Thursday Throwback: Inc Magazine

Way before there ever was a SAGE, back in 10/07, I got a call from RAIN to paint with the VS Crew at the World Trade Center in Inc. Magazine's Headquarters.  My can controll was admitedly not on point at this point, but the magazine folks loved it!  I had a great time, getting my pizza and beer on with the Viciousez.  This was my first time painting indoors with spray paint and I learned a valueable lesson that night...use a resperator!  I think I bought one the next day lol.  You can even see me stumble getting off the ladder in the video below, I was dizzy and all messed up by the time I left.  Another thing I remember is security was unbelieveable in that place.  It was by far the most heavily secure place I have ever been in. 

*Ironic interesting fact, I got that call to paint, I believe, because a member of VS, now member of SAGE, PLAN aka DELVE, couldn't make it. 

here's a snippet of mine...

KASSO in progess...

and a video RAS made,  for TerraCycle (who hooked us up with the gig.  Thanks Tom!)


One Love,
LUV1

Rocking Out

This past sunday, Luv-One and myself took a trek threw the woods of rural New Jersey to..drumroll...PAINT ROCKS! I know..sounds a bit weird. Luv contacted me earlier within that week to ask if I would like to join him on his nature adventure. At first I was like...paint a rock?! We should rock a wall! Then he told me that some of the rocks were as big as five feet wide! When I heard that...I was like "Yooooo, this can be great!" Lets do it!" If I cant paint a wall...then a wall size rock sounds pretty interesting!

Luv paints these quirky lil' characters. He's been doing them for years on canvas and other materials. I believe he said most of the inspiration for these characters comes from his son's drawings and that the two of them do this all the time simply because it's fun! So thats was the idea for the day; to paint a rock or two and keep it fun...like a child would. While we were out there painting, I at first thought this was a bit juvenile, but once u do your first one it becomes an instant addiction...u want to do more!

You want to find the rock with the most character...the most personality...and bring it to life! What I thought would at first be a waste of time, became a time I would never forget! What we were doing was reliving our childhood. Taking nature and turning it into art! Using what's there to create something new! I swear, it was like being 10 years old again. We were adding "character" to nature; giving it a personality..and making it our own. It made you wanna seek out new "rocky" terrane, while at the same time taking in the beauty of the breathtaking country side. In doing what we did, it made us appreciate the beauty of nature even more so than before. We both agreed that this day was something epic..even if just for us. It literally planted the seed of new ideas and possibilities! It made me see that sometimes you have to strip layers away and revile whats inside to find something new. It showed me not to judge a situation buy what's only on the surface, and if you want something of value, you have to seek it and dig for it. We sought and found....and who would have thought a rock in a hard place would move creative mountains! You cant spell "nature" without A....R....T!

Checkout the pics below to what we "rocked out".

Peace.

-Will Kasso


KASSO


LUV1


KASSO


LUV1


KASSO


LUV1

Thrusday Throwback: "BORN WITH LESS"...2009

This wall was produced in early February, 2009. S. A. G. E. was still in its infancy as a crew...pretty much just consisting of myself and LUV1. LUV contacted me that morning asking if I was willing to come out and paint. It was an unusual day for the middle of the winter. We had a freak 70 degree day! We decided to jam out at Terracycle and do something small and non ambitious.

What started out as something with the intentions on being light heart quickly grew into a full blown mini-mural jam session. LUV had some references from newspapers and one in particular stuck out to me. It was an image of a young woman holding her son during "Hurricane Katrina".


I choose to do a representation of it while LUV painted an image of Hip Hop icon "Lauren Hill".



As usual, we jammed out the background with our abstract works...which at the time we were still developing. We also had very lil paint to work with due to it being the off season. This wall was literally done with scraps of paint.

Half way threw LUV had to leave to pick up his kid from school, so I decided to stay to finish up the wall. While I was finishing up, the rap song "Smile" by Tupac and Scarface kept playing in my head. Ever since I saw that pic from the hurricane, I couldn't get it out of my mind. So i went back to the beginning of the wall and put a quote up from that record....part of Tupac's verse which reads "Born with less but your still precious". I figured it summed up the feeling of what the image(the mother and child) conveys.


After the quote went up, it started to rain, so i broke out and went home. It was good times none the less.

For those who havent heard the song SMILE...check out the video below.

peace.
-KASSO

Izzy

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

Highland Sfumato

On the weekend of Oct 8th and 9th, 2011, SAGE collective was invited back to the Highland Design Farm to produce another massive mural project as part of the Hopewell Tour Des Arts. Last year, our combined efforts resulted in the HIGHLAND SENTINEL, which was the first mural of its kind in the Hopewell, NJ area.

This year we had to spread out and work in sections. Unlike the HIGHLAND SENTINEL, where we all worked in close proximity, this project had us in different locations to start, so we had to jump around a bit. We also had more square footage to cover with this project, but at least this year, unlike last year, majority of the work was done on the ground and not on ladders, so that in itself was a blessing.

LUV1 kicked things off with a murky background primed into the first section of wall. He then rendered a few crystals and gems busting out of the far right corner. The gems then spilled into his trademark Celtic knots with earth tone loops and swirls. KASSO came in and added a few mid tone geometric shapes that balanced out the composition which then flowed into DELVE's hollow straight letter spelling out his name. From there, LANK stenciled in an owl which help carry the far left corner, along with KASSOs abstract colorful shapes that morphed into robotic bird. Between the bird and the owl lay an image of an fetus, which represented the patron, Sean Mannex, in saying that the Design Farm is his "baby". It was also a nod to Leonardo da Vinci; being that one of his famous images is one of a dissected fetus from his sketch journals.

Turning the corner, LANK painted an image of a welder forging a massive abstract image of twisted colorful shapes painted by KASSO, which flowed into LUV1's energetic black, white and grey composition that framed a pre-standing wooden structure of the Chinese alphabet layered in gold. This was then book ended by LANK's stencil images of two lions....which gave the impression that they where guarding a secret gate or passageway of some sort.

DELVE began his section with his usual abstract minimalist approach. Working with a muted color palette, his shapes start in a circular graphic manner, then stretching out into KASSO's portrait of Leonardo da Vinci. KASSO chose the reference of da Vinci from a drawing the renaissance master did of himself at the twilight of his years. Like DELVE, KASSO decided to run with a limited palette, but incorporated a few pop colors to break things up. LANK dropped his lion statue stencil next to the portrait and also nuts and bolts stencils around DELVE's graphic shapes. The nuts and bolts are elements from last years mural, which tied in both murals with a similar theme.

LUV ONE flowed off the portrait and was inspired to paint a hand with a glass of Absinthe...implying that da Vinci is drinking the controversial cocktail. Along the other side of the structure, AJA worked her contribution; an abstract mesh of subdued colors in a swirl of galactic splendor. LANK capped off the section with a stencil of a compass anagram which spelled out all of our names.

After two exhausting but fun days of work, the hardest part was finding a title for the mural. With the underlying theme centered around da Vinci, we decided to go along with title "Highland Sfumato". "Sfumato" being a renaissance term meaning, in part, "areas blending into one another". Our goal with this project, as with all of our projects, was to keep everything well integrated. No one person can claim an entire wall. Each member of SAGE has a piece of every wall...from a small corner to a huge section. It was truly a collaborative effort.

Special thanks goes out to the Highland Design Farm for having us out yet again and for the unprecedented hospitality. Also a big thanks to "Liquitex Artist Materials" for the donation of FREESTYLE brushes used during the production of this project.


S.A.G.E. Collective

CCA's Anti Gala

S.A.G.E. Collective was in the house at The Center for Contemporary Art's Anti Gala on 9/24/2011 doing live mural painting and bodypainting with Leon Rainbow and hula hooping by Andrea Gianchiglia.  Check out the fun video below shot by Jolene and edited by me.  Was a total blast being there, thanks to Ellen and everyone from the CCA http://ccabedminster.org/ for having us out!



to see more flicks from the event go to my flickr

-LUV1

Murals in the Key of Life

LUV1 and KASSO inside the Trenton Atelier last week on a rainy day.  Thanks to Pete and crew

The Center for Contemporary Art's Anti Gala

S.A.G.E. Collective w/ Leon Rainbow will be rockin' the walls and bodies in the blacklight dance party!  Circus acts too?! This should be interesting...more info visit the CCA

Just One More Thing...

Shout out to RAS and LANK blessing the TerraCycle wih a Peter Falk memorial. Filmed by LUV1 and EWIN. The little guy did good, used a good amount of his footage...future SAGE documentarian! Scratch that, current and official!

-LUV1

Jersey Fresh Pre Party Art Show

Happy Father's Day

Happy Father's Day, a photo by eL hue V on Flickr.

CHANGE GON' COME...2011

The other day I get a phone call from my homie ENOS telling me my GANDHI mural was defaced. I was like "nah, your kidding...that wall has been running over 3 years?! Who would take it out?". He told me he was serious and to drive by there and check it out. Low in behold, I drive up to the wall, and it splattered with white house paint..with a large portion of the face gone. I started to think who would do such a thing. I have no beef on the streets with anyone...at least not to my knowledge. And if someone were beefing with me...they should have at least left their name...any graffiti cat would of done that...so I ruled that factor out. Then I thought it may have been someone who would of had a problem with Gandhi himself(I had a wall vandalized before because it went against a community religious beliefs). But the question remained...after 3 years who would do this?

That wall...out of every wall I produced held the most esteem with me. It was the first wall I produce without sanction during the daylight hours www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiOooVl-pKE. This was the wall that literally put into motion the entire idea of SAGE Collective and our philosophy. I took major risks to put this wall up and it is one of the few I wanted to keep in tact no matter what. Massive amounts of energy was put forth to make sure that wall went up..and stayed up.

The following day. I got together with LUV-1 to redo the wall. We originally had another location set up, but due to the circumstances, decided to shift our attention to restoring this mural. After about one and a half hours of painting, this weird dude approached us and started taking pics of us with his phone and would then run off. We brushed it off as nothing...but I knew the dude..he lived in the arts building just across the way. I then took a break and ran to the store to get water. When I came back, LUV told me dude said he messed up the wall and he was calling the cops on us. I was like "WHAT THE FUCK?"...Whats this dudes deal?!" I knew him from the arts building...and also knows he is a lil' "touched" mentally..so I again brushed it off as craziness.

About ten minutes later, The cops show up. LUV and myself stop painting to see what the problem is. The officer came over to us..told us we were good and that the dude who called them is a lil crazy and they have been getting complaints about him for sometime. We told him that we were restoring the old mural that was up here because someone vandalized it. The officer then looked at us...shook his head in disbelief...saying: "Shame, this wall was up for years...who would do such a thing". We told him we had an idea, but was not certain and had no proof, but in any event, its getting a makeover.

Over the next 3-4 hours LUV and myself tooled away at the wall. LUV worked his usual abstract expressionistic designs throughout the background and I focused on the figure of Ghandi. The funny thing is the first time I did this wall, their was an unbelievable amount of stress involved...this time...smooth sailing. LUV and myself jammed out and we produced something we are truly proud of. I have been trying to figure out what does all this mean. And one conclusion I came to realize is its simply growth. This wall was first done alone...with no set plan...no true direction as to what may come. This time, It was a team effort..and in my opinion, a better over all mural. It started off as a risky gamble and turn into a major success.

We finished up, took pics and talked about how smooth the day was and about the unbelievable odor of piss in the alley where we were painting. LUV asked me did I think dude would take it out again. I said "nah, I don't think so...dude is a lil schizo...I believe its isolated. To rough him up or anything of violents is not necessary for someone like that...he's in his own private hell". But if it does happen again...I know where he lives.

Check out the amazing video produced by LUV-ONE of the days proceedings...peace. -Will Kasso

Urban Arts Festival in New Brunswick, NJ

KASSO, LUV, LANK, AJA at the Urban Arts Festival in New Brunswick, NJ.  Big ups the State Theater for having us out.  Big ups Albus Cavus who we were out there reppin'.  Check the video...

Garden Variety Show Lank and Luv Live Painting

garden variety lank n luv live , originally uploaded by eL hue V.

Shout out to all the dope Jerz eMCees in the building, too many to start naming.  Serious fire brought out last night tho, 'specially in those early round freestyle chyphers.  Shout out to all the people who kept standing in front of the flood light making it impossible to see.   Lastly shout to Kasso for hosting the show! Rest in Power Mr. Gil Scott Heron and thank you for all you did!

Howling Wolf and Medicine Man

Howling Wolf and Medicine Man, originally uploaded by eL hue V.

Painted when it wasn't raining over the past couple of days with Aja at my spot in Flemington in the parking lot off main street.  The passerbyers were 100% on board luving it.  People flexing thier Native American History knowledge, a lady who collects wolf figurines, who originally told me "I collect wolves!"  I said "That sounds dangerous." Men working on refurbishing old buildings out there in and out of rain with us, having their lunch break watching us.  It was one of those walls where the process is as enjoyable as the outcome.  Aja's Crow Medicine Man is her first stencil and is now protecting the wall.  My howling wolf, which I orginally had a referance for and was going to try and go all photoreal on, turned out to be a bit on the free because during one of the downpoars I ran for cover, grabbing my camera only, and the referance got ruined.  The whole wall is a mixture of brushes, rollers, and spray.

check the video...njoy - LUV1

Throwback Video Arthur Ashe mural

SAGE Collective's Arthur Ashe Mural from luv1 on Vimeo.

Since we just spent a great evening at the Westin in Princeton for the NJTL of Trenton Fundraiser, and saw this mural up close in person again after a year n a half, here's the original video.  The image is used on everything NJTL does it seems.  At the gala last week alone I must have seen it reproduced a couple hundred times on different materials.  It was published in Mercer Business News magazine and in a couple tennis magazines.  Never would have thought I'd be seeing it so much after painting it, glad I like it!  Thanks again Rob!

Jersey Fresh 2010

shouts to all the crews SAGE, VS, ATC, FUA

flick by Ricardo Barros

Friday Night Live

Huge thanks to Joel Price for the great photos used in this video! S.A.G.E. Collective live art at the Community Arts Center in Wallingford, PA, music in the video is Dave Manley Trio who also played live at the event.

S.A.G.E. published in Utrecht Catalog!

Our mural entitled "Highland Sentinel" was recently published in the latest Utrecht Art Supply catalog. This is a huge honor and we are very appreciative to have our work featured! If you take a look to the left hand side of the page, there is an image of crew member LANK doing a demo with the new Montana Gold line!

Visit Utrecht art online for more info:
www.utrechtart.com/

S.A.G.E. COLLECTIVE

The faces behind the collective...