All posts tagged: Chris Stain

Fun Friday 05.21.10 from BSA

Fun-Friday

Thanks to everybody for the shout-outs about Fun Friday.  We love you too.

Style Curator Natalie Kates Went to the “Street Art New York” Auction with her Video Camera

I saw her at the party/auction/fundraiser on April 24th at Factory Fresh but I didn’t know she was shooting a video!  So cool because she captured the fun crowd and the funnier DJ mixologists Sifunk and Garmunkle, who really rocked our already over stimulated brains with a rhythmic cut-copy-paste blend of funkiness. (get Paul’s New Mix FREE here) Anyway, thanks Natalie!

Free Arts NYC

And on that note, thank you to all of the street artists who generously donated their time and work and creativity to the auction, which raised $16,000 for the programs at Free Arts NYC.  Thank you also to the staff and many volunteers who helped make that show work – BSA recommends these people and these programs that provide valuable services to our neighbors and to NYC kids.  A number of Street Artist already know about their programs and have volunteered as Big Brother/Sister mentors and worked with kids and families in the programs.  Here, Cynthia and Alexis talk about their experience:



This year again, Free Arts NYC has committed to serving an additional 1,000 children to meet the high demand in New York for their programs. We hope you will consider donating today by clicking here to help them reach this important milestone and close the remaining $25,000 gap needed to expand their programs.

“UR New York” Shows You How They Do It

UR New York, true born and raised New Yorkers, not transplants like most of us, are taking their street art game another step forward in a positive way. You see their cool canvasses, but do you have any idea how many steps are involved in making a print?

Here’s a studio stop-action video that shows how the New York Duo 2Easae and Ski just churned out their first print called “Arsenic” with Art Asylum Boston.  They only made 10, but it looks like a lot of effort.  Using cans and brushes, these brothers are combining the best of their experience into their work.

Ron English Hits the Welling Court Walls Early

UR New York, Street Artist Ron English has put up a bunch of new wheat paste posters on the Welling Court Mural Project in Queens, NY. The festival starts tomorrow and already the stuff that is up is worth the trip for this community event. English is taking the opportunity to lambaste Consumerism, Greed, Militarism, Religious Hypocrisy, Romanticizing Guns, and Advertising Hammerlocks on your Head — you know, all the lite topics – with a variety of graphic lampoons a la Mad Magazine in the 70’s.ee

Ron English's new work at Welling Court Walls this weekend

Ron English's new work at Welling Court Mural Project this weekend (image courtesy Ron English)

See more pictures from Ron English’s online journal at Juxtapose HERE.

ROA on the Roof

You may have missed this, and I’m so happy with it – so that’s two really good reasons to post this new NEW YORKY video we made with ROA this week.  Have a great weekend!


BSA…………BSA…………BSA…………BSA…………BSA…………BSA…………BSA…………BSA…………

Artists that were part of the “Street Art New York” Auction Benefit for Free Arts NYC were Abe Lincoln Jr., Alex Diamond, Anera, Avoid Pi, Billi Kid, Bishop 203, Blanco, BortusK Leer, Broken Crow, C Damage, C215, Cake, Celso, Chris RWK, Chris Stain, Creepy, Dain, Damon Ginandes, Dan Witz, Dark Clouds, Dennis McNett, Elbow Toe, EllisG, FKDL, Gaia, General Howe, GoreB, Hargo, Hellbent, Imminent Disaster, Infinity, Jef Aerosol, Jim Avignon, JMR, Joe Iurato, Jon Burgerman, Keely, Know Hope, Logan Hicks, Mark Carvalho, Matt Siren, Mint and Serf, Miss Bugs, NohJColey, Nomadé, Peru Ana Ana Peru, PMP/Peripheral Media Projects, Poster Boy, Pufferella, Rene Gagnon, Roa, Royce Bannon, Skewville, Specter, Stikman, Swoon, The Dude Company, Tristan Eaton, UR New York (2esae & Ski), Veng RWK

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JMR’s got his Piece done for the Queen’s Wall

No, not Queen Elizabeth, – it’s the borough of Queens this time.
Ad Hoc Art,
with the Queen Alison Buxton and her ever-loyal servant Garrison at the helm, are putting together a very fun and expansive show on the walls on Saturday.
We know the list, and there are a couple special guests, so don’t miss it.  It’s kind of far, but it will be worth it when you get there.

I dunno, I want to try something new.  How about pink highlights? (JMR) (photo © and courtesy Jim Rizzi)
I dunno, I want to try something new. How about pink highlights? (JMR) (photo © and courtesy Jim Rizzi)

Welling Court Artists include: Alice Mizrachi, Beast, Chris Mendoza, Chris Stain, Celso, Cern, Cey Adams, CR, Cycle, Dan Witz, Darkclouds, Daryll Peirce, Don Leicht, Ellis G, Free5, Gaia, Garrison & Alison Buxton, Greg Lamarche, JMR, John Fekner, Lady Pink, Leon Reid, Matt Siren, M-City, Michael De Feo, Mr. Kiji, Pablo Power, Peripheral Media Projects, R. Nicholas Kuszyk, Remi/Rough, Ron English, Royce Bannon, Sofia Maldonado, Stormie Mills, Sweet Toof, Swoon, TooFly, Tristan Eaton, and Veng RWK.

Read more about Welling Court Mural Project HERE

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Street Artists Give to NYC KIDS: A gift of Art and Self-Confidence

With 60 artists, 73 artworks, over 500 guests, and a happy vibe created by the mad-scientists Sifunk & Garmunkle at music mission control, the Street Art New York Silent Auction Benefit for Free Arts NYC was a huge success. At the end of the night most of the walls were bare, and most of the pieces remaining had been purchased by absentee bidders. With animated conversations, excited bidding, and occasionally rambunctious dancing (Andrew), the night was really an excellent example of how the street art community is alive and well, and how the work of street artists is in demand.

Thank you to Ali and Ad at Factory Fresh for co-hosting the event, thank you to all the volunteers from Free Arts NYC who helped to hang it, pack it, and execute the auction, and special thanks to all the artists who so generously donated their pieces to the event.  Also special thanks to all the blog friends (so many!) who wrote about this event and all the people who Tweeted it continuously, as well as the print publications who helped get the word out.  We hope to thank you all personally some time, if not via email. Because of your help, the gallery and back yard were jammed with more people than anyone could remember.

Thank you to Reid Harris Cooper for sending us these pictures he took at the crowded party (we threw in a couple crowd shots from the cellphone). Reid actually scored the Blanco piece in the auction.  If anyone else has pics from that night we would love to see them.

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For more images by Reid Harris Cooper see his Flickr page HERE

See images and details of the pieces at our Flickr – which will be updated by the end of the day

Participating artists were: Abe Lincoln Jr., Alex Diamond, Anera, Avoid Pi, Billi Kid, Bishop 203, Blanco, BortusK Leer, Broken Crow, C Damage, C215, Cake, Celso, Chris RWK, Chris Stain, Creepy, Dain, Damon Ginandes, Dan Witz, Dark Clouds, Dennis McNett, Elbow Toe, EllisG, FKDL, Gaia, General Howe, GoreB, Hargo, Hellbent, Imminent Disaster, Infinity, Jef Aerosol, Jim Avignon, JMR, Joe Iurato, Jon Burgerman, Keely, Know Hope, Logan Hicks, Mark Carvalho, Matt Siren, Mint and Serf, Miss Bugs, NohJColey, Nomadé, Peru Ana Ana Peru, PMP/Peripheral Media Projects, Poster Boy, Pufferella, Rene Gagnon, Roa, Royce Bannon, Skewville, Specter, Stikman, Swoon, The Dude Company, Tristan Eaton, UR New York (2esae & Ski), Veng RWK

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Chris Stain Skateboard Piece for Auction

Street Artist Chris Stain always complains that he doesn’t get to skateboard anymore because he has grown-up duties and there is just no time. Boo hoo.

Maybe that’s why he designed this custom one-of-a-kind deck for the Street Art New York Silent Auction Benefit.  – At least he can be close to this symbol of teenager-hood while he’s painting.

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Two things I really dig about this is it includes A.) the ironic and personal statement across the bottom, “To Hell With Kevin”, which cracks me up, and B.) one of the tags on the water tower is by another artist in the very same auction.  Can you guess which one?

AND IN OTHER EXCITING CHRIS STAIN NEWS:

Congratulations to Chris for being featured in the prestigious photography magazine WINK, produced by impresario editor Charlie Fish who did a whole 8 page spread on some of his recent work, including a big mural he did in their offices. See the full online version of the magazine HERE.

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STREET ART NEW YORK BENEFIT AT FACTORY FRESH FOR FREE ARTS NYC

Street Art New York at Factory Fresh
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“Street Art New York” Silent Auction Benefit for Free Arts NYC

For more information please contact:
Email: info@StreetArtNewYork.com; Web: www.StreetArtNewYork.com

“Street Art New York” Silent Auction Benefit for Free Arts NYC
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Event Time: 7-11 pm

Auction Time: Promptly 7 pm to 9:30 pm EST
Absentee bidders please register with Bernadette DeAngelis at bernadette@freeartsnyc.org or call 212.974.9092.

Location: Factory Fresh Gallery
1053 Flushing Avenue
Bushwick, Brooklyn, New York 11237
between Morgan and Knickerbocker, off the L train Morgan Stop


SILENT AUCTION BENEFIT BY STREET ARTISTS FOR “FREE ARTS NYC” AND A PARTY TO MARK THE RELEASE OF NEW BOOK
“STREET ART NEW YORK”.

To celebrate the release of the new book “Street Art New York” and to benefit the programs of Free Arts NYC, original artworks by a stellar array of today’s Street Artists from New York and beyond will be featured in a silent auction to take place on April 24, 2010, from 7 pm to 9:30 pm at Factory Fresh Gallery in Bushwick, Brooklyn.

The Benefit and the Artists

The Benefit, to be held at one of New York’s epicenters for the thriving new Street Art scene, Factory Fresh Gallery, will feature an incredibly strong selection of today’s Street Artists joining together for one night as a community to benefit NYC kids from disadvantaged backgrounds as the numbers of poor and low-income children in New York continues to rise. Representing a renaissance in modern urban art at the dawn of a new decade, this artists will very likely be the largest collection of 2010’s street artists in one location.

With exciting new work by 60 of today’s Street Artists

Abe Lincoln Jr., Alex Diamond, Anera, Avoid Pi, Billi Kid, Bishop 203, Blanco, BortusK Leer, Broken Crow, C Damage, C215, Cake, Celso, Chris RWK, Chris Stain, Creepy, Dain, Damon Ginandes, Dan Witz, Dark Clouds, Dennis McNett, Elbow Toe, EllisG, FKDL, Gaia, General Howe, GoreB, Hargo, Hellbent, Imminent Disaster, Infinity, Jef Aerosol, Jim Avignon, JMR, Joe Iurato, Jon Burgerman, Keely, Know Hope, Logan Hicks, Mark Carvalho, Matt Siren, Mint and Serf, Miss Bugs, NohJColey, Nomadé, Peru Ana Ana Peru, PMP/Peripheral Media Projects, Poster Boy, Pufferella, Rene Gagnon, Roa, Royce Bannon, Skewville, Specter, Stikman, Swoon, The Dude Company, Tristan Eaton, UR New York (2esae & Ski), Veng RWK

About the Book

Street Art New York, by Steven P. Harrington and Jaime Rojo, with a foreword by Carolina A. Miranda, published in April 2010 by Prestel Publishing (Random House).

The authors of the successful Brooklyn Street Art book (and founders of BrooklynStreetArt.com) expand their scope and take readers on a fast-paced run through the streets of New York, along the waterways, on the rooftops, and up the walls of today’s ever-morphing vibrant Street Art scene as only NYC can tell it.

With an introduction by noted cultural journalist Carolina A. Miranda (C-Monster.net) putting Street Art in the context of the personal experience of a New Yorker, readers will be taken aback by this compelling portrait of the state of urban art featuring work on the streets of New York from 102 artists from around the world. With a collection of aproximately 200 images by exciting new comers as well as beloved “old masters” such as New Yorkers Swoon, Judith Supine, Dan Witz, Faile, Skewville, WK Interact, LA’s Sphepard Fairey, Brazil’s Os Gemeos, Ethos, Denmark’s Armsrock, France’s Space Invader, C215, Mr. Brainwash, Germany’s Herakut, Belgium’s ROA, London’s Nick Walker, Connor Harrington, and the infamous Banksy.

About the Publisher, Prestel Publishing (Random House):

With its impressive list of titles in English and German, Prestel Publishing is one of the world’s leading publishers in the fields of art, architecture, photography, design, cultural history, and ethnography. The company, founded in 1924, has its headquarters in Munich, offices in New York and London, and an international sales network.

The Silent Auction

Commencing at 7 p.m. and ending at 9:30 p.m., the silent auction will be administered by Free Arts NYC, and all proceeds from the auction go directly to the non-profit. Highest bidder wins!

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Chris Stain Staying Warm Inside Right Now

Keep your feet in your sneakers, and keep reaching for the sky. Chris Stain at Brooklyn Bowl last week (photo ©Jaime Rojo)
Keep your feet in your sneakers, and keep reaching for the sky. Chris Stain at Brooklyn Bowl last week (photo ©Jaime Rojo)

Sure, you may think its a great day to go play in the snow.  But after a few snow angels, a couple slides down the hill on an inflateable mattress, and peeing your name in the white stuff, you will probably head inside to watch Youtube videos of chickens who can make pancakes and that Major Lazer simulated fornication REMIX again. Oh yes you will!

Finger lickin good. Chris Stain in a Soho living room. (image © Jaime Rojo)
Finger lickin good. Chris Stain in a Soho living room. (image © Jaime Rojo)

So don’t get all Sanctified Street-Art Preacher Man when Chris Stain tells you he’s been making his stencil projects under a roof with central heating for the last couple of months instead of painting big pieces outside on the wall like a Street Artist.  We can’t all be Robots Will Kill.

Watch your head on the ceiling fixture! Chris Stain (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Watch your head on the ceiling fixture! Chris Stain (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Chris first did a big mural in an old Soho building that was once probably a factory. And then probably a drug den, then an artist studio, and now a stock photo publishing agency and community space. So, the living room/lounge area had a big wall and he had a blast one afternoon getting up a pretty bumpy bulwark – careful not to bump his head on the ceiling light fixture or tumble into the glass coffee table.

(photo © Jaime Rojo)
An unlikely location, and yet perfect in some way. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Another gig he did was last week in Brooklyn at the Brooklyn Bowl called Rock and Wrap It Up which is an anti poverty organization.  More on that here Win4Hunger.  It was pretty funny seeing him with what amounted to SPOTLIGHTS clearly demarking his place on the wall.

Dramatic shadow FX! Chris Stain, Heather, and Robyn (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Dramatic shadow FX! Chris Stain, Heather, and Robyn (photo © Jaime Rojo)

He had 3 hours before the bands started, so Gracias a Dios he had help from two sisters Heather and Robyn Macionus, who rocked the piece in record time, and added a bit of visual interest of their own – or can’t I say that?  Okay, they are both gorgeous – now it’s all out in the open!

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Pics from Jef Aerosol Opening

From photographer Vincent Cornelli comes this fun collection of images from last nights opening of “All Shook Up”, Jef Aerosol’s opening at Ad Hoc/Eastern District in Bushwick, Brooklyn, curated by Brooklyn Street Art.  A steady crowd carried through the evening to check out the new pieces and to meet the artist in person.

Jef strikes a pose in front of his giant canvas, a reprise of his mural of Jean-Michel Basquiat that he did on a rooftop in Brooklyn last week. Etched into Basquiat's eyebrow is the word "Brooklyn". (photo © Vincent Cornelli)

Jef strikes a pose in front of his giant canvas, a reprise of his mural of Jean-Michel Basquiat that he did on a rooftop in Brooklyn last week. Etched into Basquiat's eyebrow is the word "Brooklyn". (photo © Vincent Cornelli)

Classic muses of Jef's 30 year love affair with stencils were joined by Brooklyn-based icons like Jay-Z, a brand new one of M.I.A., graffiti legend Dondi White, and street art photographer Luna Park (who was in attendance). (photo © Vincent Cornelli)

Classic muses of Jef's 30 year love affair with stencils were infused with new blood by Brooklyn-based icons like Jay-Z and M.I.A., graffiti legend Dondi White, and street art photographer Luna Park (who was in attendance). A new piece on wood (the smiling boy) was a benefit for Haiti. (photo © Vincent Cornelli)

A man of the people, Aerosol made sure to include smaller affordable pieces for fans (in foreground) just in front of this New York Warhol Factory/ Punk scene grouping - including Iggy Pop, John Cage, Sid Vicious, Lou Reed, and the Ramones (photo © Vincent Cornelli)

A man of the people, Aerosol made sure to include smaller affordable pieces for fans (John Lee Hooker and Jimi Hendrix in foreground) just in front of this New York Warhol Factory/ Punk scene grouping - including Iggy Pop, John Cage, Sid Vicious, Lou Reed, and the Ramones. He also did a small 10 piece Basquiat edition for the show (think there are a few left). (photo © Vincent Cornelli)

A visitor with Joe Strummer of the Clash looking over his head (photo © Vincent Cornelli)

A visitor with Joe Strummer of the Clash looking over his head (photo © Vincent Cornelli)

Brigitte Bardot and Magpie at the end of the wall (photo © Vinny Cornelli)

Brigitte Bardot and Magpie at the end of the wall (photo © Vinny Cornelli)

Beauty was in attendance (photo © Vinny Cornelli)

Beauty was in attendance (photo © Vinny Cornelli)

Jef and fellow stencil artist Chris Stain (photo © Vinny Cornelli)

Jef and fellow stencil artist Chris Stain (photo © Vinny Cornelli)

Rocker and experimental music artist Andrew Hurst kept the garage inspired classic and obscure music coming, with a break for Louis, who played electric guitar with his amp in the middle of gallery for five songs. (photo © Vinny Cornelli)

Rocker and experimental music artist/producer Andrew Hurst kept the garage inspired classic and obscure music coming, with a break for Louis, who played and sang rock-n-roots inspired pieces accompanied by his electric guitar and amp in the middle of gallery for five songs. (photo © Vinny Cornelli)

Stéphane and Magli and Jean-Michel (photo © Vinny Cornelli)
Stéphane and Magli and Jean-Michel (photo © Vinny Cornelli)
(photo © Vinny Cornelli)

(photo © Vinny Cornelli)

Detail of Jef Aerosol canvas (photo © Vinny Cornelli)

Detail of Jef Aerosol canvas (photo © Vinny Cornelli)


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“I think it gives Brooklyn a kind of twist”; Willoughby Windows through the eyes of Brooklyn kids.

The Willoughby Windows Project, curated by Ad Hoc Gallery last summer was a big hit that helped revitalize a downtown block.

A developer who bought the block had made it look ugly by kicking out the mom-n-pop businesses that made their living there, so the street artists made it look super cool by putting art in the windows.

These four talented and insightful Brooklyn students in 4th,5th, and 6th grades made an excellent documentary about the project and it’s impact on the people they met who passed the windows. It is very funny and entertaining. Oh yeah, it’s educational too.

Brooklyn Friends Student Documentary Fall 2009 from Samuel Bathrick

The team really studied the topic and explained why they did the project. Here are some quotes from the documentary, to give you a flavor:

“We decided to make a documentary film about the different stores and that had art in them.”

“We had some questions and we wanted to find out what the general public thought about the art.”

“Personally I think the stores closed because of the economy.”

The documentary includes discussion about the project, how it came about, and interviews with people on the street. Garrison Buxton of Ad Hoc, and one of the featured artists in the project Dennis McNett, are also interviewed. The whole documentary was edited by the class instructor, Sam Bathrick.

Three cheers for after school programs!  Three cheers for teachers!  Three cheers for these amazing students!!

See a previous post on the Willoughby Windows Project

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Year In Images 2009 from Jaime Rojo

Street Art photographer Jaime Rojo captured a few thousand images in 2009 to help document the wildly growing Street Art scene in New York.

A veteran of 10 years shooting the streets of New York, Rojo has amassed a collection of images that capture the scene with the appreciation of an artist. To celebrate the creative spirit that is alive and well on the streets of New York, this slide video gives a taste of what happened in ‘09, without pretending to present the whole scene or all the artists, known and anonymous, who add to the ongoing conversation.

Included in this collection of images (in no particular order) are pieces by Skewville, Specter, The Dude Company, Judith Supine, C215, WK Interact, Anthony Lister, Miss Bugs, Bast, Chris from Robots Will Kill (RWK), Os Gemeos, Cake, Celso, Imminent Disaster, Mark Cavalho, NohJ Coley, Elbow Toe, Feral, Poster Boy, Bishop203, Jon Burgerman, Royce Bannon, Damon Ginandes, Conor Harrington, Gaia, JC2, Logan Hicks, Chris Stain, Armsrock, Veng from Robots Will Kill (RWK), Noah Sparkes, Robots Will Kill, Heracut, Billy Mode, Revs, Skullphone, Spazmat, Mint and Serf, Roa, Aakash Nihilani, Broken Crow, Peru Ana Ana Peru, & Cern

All images © Jaime Rojo

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BSA’s Wish for 2010

As we start a new year, we say thank you for the last one.

And Thank You to the artists who shared their 10 Wishes for 2010 with Brooklyn Street Art; Logan Hicks, Chris Stain, FKDL, CAKE, Specter, Hellbent, Jef Aerosol, Broken Crow, Elbow Toe, and Martha Cooper.

Brooklyn-Street-Art-2010Our wish for 2010 is an endless supply of paints, paper, glue, scissors, found objects, photos, markers, pizza boxes, pizza, poetry, tape, thumb-tacs, oak tag, foamcore, ladders, scissor lifts, extension cords, brushes, exacto blades, clamp lights, legal spots, abandoned lots, generous landlords, chalk, tacos, blue tape, pencils, charcoal, wheat-paste, acrylics, projection lights, comfortable sneakers, sketch books, black books, fabric, grease paint, rollers, and community.

Absent these things, we hope to see more and more people who can access the transformative powers of the creative spirit.  That’s the beauty that lies smack in the middle of today’s exploding Street Art scene and that’s why we love you.


TOMORROW : OUR FAVORITE IMAGES OF THE YEAR.

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Wish #2: Chris Stain

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10 Wishes for 2010, #2, Chris Stain

For ten days we’re presenting ten artists and their wishes for the new year, 2010, in no particular order.  Together, they are a tiny snapshot of the people who are part of the giant explosion of street art in New York.  Individually, each has added their expression of the creative spirit to the decade now ending.

Today’s wish comes from Chris Stain, a Baltimore born stencil artist whose portraits focus on city folk, working folk, kids, moms, and every day heroes.
“I wish for a job with steady pay. After that is taken care of I can work on the rest of the world.”

The new Chris Stain oil pastel and acrylic wash piece stands at 12'H by about 20'W.
This piece by Chris Stain is an oil pastel and acrylic wash piece at a fundraiser at Art in General features his son and two friends as models.  (courtesy the artist)

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