POEM BY JOSEPH ROSS

This is the first time (that a know of) where a poem was written, inspired by one of my murals. Enjoy!

                                    On “The Downtown Artist at Large”

                                    A Mural by Man One, Los Angeles, 2012

                                                  for Lamont

                                    by:  Joseph Ross © 2013

                                    If only America’s roof

                                    could keep out the cold

                                    the way colors sometimes

                                    can, the artist’s brush

                                    might tower over

                                    the world like God or

                                    God’s mother, awaiting

                                    not worship or gold

                                    but use. The brush gripped

                                    to splash the color of light

                                    in the shape of a broken

                                    life. Good and evil,

                                    the saliva of God, wait

                                    impatiently to mix with

                                    the hue of open eyes,

                                    the color of coffee,

                                    the shade of an impatient

                                    country where some are never

                                    at home. The artist finally

                                    arrives at the color

                                    of a wall’s destiny:

                                    every rich man’s wall re-born

                                    with a poor man’s face.

                                   

                                   

                                                                     

More info on the poet: www.JosephRoss.net

A DECADE OF GRAFFITI SPIRITS

As part of my gallery Crewest's 10 Year Anniversary exhibition, I am featuring a mini-solo exhibit in the Front Room of the gallery showing the direction of my newest body of work.

In my 10th solo exhibit "A Decade of Graffiti Spirits" focuses on figurative acrylic and aerosol paintings on wooden panels. 





These paintings involve my colorful and bold trademark character creations coined, "Graffiti Spirits" as they are super imposed onto fields of spray painted tags and layers of paint. 





The underlying tags in the paintings are negative statements of culture, politics, and overall social angst.

The characters painted are meant to be a positive force of creation overcoming the negativity behind them.  





These characters depict the spirit of the artist as he pulls himself out of the negative environment by means of his graffiti background.

Here's a panoramic shot of the gallery show:

My print "The Downtown Artist At Large" (edition of 10) available for $100 each.

Click here for more info on this print from my recent mural.

Slideshow below or click for mor pics on Flickr.

Show runs alongside "Mission Accomplished!" from May 5th - 27th, 2012

For artwork inquiries please contact:

info@crewest.com

MURAL: THE DOWNTOWN ARTIST AT LARGE

"The Downtown Artist At Large" a mural by Man One © 2012

Located on Winston St @ MaIn St. in Downtown Los Angeles, the mural commemorates Crewest Gallery's 10 year anniversary by honoring a local homeless artist known simply as "The Artist" by locals.

Timelapse video of the making of the mural:

Lamont or the "Downtown Artist At Large" (as he prefers to be called) has been a friend of the gallery since we moved to Downtown in 2006. He's had his trials and tribulations but through it all he continues drawing and painting on the streets of LA.

Here's a little video interview I did with the Artist so you can get to know his story:

Slideshow pics or go to our Flickr:






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