R8_TransferTest

Some Random Flicks

These were some crazy times in my life.

Behemoth is harder than ANYTHING you listen to! Miss these party animals!

Sometimes you just get drunk and eat a whole jar of peanut butter up in the casino.

Smoke it!

Written by Dougernaut — June 02, 2011

Summer Nights In Palm Springs

I don't know what's more exciting to stare at and shake-my-head. This woman, this pig, or these jean cargo shorts.

Awful name for a bar. And yet it was packed.

Chick magnet.

Left-overs.

Genius.

My, myself, & Irene.

Yes sir!

Written by Joshy D. — June 01, 2011

Square

Hope everyone had an enjoyable Memorial Day weekend. I sure did.

Short week this week. Let's make it count!

Written by Joshy D. — May 31, 2011

My Trouser Snake

Luke Francis at Everlasting is tattooing a cobra coming out of a lotus flower on the inside of my upper right.

There's nothing like the feeling of a tattoo machine right next to your balls...

Written by Mike Giant — May 27, 2011

Drilling Away

I was making a tattoo today.

I'm getting a tattoo tomorrow!

Written by Mike Giant — May 26, 2011

It's Alive

Went to the Living Desert Reserve yesterday. Here are some photos.

Written by Joshy D. — May 26, 2011

Another One from Back in the Day

Here's another old one from 1990, a "GNT" piece painted illegally during the day at Monolithic in Albuquerque.

This is one of the first walls I did where I primed the wall with latex house paint, what we called "buffing" the wall. When the city painted over our work on the street, we used the same term, as in "Yo, they buffed my piece the next fuckin' morning!" I had a spot where I could get good quality latex paint in 5 gallon buckets for $5, but it came in only one color - tan. Ironically, it was the same paint the city used to buff all graffiti my friends and I did. I must have used 100s of gallons of it over the years.

I used Krylon spraypaint for the rest, which was considered the best paint at the time. I painted all of it with stock tips too. This was just before a dude named WIZDOM showed me good caps. I kept using stock tips for a while though because I had really gotten used to them. I still like using them.

At the end of the wall is a scroll with a shout out to some girls I met in London earlier that year. Since the beginning I've always written the names of the girls in my life on my pieces. They always liked it until they dug through my photos and saw that they weren't the only girl I had hit up like that.

I can't remember where I got the reference for that bulldog or why I thought that would be a cool character to use. It seems so weird to me now.

Also, you'll notice the water in the foreground. I had to put plastic shopping bags around my socks then put my shoes on so I could stand in the water all afternoon. But the water sure kept the toys from tagging my shit!

More blasts from the past to come...

Written by Mike Giant — May 25, 2011

Palm Springs

I'm back in Palm Springs. Got in last night just in time to see the sun...

Set.

Starting my day off right this morning with one of my favorites, Eggs Benedict. Every restaurant has their own variation. At Cheeky's they subbed out English muffins for freshly baked biscuits; fresh greens added to create a slight fusion with an Eggs Florentine; dropped the Canadian bacon and did their own in-house cured bacon; perfectly poached eggs dripped wet with a well-prepared Hollandaise. Pretty bomb if I do say so myself.

Now to get this day crackin'. Who knows where I'll end up? But a graffiti Nike Swoosh gotta be a good sign. Hello, Palm Springs!

Have a wonderful and productive day.

Written by Joshy D. — May 25, 2011

My Last Day in LA

I had a great Saturday night in LA! Artshows galore! Good times. My adventure began at Rivera & Rivera Gallery. They were showing art in various mediums about Tony Ward. It wasn't very interesting so we didn't stay long. Then we hit Thinkspace Gallery in Culver City where my friend Pakayla Biehn was showing some new paintings.

Her paintings are amazing. She made this rad installation made of eyeglass lenses too. Very cool.

Then we walked up the street to Corey Helford Gallery where we scored some free veggie dogs! From there we drove up to Known Gallery where I ran into my man Casey, owner of the gallery and The Seventh Letter.

To graffiti writers like myself, he's known as Eklips, a founding member of AWR, the best crew in the history of the West Coast as far as I'm concerned. He's a legend.

In the back of the gallery, Kevin Ancell was showing a huge bomb he made from scratch in a room full graffiti. I used to work with Kevin in the mid 90s when I was working for Think Skateboards. He's an old friend and he's been a super influential part of the California art scene for decades.

I can't remember who Kevin collaborated with on these walls. I loved it.

After the show I went next door to Will Rise Tattoo to hang with my man Eric Dressen and I ran into my old friend Estevan Oriol. We run into each other all over the world but Estevan brought up the fact that we'd never been in a photo together, so his wife Angel hooked us up.

I finished my evening with a Matzo Brey at Canters, one of my favorite spots in LA. Highly recommended.

On Sunday I drove back to SF without delay. It's nice to be home. I'll be back in LA next month...

Written by Mike Giant — May 24, 2011

It Is What It Is

I'm going back to Tyler Florence's new restaurant (El Paseo) tonight. I'm sure I'll be sitting in Cavandre's private booth. Can't wait!

Big thanks to Ria and Jason for bringing me back this gem from the Philippines.

Truth in advertising.

Back to the grind. Later!

Written by Joshy D. — May 24, 2011