• Shooting this series began with the idea of attempting to capture a state of action, actions that if seen, would be frowned down upon by pedestrians and the law. Most of my young life I've lived in this realm of delinquency, in which I made bad choices for the sake of the thrills. My family was quite large and that meant that all my siblings including myself never got all the attention we seeked out from our parents. I happened to be the child that got the least amount of attention. Now, this is no complaint, I still got love and hugs, but I had so much free time on my hands as a young one. I needed to find a way to do something with all this time, something that would keep me engaged and interested in life. At the age 13, I managed to get my very first spray paint can, a black one with a note on the side that read, 'do not inhale', so I never did. However, the smell of the paint always lingered when I held the can in my hand but it hit me like a train when my brother showed me how to tag up a wall in our backyard. Immediately, I felt the rush, the tingling sensation of expressing myself, knowing that I have left my mark. The people at my friends house would always know that I was there, that I existed to express myself in that moment. After that day, I fell in love with graffiti and these memories and emotions always flood my heart and soul whenever I see a nice piece of graffiti art.

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• My focus here was to try and attempt to capture that same euphoric feeling I got when I left my mark, even if vicarious, I still yearn to reminisce on those days. After a hiccup with the law I dropped the cans and the lifestyle for the sake of my future, but I never lost interest in the feeling that it gave me. The anxiety of breaking a law, the thrill of making myself known, and the respect that came with the locations you chose to tag on. Artists exist in the cold dark streets, on the 20 foot freeway signs and in abandoned warehouses, this series is for them. This series focuses on the close intimate details that only the artist would remember, the grainy surfaces, the left over paint cans, the little messages and the sculptures they create on the side. As being part of the culture, it was important to not only leave a name but to make the best memories of the situation. The rush that came with the talent could only be manifested and felt through the intimate details from a first hand experience. I wanted to recreate those moments, to give the viewer the rush, to pull memories of their lives that made them feel rebellious in youth. I wanted the viewer to feel their energy still lingering on the painted cement. Some may view graffiti artists as vandals but in my eyes, they are extreme artists that deserve to be recognized.