...missed moments to share.

Hello blogspot, its been a while. I traveled the distance equal to earthes circumference since the last time I wrote here.

blank spaces on my wall.

Filling empty spaces in my room with artworks, photos and doodles. The space around you becomes more interactive.

Thats essentially what we do on streets, we make walls to interact with public. It is volontery social work that isn't always apriciated by society itself.
Anyway, we learn to live with it, but then at some point we stop doing for others and start doing for ourselfs, for our own leisure. The messages become bleeker or desappear at all.
It's not bad or wrong. It is great to do what you like.

The following year I am going to explore deeper into essence of graffiti and what it is for me.
Big promise, huh?
well we'll see.

Anyways.
I have a couple of flicks to share. Murals that i've done in a last 2 month.
One of my favorite piece in this style. It ain't perfect but needed effect is archived.
Done with Curve Sage Phex and Italo. South Auckland. Middlemore. Thanks to Dean for inviting and supprting us.
On this wall I used paintbrush first in a very long time. All tags aro done with it, + bits and pieces in the face and background. At that point I was stoked by resuld and desided to use it more in future.

I went to Christchurch for Christmas and New Years for a couple of weeks. Unlike last year I did manage to get in contact with local writers to paint with them.
The first wall we done is at the cooles spot possible. Nice clean wall right in a heart of town. Painted with Fluro (FDKNS x SUG) who was working on it for a few weeks already. I've done my part in about 5 hours or so. Highly enjoyable painting.
I have description of wall on my flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/30965123@N06/5308411553/ so I shall not repeat myself.


Next day me Fluro and EyeQ paint in abandoned sheds. Really cool place. There are so many pieces good and bad. Good times. I did an outline for Fluro, she has quite difficult letters to work with.
Anyway, it was a pleasure to hang out and paint with them. In the time like that the only thing you can think of is "Graffiti is awesome".
It trully is.

A few days after I came back to Auckland, me and Italo were invited to paint out south again.
Cool spot. And boiling hot sun.
I aprroached the wall with a very few cans and a rough idea of what I want.
It turned out quite good. Needs more invistigation thou.
the letters inside face says ARFS, which is the name of crew I recently joined. Very proud to be part of it.

Than I had a week of sitting at home, scetching, learning screen printing trade and doing nothing.
It was well not sure how to descibe it. Was difficult. I found out that I can not sit and draw for a few days straight. I believe its becouse I never had a chance before. All sketches, stencils and painting are done at night when I was free of Uni. Well now I am free 24/7 and I am trying to cope with that.

That week ended with painting at manukau with a whole bunch of people.
The sun had no mercy again.
I found my self having the least paint ever. Sad but good becouse I am forced to try new things. maybe I am just being an optimist. This piece disturbed me out of my ballance. In my oppinion it isnt good. I failed to portray what I wanted and my skill wasn't up to my own standards. I rushed it. do not like when I have those time limits.
However there are certainly a few elements that I will use again.

That is all. Directions are set. The evolution of my characters is inevitable.
Piece
159

...brilliant ideas to be forgot.

Usually it happens just because I don't right them down straight away.

I have not yet stepped into 2011.

There are still certain things that hold me back.

Need time and sleep.

I shall start with sleep first.

2008 Vladivostok Russia

things done over October.

WOW did I say September was busy?

well guess what? it looks relaxing comparing to what I undergo in October.

It was truly intense, exciting and exhausting month.

It was full of architecture, photography and graffiti. Just as I like.

I should have written stuff down right after each event, but there were never enough time. Now I face difficulty of remembering details dates etc. And it happen to be very late at night so I gonna live photographs do all the talking. I know i know its cheating. Promise I will write something long and clever next time.

Peace to Saves, Holie, Sem, Rimoni, Askew, Vans, Revok, Rime and Jaes.

159

...other things I should be worrying about than blogging.

So much stuff done over September, what a busy month so far! Painting, Uni, painting uni etc. Several assignment are behind but there are a few more to go. Need to find strength to make that final push and do it. There are many design opportunities are flying around me and all I need to do its just to reach out and grab it. But certain compromises has to be made and some project will have to wait a little.
Yes, I still manage to paint every weekend. However my stash and financial support is running low therefore at some point I'll need to take a break.
Anyway, here is two pieces, one with Holie and another just by my self.



I have not painted letters in a very long time. Recapping necessary skills takes a while. but it turned out good after all.





Quality. Thats the way to go.



Solo. Freestyle. The plan was to finish up all scraps. Had no dark colors at all. So I had fun trying to figure out how to make it legible. I thing I've almost archived it but background turns out to be inappropriate. I like the letters tho.

And a few action shots that I got from Italo.





Oh I have just realized that I haven't slept yesterday night finishing my assignment. I better catch up on that sleep.

piece

...things that shouldnt stop you on your way up top.

Respect. What is respect?
Respect denotes both a positive feeling of esteem for a person or other entity (such as a nation or a religion), and also specific actions and conduct representative of that esteem. Respect can be a specific feeling of regard for the actual qualities of the one respected. (from Wikipedia)
Due to certain circumstances I've been thinking about this subject.
I'm talking about respect within Graffiti society.
Some writers in NZ keep reminding me that there are significant differences between the place where I came from and where I live now. Why I do know unspoken rules of Graffiti regarding respect and some not? Why do I respect others and some do not?
I'd love to find those answers in my biography.

I came from the small russian town, counting about 100 active writes today. Back at the early days, when I just started that number was ofcoarse smaller. Graffiti culture was born in late 90's and had grown significantly in early 2000's. Young movement of brave artists who swoped pens to cans started to master the art of Graffiti. Most of them were teenagers or young adults. As time passed more and more people get involved.
In 2005-2006 I got interested in all new and exciting form of art. I was alone, none of my friends were into it. One day I found graffiti online forum dedicated to my city. Thats where my education began. I've learned that I am not the only rookie in town. I came up with own division of graffiti scene in my city. I see it as "generations". Each generation has people that started painting in the same time. There were a few before me and novadays - one after me.
The forum was a great thing for everyone, it kept us in contacts, older writers tought young ones about essential moment of our bussines, gave comments to each other, etc. Those who came before me were mighty-mega-awesome-post-humans ( almost gods to me ). I listen, read and absorbed everything I could. I had 100 scetches before each wall I painted. That was the right way. Time passed, I got to know people, many people. All of sudden I found my self in a middle of boiling stew of writers. Young, creative and adventurous.
All of us new those rules - "Respect the ones that came before you, respect each other, respect architecture".
I was never into bombing, exept.. well except a couple of ocasions. Therefore all the crazy action passed me by while I was peacefully painting legal walls. I do understand Bombing fenomen, its just logic and precaution are always stops me. (.. well exept those few times that I mentioned earlier ).

2008, there I was, young writer, that had a few years behind him, known his city, still shaping his style. By that point I already did not see a point of those "mini street wars" that every citisen had to see everyday.

Just a note here - its very hard to tell about what I felt a few years ago, because my present feelings alarm in my head, making my writing bios. I am doing my best to recall everything as it was. I shall continue.

That infamous forum survived and at some point I was a moderator there. That was a time of a new generation. It was a perfect opportunity to influence them in a right way, to pass the knowledge and be part of shaping graffiti scene of my town. I always took it seriously, and as I see now my efforts were not meaningless.
I tried to be an example for kids. And after 1000 repetitions of rules of respect they have really became part of my identity as a writer.
Presently, I follow simple rules. I always look for a fresh, untouched wall. I do not paint over a person whose piece is good. If worked is covered with tags and unreadable than I may go over it. and so on. I try to strictly follow my own rules.
So that is me, and I thought I am decent writer until I met Italo aka Holie. He is a writer from Brasil and his view on respect are like mine but twice as more noble.

Back to NZ. I do not really know how to describe local scene, it is different. They have different, unique history that affect every writer here.
Therefore I might be completely wrong in my judgments or assumptions.
Anyway. All pros are alright, they are mature and wise. I believe most of them will share my points of view.
However younger writers are a bit of a worry. Painting over someone without an acknowledgment is a norm for some. Simple politeness is absent. etc.
Maybe I am bios because I judge them basing only on my own experience? well... maybe.

When 3 hours ago I sat down to write this post I wanted to express all the hatred that I feel towards some individuals. However, sitting down and writing things down helps sort out your thoughts and kind of double checks them.
I guess I was emotionally disturbed but now I understand that I might make things look uglier that they are.

Bottom line of all that is written above?
I wish I knew. I guess it was necessary to get rid of these thoughts and store them here.

PS
one flick from past

...ways to spend money rather than buying a wideangle lense.

Still, I want it a lot.

Isn't it awesome?

right - done in May 2009 took me 8 hours to complete.

left - done in August 2009, took me 2 days to complete.

middle - done in March 2010. completed in 4 hours.

...reasons to go to politics.

A little story starring me.

Wendsday 27 Jan, waking up in morning had an extreme need to paint.

Not a problem, plenty of paint, adequate number of caps, etc.

Opened a folder with a million portraits, chose a couple.

Printed, packed, made a couple of calls.

Arrived in downtown, met my mate.

Bought a few more cans and moved to a spot.

The spot is 20 minutes on bus from downtown and really famous, lots of peaces are done there weekly. I myself have painted there two times in a row.

I like that place, awesome view, quite, enought space, nice surface and most of all my girlfriend live in 10 minutes walk from there.

Started painting? some dudes are walking back in forth, no problem.

In two hours time I incidently felt on a pice of glass.

Sea of blood as expected, oh well ship happens, everyone knows that.

One my uncle told me a phraze: Trouble never comes alone.

And so it goes, I sat down to clean my wound and when I rised I saw two man.

One introduced himself as worker of City Council.

He came and joy left.

He briefly explained that we are braking the law painting here and that police is on the way.

Solid guy, I couldnt talk him over. I am standing bleeding and listening to him.

It turns out to be theirs property and blah blah blah.

Packed, He took photos of me pointing at my work, "evidence" he said.

Police came some time later, and took my details.

They talk to council gay for a bit and than confiscated cans.

They let me free, which I didnt expect to happen.

Police left with two boys who was tagging along the wall, leaving me and other boy without can and unfinished murals.

The council guy said that we were lucky not to be taken, he said that he respect our movement towards "proper" art, but thew way we express ourselfs is unacceptable.

I've talked to him for a long time, he gave me his business card and phone number, saing that if I want to "contribute something to city" I shall call him, the same thing if I want to pain somewhere.

Its cool to have his number, but I dont feel like "collaboration" at this stage.

So here I was, standing in the middle of the road, with bleeding through bandage on my wrist, with empty bag and unsatisfied passion to paint. Moreover, that was one of the very few spots were I COULD paint save and sound.

I lost a few dozen of cans.

I gain some experience.

My hand is getting better by the way.

...reasons why I havent showed that photo earlier.

zeah zeah zeah

WERT159 x SAVES

2010

yo Askew Vans Sirum

Quite happy with the wall in general.

Tho would be glad to work on it for another couple of hours.

Still strugling with right side of a face and an eye in particular.

Hair is done in 30 minuts therefore quality is poor.

Its funny how its an average wall for him but something big and memorable for me.

While painting he asked me wether I am nervious or not now. I replied that "yes, I feel pressure a bit". He laught and said that I shouldnt, continuing by "Once I've been to LA and painted with Revok, thats when u feel nervious bro".

... things about Askew that I didnt know.

yap, met a legend. inspired. pleased to know him in person.

I bet, none of my friend back in Russia are gonna believe in me sitting next to Askew, Oche and Dyle having dinner.

But its not the point, its just endless excitement that needed to be shared.

Gonna work hard this year.

Gotta few things to work on.( Letters, Style, Concepts )

Peace, Respect, Love.

159

.

...spelling misstakes to be expected in my posts.

well well, briefly about me.

My name is Uteev Mikhail Andreevich, born in USSR, grown in Russian Federation, presentelly studying in NZ Auckland. Moved here a year n half ago. English is ofcoarse is my second language, so please be a little bit tollerate)

Architecture, Design, Graphics, Photography and Graffiti are my interests.

I've been dreaming to become an Architect since I was 7.

My first SLR was Nikon D50, my new Nikon has two more zeros in the name)

I've been into graffiti since 2006.

thats it for a start...