Long story short... actually 8 month long short... I couldn't take it anymore where I was staying... I literally think I lost my mind... yeah, the dude who you'd think lost it long ago, really lost his mind this time... anyway, I was about to move back to NY... in the gist of it, I moved into a better and more realistic opportunity... now I just gotta get a job by the end of January as I will have to pay rent now... and that will enable me to stay in the state of California. If not, I'll be back in NY building my empire off of other peoples couches again. Probably won't be as easy as it sounds since I haven't a job in... well, pretty much all my life, but I just got me some Stacy Adams, black slacks and a black button down to present myself as professional (and super gay) as possible to these judgmental yuppy managers who'm I will have to "pretend" for. I'm gonna be walking into these jobs looking like the East Bay Mafia though. They can't say no to me! I'll put their head in a fuckin' vice!
I was trying to keep the no 9 to 5 job lifestyle 'til the day I die by doing the hustle through "Wasted Talent", but now I gotta revise my master plan. I'm gonna be stepping it up next year. Actually WE are gonna be stepping it up next year! That's some of the plan in the works soon to be revealed. I got soooo much shit to update everybody on. I also gotta Canon G11 with a 10' backdrop with 3 umbrella lights. So many pics to come! So many!
I just got my internet back on today after nearly 3 weeks without it. So I can't blow up the blog just yet. I still got my own catching up to do, but I leave ya with this mega dope video by Nemo from the Qee 2 Life show at Genuine Artikle. Look at my dudes Ian and Tyler reppin' so hard! You can buy their custom Qee's below here.
Shout out to Nemo, Benny, Phetus, Mr. Den, The G.A. Family, P.J. and all the artists who participated in the show!
OH... and much love to Mr. Bru Cru for showing people why I can modestly say "I'm the fuckin' best yo!" For the people who cant recognize the realness, you will soon see the potential. Check out more here.
Lil' Wayne gets blogged about on every blog site and I swore I wouldn't do it unless he was wearing Wasted Talent or something, but this was just too real not to post. EVEN THOUGH, if it was what everybody thinks it was (Sprite mixed with cough syrup containing Codeine and Promethazine) I don't agree with drinking that shit cause it basically fucks up your immune system, you'll eventually have to be a pillhead or some shit and I don't fuck with ANY man made drugs, not even Tylenol. Not that I need that shit anyway, cause I never got a real headache in my whole entire life. But yeah, it really is none of ya God damn business! BITCH!
p.s. He keeps dabbing the towel on his lip cause he busted himself with his own mic while he was performing before this interview.
So I've decided for definite today after realizing spending over a $1000 on a project for Art Basel that I'm not gonna finish in time cause I'm either invited to participate with a month or less before the due date... that I'm not doing any more customs for shows. I don't care who asks. If I'm not contacted along with the 1st round of "name" artists by now in my career, I got no time for it. Unless I'm informed 6 months in advance AND supplied with the platform, count me out. I'm tired of getting rushed, going in debt and splitting the profits of all MY hard work. 50/50 profit split... yeahhhhh, I bet. The only reason I do these shows is for publicity. I'm just gonna start paying magazines to print promo ads for Wasted Talent. I won't do comissions either... EVER!
I gotta few more custom toy shows left in the year and few more customs in general and then I won't be customizing toys after Jan 2010. I wanted to be a clothing designer, I never intended to even design toys and be a "gallery" artist. My life kinda just went down that path, but 2010 will be the year of the prototype. I'll be working on designing my very own 1st production toy next year. I already drew up a rough draft. New shirts should be releasing in January too with a bunch of other cool shit. Hopefully we'll have introduced the new team properly and Wasted Talent will be considered as a team rather than 1 man.
And yeah, my birthday is in 4 days... I think I'm getting another gold tooth with diamonds in the the shape of a heart, cause some asshole threw mine away last year. Let's hope with the lack of my NY friends, my birthday can still be as full of sin as I'm used too, but I highly doubt it...
Below is a collaboration piece between me, Nasty Neil and Task 1. I did all the sculpting on the rollies, he did all the painting, the whole base and the light works. He's allllll about the LED's. They were both originally a roll-on deodorant bottle transformed into some sci-fi saga. It was for "The Rollie Show" which was a group show with artists from all over the worlds based on customizing 99 cent roll-on deodorant bottles as you would a vinyl toy, being that they have a cool figure like shape, they're made of plastic and are way beyond cost efficient. So yeah, the piece is called "Rollietron Vs. Rolliegon. You can buy it now for $200 here.
Here's a video from the "The Rollie Show". Check it out. Sucklord is one of the funniest dudes in the world! Big thanks to Nemo and Benny of Tenacious Toys for inviting me to participate in this show.
So I just sold my "Piranha Plant 2010" that I made out of STRANGEco's "Oink Le Rouge" pig character (on the left) today. If you look close, you'll see how I utilized the shapes that was provided without barely changing the original "production" color of the toy.
You can buy more 1 of a kind customs of mine here. Their are also some other great 1 of a kind customized pieces from vinyl to plush for sale too, so don't sleep!
I also trooped all the way down to Kidrobot SF today by myself for the 1st time since I moved out to Oakland. AND I MEAN TROOPED! I love SF to death, but those hills are the fuckin' worst! So my mission was to get a Mega Munny from the Kidrobot SF store for the Multiversal Group Show, which is probably gonna be one of the biggest shows that I've ever been invited to participate in, so my goal is blow Sket One's mind... and the whole customizing community in general, but particularly him, mainly cause it was his customs that intrigued me so much that I wanted to create my first Munny back in 2007. This is gonna be a "How Ya Like Me Now?" Kool Moe Dee moment.
So yeah, like a crazy bastard who is gonna really have no life soon with all the projects I'm taking on, like the other 2 Munny's I'm collaborating on with Task 1 for the Art Basel, Terminal22's "Light Up" Show in Dec, Genuine Artikle's Custom Qee show in Dec, I'm trying to still get that big secret project I'm working on by Dec, maybe I'll just bust it out the 1st month of the 2010, I think I'm getting in a Custom "Vivasect Playset" Show coming up which is based on a blind boxed toy by STRANGEco, I'm doing another Mega Munny collaboration with Nerviswrek for his solo show, a meeting with a local skateboard company to see if I can create some limited edition skate decks, finish up this Koibito, a few 3" Dunny's and I still gotta finalize and introduce this new team for Wasted Talent. So much, so much, so much... just stay tuned. I promise, when I always said "the shit is just gonna get sicka and sicka", I meant it!
Now... I'm gonna go lay in bed and draw out new shirt designs 'til 4am. ;)
The twins be mobbin'. The subwoofers knockin'. Always smokin' and shoppin'. Got the Wasted Talent rockin'. One hundred percent cotton. The Nike Dunks Stompin'. Shades for the hater blockin'. Incase the D's are watchin'. Whole style is mockin'. Eyeliner for the toppin'. Got the hood niggas boppin'. The same niggas hoes jockin'. Stuntin' aint an option. It's more of a problem. Stuntin' aint an option. It's more of a problem.
Big shout out to the twins Natassia and Jordan for showing love and doing cool shit like this for me! You know I fucking love this shit! Natassia is a solo independent film production team called Kreayshawn Productions. You can check out some her videos here. She is perfect for any upcoming artist/musician with limited funds who wants cool videos for more exposure. She does it all from the filming to the editing and does it all at a fast past, so hit her for work. She's dope at what she does. TRUST!
Also, peep out these 3 links real quick of me and Task chillin' out with Brett Amory at his studio, went to lunch with Leecifer to later visit his artistic realm of dopeness and the last is of some pics of Me and Task 1's first real collabo for the Rollie Show which is today, so if your in Queens, check it out! I spent $120 to overnight that bitch there! And I'll be posting more pics up of my customs for the 3D CANVAS show at a later date cause I broke my camera again... and I'm just super busy in general. I'm putting in work! I'll show you how to do this sonnnn!
So, there's been a lot of people hitting me up from all over the world that have been highly anticipating Wasted Talent's next shirt releases. So with that being said, I have been trying to build this empire from scratch pretty much by myself for the last 3 years purely on the hustle. It's been a veryyyyyy bumpy road, but I never gave up. This is my dream. It's what I'm good at. It's what I'm gonna do and I just won't give up on that. From business deals gone wrong to faulty partnerships to trying to support my own weed habit... shit just never came through how I pictured it... but that's all about to change. I have been talking to some very talented artists who I think mesh very well with my whole style and the way I go about things. They also have the ability to fill my void for the artistic skills I lack, they have their own highly useful connections, and they all have incredible entrepreneurism and work ethic. Not to mention they don't do man made drugs. We're gonna form like voltron and make power moves. There's just soooo much more in the making, with collabs with other artists and companies as well, it's just gonna get crazy. I promise.
Anyway, I'm not gonna put everything out there on the table just yet 'til everything is finalized, but once it is, I will post up an introduction to this newly formed A+ Team. Look forward to a new beginning... and limited edition shit to stunt on your friends with.
Tonight I had a euphoric moment to myself as something that I helped curate went better then I ever imagined, even though Nasty Nasty and Buddy Leezle didn't get to close out the show cause the speakers blew out 15 minutes into it, but they still came down and supported! (Next show I promise to make it illegally loud) I chilled with so many cool and talented people through out the night. STRANGEco was in the house. Special thanks to everybody who participated in the show, helped us set up during crunch time and came out to show love to Oakland's very first art show solely dedicated to custom designer toys. Another special thanks to TNES of Hippo Esthetics, Leecifer and Chelsea Rae for hookin' me up with some cool gifts. Check out some of the opening in this video by Wasted Talent's very own representative Kreayshawn, who came super late, but she's still one of dopest girls in the world... and her twin sister "Jordan". Your the fucking best too! The 2nd video is by my homie HMD who is a producer/DJ/smoove mutha fucka!
Also with over 100+ additional photos and info from the show, go check out the Terminal22 blog here. Then go buy or vote on some custom toys here.
Check the dope write up we got on Spanky Stokes too, here.
Special thanks to the Iocovello family for getting the "A BX TALE" crewneck sweatshirt signed by Chazz Palminteri for me. For those who don't know, the shirt was inspired from 1992's classic movie "A Bronx Tale" and Chazz Palminteri (script writer), one of the leading stars in the movie played the head mobster "Sonny". He had 5 fingers, but he only used 3. There was also a famous line in the movie where Robert De Niro (Director) told his son that "The saddest thing in life is wasted talent" which is also on the back of the shirt. Joe Black the murdered man and his son Mark Iocovello were in the movie too, Joe Black was the guy who was fighting over a parking spot and starting smashing the windshield of the car that Joe Pesci was driving (which he might do to ya in real life if ya fuck with him) in one of the earlier scenes of the movie and his son mark, who pretty much played himself if ya think about, came out of the funeral home with his head down a few scenes later. Quite ironic. Quite awesome. Just lil' history lesson for ya!
This will be framed and hung on my wall as a reminder for success to come in the near future. Put everything you got into it, never give up and stay positive. Thanks Mark!
So I just checked out Terminal22 Gallery for the first time since I been back from New York and the place is fucking huge! The window front is crazy huge! It's not even finished and it looks like a million bucks! We're still gonna build mad shit inside. Your not ready. So yeah, this will be my new job type thing from 11pm to 6pm everyday starting this weekend. I'm gonna be ruling this block!
And this custom toy show sponsored by STRANGEco Oct. 2nd is gonna be so dope! 1 of kind custom toys from artists worldwide, STRANGEco will be in the house, artists will be stopping in through out the night, free keg beer and free junkfood, live music by Nasty Nasty formely of "Quitter" and Cameron Thompson will be spinning on the 1 and 2's and the whole event will be video taped.
Sooo... from the last time I posted 'til Labor Day weekend I been so busy finishing up projects for shows, started to curate a toy show, started pieces for the show I'm curating, did some volunteer work painting things blue for some Elementary school, steadily working on big unfinished projects, constantly promoting Wasted Talent, flew to NY for Sucklord's show, dropped of STRANGEco toys to WORLD NYC, contacted Ian of Genuine Artikle about a 100 times buggin' him about getting 1 shirt made for Friday's Suckadelic show (I literally ran around for 3 days to get that 1 shirt made!), went to wedding parties, a bunch of beerbq's and so much more... I just landed back in SF straight back to my grind and I'm still a little out of it from all the partying I did the whole week and I already had 2 days of recuperation. I saw a lot of people I haven't seen in a while, for all the people I missed, I'm sorry, don't me mad at me, I had very limited time and making power moves was priority. I'll be back soon enough!
Anyway, I was honored to have a piece in Sucklord's "Super Group Suckoff 2" show at APW Gallery. He really is a one of a kind dude with a cunning personality. Dude is fucking hilarious as he is crazy as me and my friends are, so I knew it was gonna be a sick time. Some lady tripped and broke her hip in the doorway to the gallery right as people started showing up so we had to wait for the ambulance to get her outta the doorway before people could even come in. The showroom was so packed it became a sauna, but I met a lot of new cool people, chilled with fellow artists and designers once again, saw some really cool stuff, fell in love a couple times and stunted hard for the camera. Watch the video as we make history!
I had a lot more photos of the show and the prior weeks, but I ended up dropping/breaking my camera and lost my memory card, so until that shows up, this is all I can original photos I can provide for now.
Click here to see more photos of artwork and sale inquiries.
The same day in Oakland, CA. I had 4 custom skateboards at Terminal 22 Gallery for our 2nd re-grand opening show after we moved to a bigger and better spot on Telegraph Ave in the mix of the other galleries in Oakland's "art murmur". You can see more photos of the "SK8 DECK Show" here. I'll be here most of the time starting this week as I will be running shop while the big boss' do the damn thing! So come say what up and check out the artwork!
Other then that, my NY trip was too crazy to even write down... or maybe it's just that I was too shitfaced the whole time I can't remember any of it. Either way it was awesome, until next time!
I'm also helping to curate a custom toy show for Oct 2nd at Terminal 22 Gallery that is sponsored by STRANGEco that should also be one hell of a show. We already have a worldwide line up of very talented artists. More updates on that to come in the next few days...
I been waiting months for the suckiest show on the planet! This is gonna suck so bad that I'm flying back to NYC just for the show. See ya there suckasssss.
My friend from Monster Ink Tattoo's always talked about how he liked drawing zombies and ever since then I wanted to draw some gruesome zombie type shit. So I took it back to my younger days when I only drew things in black and white with pencil and the only color in it would be red for blood and explosions... and of course I repped "Wasted Talent" spelled out in the intestines that are spilling out from the zombie being eaten.
I call this "Zombie Eat Zombie".
This board was actually broke in half and I was looking at it for a minute and came up with this innovative use of the natural breaks in the board.
Just wanted to let you know that Terminal22 officially has a new home at 2443 Telegraph Ave at 25th Street, Oakland. Luckily were not expecting any mail since there is no zipcode...
So all future shows are moving forward as planned...our new spot is a lot bigger and right on the ave. with a cluster of Art Murmur galleries...more room for art and more foot traffic and exposure for all of the artists.
The SK8 Deck show is September 4th (during "First Friday") from 6-9 and is coming up soon.
Art. Wine. Cupcakes. A whole lotta baggy jeans.
We've collected skate decks from stores, our closets, and various street corners to hand over to some of the Bay's most talented creative forces. Should be a dope show. I created 2 crazy ass decks for this show. And yes, there will really be free cupcakes.
Unfortunately I wont be there for this as I will be in NYC for another custom toy show I'm in that I've anticipated for a long time. Got some finishing touches for that show and tons more updates in the next few days.
I'll give ya hint about the show, it sucks!
To all my New York peops, get ready cause I'm home for 1 week, shit is about to go downnnnn!!!!
So it's 4am and I'm customizing a skateboard for an upcoming show and this dude Task is cutting a skatebord with a razor for whatever reason he was and like a knucklehead, he was cutting towards himself and did this...
So blood starts pouring out his hand and he's like, "I think I need stitches. We need to go to the hospital." We got a ride from our good Rasta friend from S. Africa to the hospital. Knowing I'd be in there for a while I brought my arts and crafts with me and painted in the waiting room.
They told us we had to wear these face masks cause that was the new rule. I was like the only one in there. I ended up falling asleep due to me being up for almost 48 hours and I was snoring so loud to the point that the lady at the desk almost told me to wake up. I was woken up by my sewn up friend and we started walking home all the way from Berkeley. We stopped at the mall to get something to eat, then we got some spray paint at Home Depot to contribute some art at the BMX/skate park down the block from us and this dude's bandage turns all red then started profusely dripping blood down his arm all over the place, so I ran and got some napkins out the nearest Starbucks as I was coming back to him he revealed the cut from the bandage to see why it's bleeding like this and the shit started squirting out blood like a fountain!!! I froze up and stood there in awe as he plugged it up with his index finger and he was like, "well gimme the fuckin' napkins man!" So I ran back to get more napkins and by the time I came back the whole area look like somebody just got murdered. He took all the spray paint out of the Home Depot bag and told me to put the paint in my backpack so he can wrap his hand up in the bag so he wouldn't bleed all over the cab as we definitely had to go back to hospital AGAIN. He didn't wanna pay for an ambulance, so we called a cab and waited like a half hour while his hand was filling up this plastic bag. The cab finally got there, when I got in I noticed a strong smell of paint and I immediately knew what happened. One of the caps fell off a can it started spraying in my bag 'til it was almost half empty and I had green paint all over my jeans, the inside of my whole backpack and my hands were equally as green as his were red... GREAT! Story of my life. So we get there, the place is full and it looks like the end of the world with everybody's mask on, we wait another half hour while this dude has his hand in a plastic bag full of blood, starting to get real pale and looking like he was about to pass out. So I'm like what the fuck? I said out loud "so what happens if you walk in holding your severed right hand in your left hand, they gonna make you wait this long too?" and the dumb bitch at the desk gave me a dirty look like my comment wasn't appropriate for the moment. Like I aint the fucking best or something! So finally some hot spanish nurse with a brain comes over cause she saw how pale he was getting and got him sewn back up AGAIN. I went outside and laid down on a bench and went to sleep for the time being 'til he came out and found me. The nurse said the stitch probably rubbed against his artery in his finger and broke it open. That explains the blood fountain. So we're finally done with that, we walked home AGAIN, my feet are killing me cause I didn't realize we'd even be walking at all. I probably wouldn't of brought the skateboard and wore my good sneakers if I'd known, but we finally got home at like 12pm and I went to sleep like a baby. I also sent out my custom BUKA to LA in the midst of all that too. It was a longggggg morning. Got my boy Santiago here. About to get hella smoove and get back to work...
So I was thinking what my options were with this 3" ducky thing by Adfunture and how can I be innovative with my imagination and create something that stands out amongst everybody else in the show at the same time, one thing led to another and I came up with this "I ride so dirty, but I look so clean" type mutha fucka... curators and galleries owners are gonna have to start regulations just for me soon. Sorry ya'll, this is just how I stunt!
Imagine if I didn't rush.
If your in L.A. tomorrow you can buy this 1 of a kind hand sculpted character at Monkeyhouse Toys for $250. More pics coming soon.
George of Toy Break/October Toys gave me and Task One some 2 mini Gwins at the I.W.G. Show for a the mini Gwin tour. This is what I did for it. This was my first resin/mold project. Making molds sucks so bad!
It's made of a sculpted red heart inside of clear resin that sits on black pedestal with LED's in the center to shine through the Gwin.
I know... the heart is too big, but after doing like 6 of these and they keep fucking up, you pick the 1st one that "works" when your on time limits for shows. I hate time limits...
We made a bunch of other mini Gwins with the molds we made. Task created something really cool for the show and a special suprise just for them too. You'll see soon.
And this is a sneak peak of my custom BUKA for the show in LA in the process of being transformed into 110% 3-D swagger. Photos of finished product to come. This shit is gonna stunt soooo hard! I gotta make the photos stunt just as hard too.
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