Highland Outtakes

Thursday Throwback: AFRIKA/BAMBAATAA MURAL

I figured I'd take it back a few years and showcase one of our first sanctioned murals. I remember this one very well. The day before this one was produced, myself, Leon Rainbow, and Demer of "Vicious Styles Crew" were featured on the TV show "AMERICAS GOT TALENT". To make a long story short, that entire process was not what I expected and I left in a not so great mood.

The following day, LUV ONE and myself planned on doing this wall. This time we were joined by my friend and fellow artist "Frances N. Bradley". Frances had been in contact with me for some time prior to this wall. She wanted to learn the art of spray painting and I welcomed her to join us on this wall. LUV and myself were accustomed to working very intuitively and spontaneous, and with Frances being a solid fine artist and illustrator, I told her the best way to learn spray paint is on the spot. I told her not to worry about mistakes(she was a bit nervous being her first time working with the medium)...because working with us, u wont make any.

The only drawback was the weather. It was raining pretty much the entire day, but the store front had an oning that gave us protection from the elements.

Luv-One brought a image of Hip Hop pioneer Afrika Bambaataa to produce. I brought an photograph of a West African Princess and Frances brought references of different patters and photographs relating to Africa.

We started off painting in the same way we continue to paint today...very loose and free-form with the portraits to balance out the abstraction. After about 4 hours, LUV had to leave to pick up his son and Frances had to leave not much after. This left the wall half way finished. I decided to finish up the wall myself and to use the anger and frustration from the previous night on "Americas Got Talent" to energize me.

Around 9pm that night I finished off the wall. 10-12 hours of non stop painting. Needless to say, I was pretty beat, but felt great to have wrapped up this project and to get over my "AGT" meltdown.

LUV also produced one of his first videos off of this mural...check it out below.

Happy Thanksgiving!

-Will Kasso

Izzy

Giving the gift of art is always from the heart.  -LUV1

Thursday Throwback

LUV1 and KASSO with JOS L

New Recruit

thanks to Sage Francis for the flick!