S.W., November 24, 2003

I love graffiti. It’s probably my favorite type of art. Looking at graffiti makes me happy in a way that no other type of art can. It makes me sad to think that graffiti is viewed as something “bad,” though I know why graffiti art is frowned upon: because it’s considered destruction of property and vandalism. Sometimes it’s hard to understand why the public eye can’t always see graffiti as I and other graffiti writers see it. I think people don’t understand that it is an art form, just like any other type of art. I love to see different styles, and how colors are used. Creating style is probably the hardest part of doing graffiti. It’s also the best part of graffiti, not just because it’s great to look at, but when you think about it, because that style came from someone’s own imagination. They created it. It’s like seeing a part of that person on a wall or on paper. It’s a part of that person, just as we all have a unique form of handwriting. It’s almost like seeing how someone thinks. It truly takes LOTS of talent, LOTS of skill, and lots of dedication plus time to develop yourself into a graffiti artist, though I think the reward is a great one.

Back to graffiti as vandalism: I’m not saying that it’s okay in any way. I’m sometimes against people bombing, and doing it to get their name up. I prefer the actual graffiti pieces (still illegal/vandalism), because I see that as the art. Bombing to me is just a popularity contest, and that is a lot of times where the vandalism comes in, because bombing is done mostly where the public eye can see and that usually looks destructive to people. But I still love to go and visit different spots and yards around town; I think it’s a beautiful kind of art. I love the skill and patience put into different pieces. To me it’s a beautiful crime.

“Graffiti is the closest thing to Godliness because you can create, destroy, and alter your surroundings at will.” – Solar