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Current mood:  energetic Category: Art and Photography
For all those who don't know who I am, I got my name cartoon from my
childhood homies in the harbor area of LA. I went through so much
drama for the name, I decided to keep it. Growing up I was like most
other kids, tryin to fit in, get by and be a part of a movement that
we call hip hop. Graffitti is where I sunk my claws in and started to
grind. graffitti art got me known in the neighborhood and got me
girls and confidence. from spray paint cans, I graduated to an
airbrush which I had difficulty learning at first, but after much
practice it became 2nd nature. I sprayed on t-shirts, walls and
trunks of chevy impalas. I've known since the age of 12 that art was
my calling and would be my profession. I didn't know it would be so
many different forms of art involved. In 1989 I attended LA trade
tech college in downtown LA to study the art of sign painting, 9
months later I got the boot, but I started a small company anyways in
the corner of my fathers print shop. I didn't know anything about
business other then what I watched my dad do and what I watched on
T.V. I liked dealing with people which is the opposite of most
artists. Being tight with my family, we traveled together going to
car shows from L.A. to Texas I learned what people liked and wanted
and learned how to meet a deadline. From going to so many car shows,
I started to meet and network with many people and from there I met
Eazy E and kid frost who gave me the opportunity to create my first
album covers for their records.
I had a good friend named Donnie Charles (RIP) who was a true lowrider
and trend setter. He connected with me, with my best homey and
business partner Estevan Oriol. We connected in 1992 and have not
stopped kickin it, but we made a decision to take our art straight to
the top, maintaining quality and street credibility. Estevan is the
man behind the curtain, he is the backbone of SA Studios our company.
In 1992, I went to tokyo for my first time. I couldn't believe that
they knew who I was since I was from the other side of the world. The
japanese people have embraced my chicano culture and lowrider
lifestyle. Anybody that knows the japanese people, knows that they
don't play when it comes to true detail. Bragging to the homies that
I was an international world traveler, at the end of the day I was
just attending more cars shows in different cities/countries. taking
a break from japan, I came back to L.A. and I soon painted a mural on
Larry Flynts Limosene. Later in 1994 I became a feature illustrator
for HUSTLER magazine.
I was now starting to get covered in Tattoos and hanging out in Local
shops. To me all the tattoo artists I had always seen growin up were
always poor, broke and lonely. Even though they were creative and
talented, most were doomed by the plaque of the cold L.A. streets. It
wasn't til I seen the work of Jack Rudy, Baby Ray, Freddie "Coyote"
Negretti and Mark Mahoney that I knew there was a professional way to
approach the art of tattooing, because they were taking something from
the street, polishing it and applying it onto a canvas of skin. These
men were some of my biggest influences and were the originators of
Black and Grey fine line tattoo style. there are many unsung heroes
of black and grey tattoos that will never come out in magazines or
television because they are either sitting in a cell, strung out in
the streets or doing it on the side with a homemade machine. guitar
string tattoo legend "BOY" (R.I.P.) from Long Beach also made a huge
impact on LA lowrider tattoos. he will always be remembered for his
victory outreach artwork. Even though I was experimenting tattooing
on the homies with a homemade machine, my interest in designing
clothes was growing.... my first clothing line "drive by" was sold in
union and xlarge boutique stores in the early 90's. during this time
i was having fun, but it seems I was always struggling with the party
lifestyle while trying to be a responsible business man. my life has
been a rollercoaster of good times and bad times, victories and
defeats, but the madness didn't change until I decided to stop
drinking and smoking. That was the key to changing my life. I had
the creative part down, it was the follow through and responsibility
part that had always been an obstacle in my path.
armed with the new me and a clear head, I reconnected with OG tattoo
artist Baby Ray from Venice and started my official apprenticeship to
learn the true trade of tattooing. up to that point, I had been makin
it up all as I was going along, sometimes creating bad habits. After
studying for 4 years under Baby Ray's wing I got a blessing to open up
my own private tattoo studio in Downtown L.A. after working in a
street shop open to the public, I decided to take a another path, I
wanted to work by appointment only with customers that didn't just
want a tattoo, they wanted a cartoon tattoo. I spent a lot of time
traveling and getting out of my secure surroundings, I also started to
brand my name outside Los Angeles. we're now in the 2000's and I was
starting to think of major moves in my mind: I wanted to do a shoe,
but not just with anyone. it had to be the biggest and best I could
get to and that NIKE inc. I grew up wearing cortez's and vans, but at
the time, my look was all about Air Force I's. It would take 2 years
to make the deal happen. It was unbelievable the way the shoes flew
off counters and sold the way they did. people tell me I'm lucky and
gifted, but they fail to realize that I been practicing for 30 years.
I believe, that I'm skilled. There is no substitution for hard work.
My true passion and purpose in life is my family and helping the
youth. Art is just my hobby and way of getting the kids attention and
keeping their attention.
I didn't start out with this whole thing with the idea of becoming
rich and famous. most of my life I have done art for free just
because it feels good and I have to do it. As corny as it sounds, I
really am grateful for the big projects we have done from nike,
t-mobile, vans to Scion, etc, etc. I feel we are just beginning. it
is a trip to be watching videos MTV or BET one day and to be tattooing
the artists I see on TV the next day(50 cent, Eminem, Pharrell,
Beyonce, Kanye West, Missy Elliott, christina aguliera, Slash of Gun
and Roses, Travis Barker, Skinhead Rob, Mobb Deep, DJ Premiere, DJ
Homicide, Nas, Proof RIP, Earl Watson, Carlos Boozer, Joy Bryant, Fat
Joe, Fabolous, Slim Thug, David Banner, Outkast, Justin Timberlake,
Carey Hart, Marissa Miller, Pepe Aguilar and so many more, I can't
even remember the names). I will be hitting all of you with all of
our new projects and events, basically keeping you in touch with our
culture and lifestyles.
THANK YOU FOR READING THIS LONG ASS LETTER.
PEACE AND GOD BLESS.
2:47 AM
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