to the impermanence of public art, as well as advice to younger artists. It's ok to make mistakes when painting because we can always cover it up and try again.
DOTR directors Denton Burrows and Jonathan Neville co-founded Dripped on Productions in 2014, an art production co. specializing in murals and street art for businesses. Dripped On has worked with clients like Mastercard, Pabst Blue Ribbon and ArtsQuest.
ROCKAWAY: Where are you from?
Jonathan Neville: I was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY and grew up with downtown Manhattan as my playground.
ROCKAWAY: You are staring down at a blank canvas...what’s your process?
JN: I remind myself that challenges are mainly psychological. The wall is a wall, it may be made with different materials like brick vs drywall or have unforeseen obstacles or hard to reach spots but once you overcome the psychological obstacles the physical challenges become fun. It really boils down to, “this has to be finished and it’ll get done spectacularly.”
ROCKAWAY: Tell us about what piece you’re working on?
JN: I’ve spent the past 3.5 weeks out of NYC working on amazing public art projects. Before the Fall DOTR Program, I was working with the Inside Out Project in Providence, RI and only had a few days at home before hitting the road again. I look forward to having some time to work on my own art.
ROCKAWAY: What inspires or influences your art?
JN: My artwork is cartoony, like the late ‘90s early ’00’s block colors and bold outlines. There's beauty in the simple style of cartoons like Hey Arnold, Rocket Power, Catdog, Animaniacs and so on. The art is inspired by a mixture of the old, grittier NYC graffiti and people I meet traveling. Growing up in NYC, you experience a lot at a young age, especially if you choose to explore. We’re too comfortable all the time and tend to get trapped and blinded by it.
ROCKAWAY: In a few words, what is your life motto?
JN: For myself: Get out there, get uncomfortable and embrace your surroundings, you might be surprised by what you find. For young people and a reminder to myself: You may not grow up to be a professional basketball player, but you still can create a path straight to the NBA.
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ROCKAWAY: Where are you from?
Denton Burrows: I’m from Manhattan, NY.
ROCKWAY: You are staring down at a blank canvas...what’s your process?
DB: Staring at a blank canvas can elicit many emotions. Even if a great deal of effort has gone into the concept to be executed, there is an excitement and an uneasiness simultaneously, because every blank canvas is a new challenge.
ROCKAWAY: Tell us about what piece you’re working on now?
DB: I’m currently finishing a large work about the last two years and letting world developments and my feelings guide the imagery. As an artist who likes to document our times through surreal imagery, I found it both important to illustrate into permanence, this unfolding and wildly unique moment in time and history.
ROCKAWAY: What inspires or influences your art ?
DB: My artwork is inspired by sociological issues and the increasingly complex interactions, both positive and negative, between nature, technology, humans and the imagination.
ROCKAWAY: In a few words, what’s your life motto?
DB: Remain incessantly curious, thereby always learning new things. Always do right by the people that matter to you and acknowledge faults and failures to improve upon.
NOW SHOWING ON LOOP: STYLE WARS, 1983
“A lot of trains, a lot of fun, a lot of art. Art that’s gonna be part of New York City’s history forever.” - Iz the Wiz.
Trains, breakdancing, hip hop and graffiti converge in this 16mm documentary on the early days of 80s NYC culture. Back in the sweet day, the 2,3,5 and 6 trains served up the canvas for notorious artists like Dez, Iz and Seen and Min One, who passed through tunnels to train yards like ghosts, and with nothing but cans of Krylon spray paint and their “wild style” tags.
#lovethybodega :
Optimum Gourmet Deli
Opened in 2013, this LES corner deli stocks all the things you’ll ever need to feel complete: egg sandwiches, deli meats galore, chips and candy bars, fruit and of course, chilled out cans of Rockaway (we spotted coastal immunity made with anti-inflammatory-antioxidant tulsi). Night owls and early morning birds, don’t sweat the time, this jam is open 24/7.
Addy : 243 Broome St, New York, NY 10002
founder freestyle flow :
loving the life motto’s this month thanks to our featured artists. drink them in.
was super pumped to be a part of dripped on the road from afar. the artists are so talented and the mission to give some incredible face lifts to the walls of small towns while offsetting the carbon footprint with special paint - smog armor - and tree planting is more than we could have hoped for. feeling grateful to be able to collab with so many awesome people moving movements that help contribute positive, meaningful changes to society and the planet.
enjoy hoodie season + happy halloween!
rock on. x b
