What do you write?
Short stories, half-ass poems and Jive
Tell us a little about yourself… How long you’ve been painting and who you’re down with etc.
I started in 1989 sketching tags on desks in high school and that got me in trouble and that got me into the wrong crowd and that got me to start painting under bridges and that got me arrested and made me realize that I really enjoy spraycanning.
What brands of paint did you use most frequently in the early years?
Oh Krylon hands down. I’m still very partial to it. I spray old ‘Ultra Flat Black’ in my house from time to time just to enjoy the cologne-esque scent. Who needs incense?
Are you a can collector?
Yes Ma’am! I feel very nerdy about it. Washing them and lining them up and such. Reading them bedtime stories etc…
Can you still find old paint stock in your area?
Used to be a truck driver in NY and would spend 75% of my day going upstate and hitting up the old Mom & Pop stores. If they had a basement I would start to get all tingly ’cause you know that’s where the super good goods are. I recently struck the jackpot out here in CO and am still striking it. I am just plain lucky.
Any good racking stories?
It was heaven. We had a place called Grossman’s, (a lumber/hardware joint), nearby and would hit it repeatedly. There was a huge door that connected the outdoor lumber yard to the inside where the paint was. There were two ways to score aside from just walking out the front door with a few. I would fill up a big ‘ol box and walk it out to the quiet part of the yard and cover it up with some scrap wood. Then go back a bit after closing and hop the fence to the yard and cruise out with my freebies. The other way, (and in my opinion was much more fun), was to bring the cans out back to the yard and just start huckin’ ’em over the fence into the woods out back. Walk out the front, drive around back and start the Easter Egg hunt. The cans would be all over with the caps popping up everywhere. Sometimes in trees. Krylon Aqua Turquoise, Hot Pink, Topaz Yellow and all that good shit. Ah memories…
Any favorite old paint stores?
Yeah. After those smaller shops were being eaten up by the bigger companies the last surviving gem of a spot was called Paint Products. The cans were so cheap there it wasn’t even worth racking from. I just remember seas of Baby Blue and Pastel Yellow filling my trunk from that place.
Best discontinued paint, and why?
Krylon Teal Green. It’s personal…
Ever found some racked caps work good with certain paints?
Used to snag Liquitex and Orange Dot Rusto’ caps from this little place in CT. I got caught with Wink and we were detained until the police arrived. They said that they understood our plight to save the planet but this was not the way. Unforgettable.
Worst paint ever award goes to?
My homemade spray paint. I was doing some deep thinking sometime in 92 or 93 and built this contraption that took your basic $5 bucket and put it into a spray can. Pressure and all. The only problem was that the cans were only good for a few months. After that the water in the paint would start to rust the can from inside out. I need to do some more thinking/drinking about that one.
What are some of your best painting experiences?
The old days by far. I know that’s not very profound but things just seemed so much more pure back then. Just good friends creating. No internet (like the one you’re using right now). My fav’ spot to date still has to be the Pelham Amtrak walls. Something about the texture there just makes the paint smile.
How do you feel about the brands of Euro paint and their impact on the scene?
When I first got a hold of it I immediately called it “cheater paint”. Don’t get me wrong, I love it. Just seems like an easy way out for new jacks. Maybe I’m just grumpy today, I don’t know.
If you could choose a few cans to have on your shelf, what would they be?
My lady has a nice can. I have always enjoyed canned Hearts of Palm. Now I’m hungry… Shit.
Any other comments?
A howdy doo to all my DF, IMOK, IYQ friends. Lou Reed’s still got it. It’s pretty nice to be alive don’t you think? Au revoir or however the hell you spell it.
-kj
