If you aren’t from the Bay Area originally can you tell us what brought you here?
I was born in Santa Cruz and moved to San Jose in third grade. Which is where I first took notice of gang graffiti and cholo hand styles.
When did you start making street art? What got you started?
I got started makin street art after a few inspiring skateboarding trips to SF in the late nineties 97-99. I would see things I refered to as “eye candy” from my dad’s car. Giant wheatpastes of characters and faces to where I would be thinking woah that’s so rad. These people are making art and gluing it to a wall in a high traffic area of downtown. Wtf?! It really excited me. And got the wheels turning as to how I could contribute to the conversation.
Do you work by yourself or are you a member of any groups or both? If you are part of group which one(s)
I mainly work by myself. But my brother who writes Ten Eighty Six is always near by doing his thing. We colab occasionally. But usually I’m doing my own projects when it comes to my creating. I’m also a part of a clan of party lifestyle enthusiasts, called the Too Much Fun Club. It’s less of a graffiti crew and more of a drinking club of friends all over the west coast. From oakland to San Jose to SF and Portland. We have Dume and Dude Love from SF, Monstro38, Tar Lung and Ten Eighty Six from Oakland, those are mainly the graffiti writers in our crew. But there’s tons of homies who are down with it and don’t write. Basically just a gang of Teenage Mutants and X-men. To quote Joey Badass. Haha
What type of art do you do? What types of tools do you use? Any reason for choosing this type of art…
I mainly do stencils on paper that get wheatpasted. I realize a lot of people are into the whole “I bleed hiphop” thing. And they think bombing trains is the only real way to get noticed. Personally for me this was never my thing. I always saw graffiti and thought it was dope. And I wanted to get my image out there but in a different way, and seeing as how the train bombing/wild style hay day has been gone for like 30+ yrs I feel like it’s important to evolve your style. So that’s where I’m at currently.
Where can your pieces be seen? On walls, installation,trains, sidewalk pieces etc?
Most of my pieces can be seen in the streets of Oakland and SF usually in stickers or wheatpaste form. I like painting free hand too. But that’s usually just for quick tags. Nothing too elaborate.
Where do you get your inspiration?
I get inspired from all sorts of random things. Mainly I get hyped on interesting faces. Ones with emotion like anger, sadness or otherwise. Faces are my shit.
Is there a specific message you are trying to get across?
I’m just interested in putting out a message of do what makes you feel happy. No matter what that is. Do you. Run your universe. Do that shit to the best of you abilities.
What art/artist influenced you in formative years? Are there any now?
In Formative years I was super influenced by revs/cost style punk rock flyers and bill posting. There was this dude named Fancy Pants in SF killing it circa 2010-2012 I would always get stoked seeing the shit that he made. But he kinda disappeared at his peak. FANCY if you’re out there! Get at me! We miss you! He did this dope diamond and basically made me think like “man come correct. Make an original sounding name. Who cares if it’s long. The streets will remember it better.” Spawning the name ~TarLung~
Do you have an art and design background? If so can you elaborate a bit?
No art school or design background. Just a genuine love for public art. And DIY ideals.
Are you a full time artist or do you do this as a creative outlet? If you are a full time artist can you tell us about the type of art?
This is definatley more of a creative outlet. I don’t get paid to make these things and post them up in the streets. It’s just fun. And makes me happy. So I do it.
Do you have any current projects or upcoming project or show you want people know about?
I’m doing a group show this Sunday July 27 at Terra Gallery SF. Super stoked to be a part of this one. And then October 3rd we have a show opening at Church Key in North Beach SF. Come hang out with us. It’ll be super fun for sure.
See art we have found on the street and Tar Lung online presence.
