EMIT - DF / ATT

Name, Location, Years of painting

emit - denver - since 1989

Kansas City Rooftop

1. You have obviously been painting for some time now, what do you view as the biggest difference between starting when you did and younger cats of today? Have you ever wished you started with some of the advantages they have today or do like the road you took?

The early 90’s was great time for graffiti. I was painting in Connecticut, all over New York, Boston and in DC. People were innovating new styles and really making an evolution of graffiti known. Highway spots ran, publications began to emerge, and the internet message board was no where to be seen. I always hear writers reminisce about the old days, or the old school…. but for my generation of writers the 90’s was the best.
It appears to be a bit different for a writer starting out today. It seems there are a hand full of writers in the spotlight of book publications, gallery’s, etc. and I wish a newer writer could see the underground…. the guys doing the dirt. It’s out there, but not as exposed. I constantly see the news and papers bitching about graffiti, the cost of cleanup, and the uglification of our city. Then you turn on the tv and corporate America is using graffiti to sell and promote products everywhere. The city should make Scion pay for the cleanup….. or just leave it alone.

2. One of my favorite things about your work is that it is just as clean in real life as it is in photos. Distance isn’t used to clean up a piece, What is the most important thing you want to see when you start a new piece?

I feel a clean piece is a standard. I learned that painting in the Bronx. I see lots of east coast writers rocking pieces that are clean…. I love it. Honestly I would rather someone liked my letters, fills, 3d….. something. Those aspects are what frustrate me and keep me pushing to do something better. I feel the more I paint the harder it is to satisfy myself with what I have painted. I constantly look at my work and think “that sucks” or that letter is jacked up. I just don’t paint or draw as much as I used to. Maybe thats my problem. To be really good at graffiti, I think you need to immerse yourself in it and do it every day, draw constantly, paint every night.

3. You started painting on the East Coast and now live in Colorado. Is there anything that was in the East Coast that there just can’t be in Colorado that you miss about spots, crews or whatever? Or Vice Versa that you might like better about where you live now?

I miss the east coast. A lot more spots to paint, a lot more writers. I miss the mix of old school and new. The mentality is a bit different there. It’s hard to explain. I miss that too, probably cause that’s where I grew up and what I’m used to. I do love Denver though. I have meet tons of cool writers here. Made many friends. Overall the scenes have many similarities.. graffiti it still just graffiti. I need to get to Europe to paint. I see lots of great work from there, and the writers I have talked too all seem to have a good head on their shoulders as far as what graffiti is about and where it’s going. Sometimes people forget, we all love love this art form and we are in this movement together.

Location- Hawaii

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For more Emit, check out -
www.dementedfreaks.com
www.fightingfifth.com