Born in 1982 in Sittard, a small city south of the Netherlands comes one of the most interesting artists of today. Does from the LoveLetters crew brings graffiti pieces of a whole new level to the table.
How old are you and where are you from?My birth year is 1982. I live in Sittard, a small city in the south of the Netherlands (Europe)
near the German and Belgian border.
What attracted you to the art of graffiti? Why did you start writing?
When I was about 14 years old I started to notice graffiti in my city. At that time everything about it fascinated me. I used to bike around the city to see tags and pieces. We didn't have Internet yet so getting around was the only way to get an idea of the different styles etc.
However, I had no idea about what was going down on the global graffiti scene.
When I was in primary school I was always drawing and playing with letters. In 1997 I did my first illegal piece, but at that time I really had no idea about the scene in my city. I began to notice that there were quite a few active graffiti artists in my neighbourhood, then I started to get reallyinterested in graffiti. The Hall of Fame in Geleen was an especially big source of inspiration to me. The Hall of Fame was a desolate place under the railway, overgrown with plants and trees and long walls decorated with interesting pieces.
This place gave me an exciting feeling, a feeling that I've never lost.
Your pieces are extremely accurate and detailed,how much time do you spend on the sketch before you plant it on the wall?
It depends. Sometimes I freestyle and sometimes I use a sketch in front of the wall. The sketch is very important because that's the foundation. Normally when I make a full colour sketch it takes me roughly 10~15 hours.
What different guidelines do you have for a wall, whats the focus?
The balanced in terms of colours, style, composition and theme.
If you're on a dry spell, where do you get the inspiration?
I do like graphic designs and certain types of architecture, but those are not my main
inspiration sources. I like to play with techniques, colours, spaces and effects.
I’m inspired by natural forms and colours. Things I see in daily life.
What other writers has been the most influent for your own development?I was specifically influenced by writers like Chas, Stance, Bah, Nash and Casroc. They always worked very cleanly and did some great production walls. Furthermore, I have always been inspired by the graffiti styles in other Dutch cities and foreign countries such as Germany and Switzerland.
What crews and writers are you down with?LoveLetters and Ironlak team Europe.
The LoveLetters crew was founded in the south of the Netherlands(Sittard).
It is an international collective with members from Germany, Swiss, France and the Netherlands. Members are Tumki, Nash, Chas, Dare, Sean2, Rusl, Dater, Ozer, Biser and me.
Since the beginning of 2009 I'm also part of the Ironlak Team Europe
Can you live off your graffiti today?
I have a dayjob as a soccer player in the second league of the Netherlands.
In the future I want to do more on my artistic career!
Are you currently sponsored by any company for paint and materials?I'm proudly sponsored by Ironlak!
It’s a spray can brand from Australia. They've contacted me and asked if I was interested in their product. The quality of the paint and the pressure is very good. Check for more at www.ironlak.com
Ever got caught?
In 2000 I got arrested for doing an illegal piece. After that experience I stopped for three years.
In 2000 I got arrested for doing an illegal piece. After that experience I stopped for three years.
Got any advice for the new upcoming writers?I think that it is important for every writer to stay close to his or her personal style.
Any final words?
I Love Letters!
To see more about DOES, CLICK HERE!
To see more about the LOVELETTERS CREW, CLICK HERE!