2007+ older
Los Angeles 2007
I was in LA in 2007 for about 3 or 4 weeks, and painted this wall above with a sick artist Cache and his buddy. Apparently a local decided they didnt like it a year later and painted it white….. so Cache painted a new one soon after. Many thanks to Cache, the Orange 20 crew, Bike Kitchen, Jack, Megan, Ashira, Jonas all the courier crew.
During this trip I went down to San Diego and rode to Tijuana with some people, just to drink for the afternoon. They rode back while I spent a week riding south of the border down the Baja California coast. A lot of crazy things happened and I somehow ended up handing out food to malnourished kids with some freaky ‘born-agains’ from Arizona, who were saving everyone from the devil. They didnt like me too much and my disbelief of Noah’s Ark, but they support Bush in the war(s)…. so I kept riding.
Random Illustrations
all of these are from a number of years ago…..
Backwoods Exhibition 2007
May 2007 was the month for the first Everfresh Exhibition, named Backwoods. (the name has multiple meanings but probably originally from a loose cigar brand used to roll blunts in NY days) . This was far more successful than we imagined, with an estimated 1500 punters turning up on the opening night, and only a few minor problems with police etc……and although only open for the weekend a lot of art was moved and fun was had.
Mistery Sydney
This is with Sydney old school legend Mistery
NEW YORK NEW YORK
I lived in New York more or less for 4 years from 2000 onwards , here’s some artwork etc from this awesome city
For 2 years I went to an college to study Fine Art, and the rest of the time I mostly worked as a bike messenger. It was my dream to travel the world painting and working as a messenger, and being based in NY for years made it happen, due to making easy money, getting cheap flights, and hanging with some good friends (+girlfriend) there who helped me out. I have my issues with USA but I miss NYC… I’ll be back soon enough.
I was also living pretty close to the WTC’s when they were hit. A lot has been said about this day and its ramifications, and it was pretty intense to be right there. People ask me about the sound, which I cant really remember, but I took these fotos with a disposable camera. Half way through I guessed the explosion would be at my feet in 10-15 seconds, so I grabbed my friend Zach and rode north, snapping a few behind my head as we rode up the west side highway. People were screaming everywhere and I remember this feeling of smelling a wall of death, and thinking I just saw 1000 people get crushed to their deaths. RIP.
My first thoughts were USA has done so many wrongs in their past to do with international policy, its lead to so much hatred for them that people will take their lives in protest and terrorism to make their point, and to take some revenge. I also remember thinking that the arrogance of USA will mean quick revenge and the amount of lives in that revenge will be 10 fold… which is more or less how it has panned out.
This is a book made by my friend Fast Eddy, which is a good memory of a few years working on the bike there.
This video is a big alleycat race in 2003, which I was lucky enough to win, 1st prize was valued at $10,000, and was a trip for 2 to the Tour de France the next year, and a grand spending money. Happy days for me…..
from on .
Jai Kinson aka San
A good friend Jai aka San died in November 2006. This guy was so funny and a true artist. We went to university together for only a semester and both had certain issues fitting in with the curriculum. It was a Illustration Degree with some graphic design classes. The teacher told me and I think him to change to a fine art course. He was one of the only people I would go out and paint with at night, and I painted his coffin with the infamous Kab of Adelaide, using some of his stencils and a few characters of mine. To check out more of his artwork google ashtraysalvage
Perth Carpark
I happened to be in Perth when Reka had a show there, so we hooked up with Kid Zoom and some other friends to paint in a carpark in the city. I think the building owners worked out it was cheaper to buy a ton of spray paint than to employ tradesmen painters.
Gorlitzer Park, Kreuzberg
In 2007 I was living in Berlin for about 3 months, working mostly as a bike courier, as well as making pizzas, bike mechanics, making coffees, and painting walls. I painted this little wall at a graf comp in Kreuzberg going against some good writers… not sure what they thought exactly about mine…..
Everfresh show Adelaide
May 2008 saw Everfresh have an art show in Adelaide. Some good times there and we painted this big wall amongst a bit of controversy, although we paid for paint the building owners, who own half of adelaide, wanted us to write every shop in the strip. We said we were artists not signwriters, but did it anyway, top left and right for the 12 shops. Come monday morning all packed to leave, they said we gotta move the names into the middle of the piece or they’ll paint the wall grey again…..?!?? We just drove back to Melbourne…. and the wall is still there.
Random old art of mine
Most of this is pretty old now, pre 2007 at least.
This post is the last of the blog entries, thanks for looking…. mike
Maktronik Truck
seen by Optic in Germany somewhere.
Ganges River, Varanasi India 2007
I painted this monkey in Varanasi ,India, along the Ganges River. Painted with a few small brushes, enamel paint onto a rough wall. I was in no rush and was sick of tourist traps. An amazing country which I recommend everyone to get to at some stage. (Thanks to Judith Duddle from Flickr)
This photo was also found on someones flickr, this wall get flooded by monsoons every so often, which is showing here.