Tagger Without a Train

144 Charges interview with Mike Leischner

2010-04-21T17:15:00Z

So, as the 144 Charges project rolls on, I jumped on the phone with Mike Leischner from KMHL Broadcasting in Marshall, MN to chat a bit. We had intended to only chat for a few minutes but it ended up going a bit longer than that.

Big thanks to Mike for helping me get the word out and see about getting some stuff done! I think we're going to chat again in the future and do some updates. Click the button below to listen to our conversation.

Battle For The Arts

2010-04-20T16:12:00Z

So, I'm sure by now you know about Battle For The Arts - the art tournament I started down at Club David in Sioux Falls, SD. Well...things have been going well. I posted this interview on the Battle website, but thought it was so cool that I better do it here, too. Thanks to Shawn Neisteadt for coming out and setting us up with this sick package. For more info on Battle For The Arts, click here.

144 Charges

2010-03-30T18:24:00Z

I'm announcing a crazy, exciting new project that I'm embarking on for the rest of the year. I am giving away 144 paintings, the equivalent of roughly 4 a week. And I'm going to need your help. I don't know how I'm going to get this done for sure. It's a "mission from God" sort of thing, though, so I'm completely confident that this is achievable.

So how can you help? The paintings are meant to go towards anybody who really needs them. So if you have a specific charity, a benefit auction, or someone who just needs a little art in their life - let me know. Contact me via e-mail and send me a little information about them.

As part of this, I'd also like to do up to 9 murals this year, too. I'm looking for any sort of charity or non-profit with a physical location that could use a big piece of art like that. I'm totally open to ideas.

Of course, this will also require a lot of materials, so if you feel like sending a couple bucks my way, I wouldn't say no. But again, as a "mission of God" sort of thing, I'm not too worried about it.

I am extremely excited to be launching the "144 Charges" project and I hope you will be a part of it, too!

Battle For The Arts

2010-01-04T18:17:00Z

So, I've got this amazing new event coming up. It's called Battle For The Arts and is the first live interactive art event in the area. Actually, as far as I know, this is the first time it is done...in the NATION!!! The thing is, I don't know how to back up that claim but I can't find it anywhere.

In a nutshell, here is what happens. On the first and third Thursday of the month, down at Club David at 9 pm, two artists climb on stage and compete with 4' x 4' drawings. They have only 30 minutes and must complete their drawings armed only with a marker. When time is up, the audience proclaims a victor. This is going to culminate in a bracketed tournament that will declare one overall winner for the area.

This year, we're going to auction off all of the art and use it to raise funds for the Sioux Empire Arts Council. They will use the funds towards art education for children.

With drink specials, live interactive art, DJ Jp laying down the beat to dance to and all for a good cause, there really is no reason not to go.

For more information visit www.BattleForTheArts.org and you can see us in this months issue of 605!

Bowden Youth Center - Stairwell Murals

2009-11-02T21:58:00Z

Once again, I got to go back to the Bowden Youth Center and share some of my work. I'm always happy to be involved down there because of how appreciative and excited they get. When I got there, not only was all the equipment set up and the walls washed, there were posters hung all around from the kids. You can't buy that sort of feeling. If you don't know what that feeling is, read this entry.

We were looking to do something that spoke of the diversity of the kids, but promoted peace and unity. The piece is actually more two pieces - one on each side of the landing in the middle of the stairs. On one side we threw up the words 'Hau Kola." Of course, any good South Dakota native knows that is Lakota for "Hello, friend" and is our state greeting. On the other side are the Sioux Falls. Waterfalls are traditionally a sort of dual symbol. A waterfall is a powerful element of nature and is strong. The water is constant, but constantly flowing. So, it is also symbolic of change and renewal.

I got some help from a couple of high school students who are just starting their tagging career. It's always fun to work with young artists and to see their excitement and the energy they bring to the table.

"Thanks so much for taking Adam and Creighton under your wing! They really enjoyed being involved with spray painting the mural in the hallway. Having a chance to show their artistic talents was good for their self confidence and self esteem!"
- Peter Frank, Community Service Specialist - Volunteers of America

Featured Artist!

2009-11-02T21:34:00Z

The blog Surreality Watch is dedicated to searching out great artists and special designs on Zazzle. They've got a very cool selection of designers and products that they've uncovered.

I want to thank the group over at Surreality Watch for taking the time to feature me on their blog. I appreciate the compliments! And some cool quotes, too. Quotes like "We're talking about strong, personal art, the gritty kind, the kind that bites you" and "Raw, vivid and totally un-generic." Usually I only throw up one quote per blog entry, but I couldn't decide between those two. Thanks for the awesome words!

Check out Surreality Watch by clicking here.

Don't Be A Starving Artist! - Marshall, MN

2009-10-29T01:54:00Z

The "art industry" is a tough one. It's one few people even really choose to recognize. That's why artists have to stick together. I love to

get together and look at portfolios, share ideas and brainstorm ways to pay bills. It's like a friend of mine once said, "Fish gotta swim, birds gotta fly and artists gotta eat."

As part of that, I recently went up to Marshall, MN to be a guest speaker at SMSU. I spoke on business systems and professional practices of a freelance artist. If you're not into it, you'd probably would have been bored as you think you would be. I've learned a lot of things through family and friends and the school of hard knocks. This was my chance to pass off some of the lessons I've learned to young artists.

I was pretty stoked to have an overflowing crowd, a solid response and even students who stayed after to ask me more questions! It was a little surreal to have come full circle like that, but I dug it. Of course afterward, I had to visit The Varsity Pub. If you ever go through Marshall, be sure to stop there and get your panino. They were a staple in my collegiate diet.

"Your presentation was very enlightening about the realities and work of being an artist but in a very encouraging way. Everyone in attendance was very engaged and came away with a new appreciation of what it takes to be an artist."
- Mitchell Dahloff, SMSU student

ATLAS for Life - Pipestone, MN

2009-10-28T20:07:00Z

What a fun, extravagant fundraiser! The Pipestone chapter of ATLAS for Life really knows how to put it on. With a live band, pianist, opera singers, guitarists and an hors d'oeurve line up like you wouldn't believe - this was a very cool shindig. The theme for the evening was "A Starry Night" based off the Van Gogh painting of the same name. I thought what better challenge than to do that painting graffiti style?

It was a tough challenge, too. Aside from his masterful compositions, one of the big appeals in Van Gogh (as with all impressionistic painters) is the flow of the paint. That's achieved by the evident brush strokes. With spray paint, there are no brush strokes. Borrowing techniques from aerosol landscapers, though, I was able to achieve a similar result. Check it out below!

"Micah's professionalism equalled his very genuine artistic expression on canvas. We couldn't have been more pleased with his thoroughness and final product."
- Reggie Gorter, ATLAS for Life coordinator

Bowden Youth Center Locker Murals

2009-10-13T02:57:00Z

The Bowden Youth Center is doing some awesome things. They provide a great, safe place for kids to drop in after school and gives them a place to belong.

So, I was excited when they contacted me to come in and help some kids do some locker graffiti. With three locker banks, we thought we'd do three tags for the three words in the name. Makes sense, right? It was a great time and the kids were excited to be there which always makes it more fun. I'm glad to have been part of this project and I look forward to working with them in the future!

"Not only did Micah do an amazing job spray painting our lockers at the Bowden Youth Center, but he was great with our kids, too, encouraging and empowering them to believe that they too could be spray paint artists. Every week they ask me, 'When is that spray paint guy coming back? He was cool!'"
- Daniel Prendable, AmeriCorps VISTA Leader

Lamberton's Hot Iron Days

2009-09-12T20:00:00Z

This year marked the 5th annual Lamberton Hot Iron Days. And it was a hot one this year. Well, hot but more muggy. I think we all were sweating through our leathers.

For those of you who don't know yet, it's an annual iron pour up in Lamberton, MN. This awesome event was started by the Hubert family of Lamberton. The oldest son, Clayton, and I went to college together and so I've had the privilege of both working with the Hot Iron Days since it started and getting to know the Hubert clan. They're a great crew that makes you feel like you've come home.

One of my favorite things about being involved with Hot Iron Days is how it has grown over the few short years it's been around. The first year was pretty much just an iron pour. Now, 5 years later, we have the iron pour, craft show, car and tractor show, blacksmith shop, 5k run, kid's costume parade and more. I'm excited to continue to keep working with the Hubert's and to see how much more of a success Hot Iron Days can be.

In case you don't know what an iron pour really is, here's a short explanation - First we build sculptures using either styrofoam or clay. Then using a two part chemical sand compound, we create molds around those sculptures. The clay you have to dig out, but the styrofoam will just burn away when you pour the iron in. Then using what's called a cupola (which is just a very serious oven) we melt the iron at roughly 3200° F. That pours out into a ladle (which weighs about 100 lbs and holds about 150 lbs of iron), skim off the slag, and pour it into the molds. Let it cool, break away the mold and you've got an iron sculpture! Here's a couple pictures of the pouring.

KELO Interview

2009-08-04T19:19:00Z

Recently I enjoyed having KELO newsman Shawn Neisteadt over to my studio as part of their Eye On KELOland feature. It was a great experience to talk about art, hip hop and working with kids. I've known Shawn for awhile and have always enjoyed his company.

Thank you to everyone at KELO who was involved!

YMCA/ ASP Golf Classic

2009-06-13T01:52:00Z

At the beginning of the summer, I was asked to do a live piece for the YMCA Golf Classic. The annual event raises money for the YMCA's After School Program. I was excited to work with them on the Golf Classic since I've been coming into the ASP for the last semester.

It was definitely a challenge since I only had a few minutes on stage and a few minutes behind the scenes to finish up. I painted while the B-Boy crew Natural Born Rebels danced. Props to them for really thrilling the audience and putting on a fun show. I gotta give them respect, too, for promoting the positive aspects of hip hop and keeping away from the negative.

"Micah wowed a live audience as he spray painted a very cool and original 'graffiti art' to be auctioned in support of the Y's after school program. The piece sold for $5000 and is prominently displayed at StarMark Cabinetry's headquarters."
- John Swedeen, President of StarMark Cabinetry

Social Media

2009-06-09T17:42:00Z

So, one of the hardest things about being an artist is getting your name out there. People in the scene want to know what you've been up to, upcoming events and just general information about you. What is the best way to get all this information out to everyone? Social Media.

Social Media is an incredible way to disseminate information quickly and through a number of different venues. This is where we are headed, welcome to the new world.

That is why you can now follow me on my website, my blog, FaceBook, MySpace, Twitter and LinkedIn. I'm sure more will be added. Hit me up.

KDLT Interview

2009-05-29T20:30:00Z

On Friday May 22nd, I dragged myself out of bed to be at the KDLT station by 6 am. I'm not use to getting up that early, so I stopped at the gas station by my house for a quick cup of coffee and headed over.

Thanks to the KDLT team for working with me! I had a great time and look forward to being on again. Maybe something in the afternoon this time?

I've got some more coverage stuff coming up in the future, so keep checking back.

Planet B-Boy - documentary review

2009-05-26T16:20:00Z

Usually when I see an award winning documentary, I'm a bit skeptical - especially when it is on hip hop culture. Unfortunately, hip hop documentaries are plagued with poor production, shoddy craftsmanship and even worse subjects. This is a most definite exception.

Planet B-Boy follows five competing crews in the international Battle of the Year. 1st place at this competition held annually in Germany is highly coveted. Each country is only allowed to send one team, with the exception of the year's previous winner. French, American, Japanese and two South Korean crews are the main subjects and certain members of each are highlighted.

This is worth watching just to learn about where B-Boy is today, but even more so it struck me as an awesome testament to what dedication to a craft really is. With amazing dancing, interesting characters, touching storylines and well crafted storytelling, I cannot recommend this movie enough. I was so enthralled that I watched it twice...in a row. Definitely pick this up.

Coming at you live via hyper-connectivity!

2009-04-28T20:50:20Z

So, I am now on Twitter! Sign up to follow my account for easy access to news and updates regarding my art career. I'll probably do some personal updates, too. But hey, being an artist is personal, right? Hit me up with your account so I can follow you, too!

Graffin' with kids

2009-04-17T20:15:00Z

Being an artist is often boiled down to the idea of "making it." That first sale to someone who isn't related, your first commission, first media interview, or the first time you pay all your bills by your art. Sometimes "making it" is something completely different, though.

I've been teaching graffiti lettering at a few different schools this Spring. This week I am wrapping up my involvement with an after school program at one of the middle schools. There was a lot of corralling of kids, squashing of gang graffiti and other similar issues. I did have a few who attended consistently and were obviously excited to be there. But often I felt as though they thought my class was bogus or didn’t care I was even there. It's amazing what a group of kids can do to an adult's ego.

Then I had my last day. I figured it would pass uneventful and most wouldn't even notice. It changed the way I viewed my time there. The disappointment was obvious on their faces. I had one 7th grade boy come up to me multiple times to say goodbye saying, "Thank you, man. No, really, thank you." The effect on me was profound. I am grateful for my time with this group and I hope I can continue to be involved next year. As an artist, sometimes "making it" isn't about the money.

Movie Review - Best of Graffiti TV: Vol. 1, 2 & 3

2009-03-05T01:21:00Z

Have you ever wished you could get time back? Or go back in time and warn yourself not to do something? This was one of those moments. I might be exaggerating, but not much. The quality of the production reminded me of high school level. There are certain things you can forgive because of age, but only so much. The soundtrack was not very good. It had minimal production shots and I'm not sure why I would look at video of pieces on a wall. If I want to look at a piece, I'll look at a photo. I get videos to watch taggers paint, and this did not have enough for me.

Maybe this review is a little harsh, but I do not recommend renting or watching this movie...ever.

Movie Review - Piece by Piece

2009-02-11T23:37:00Z

This 2005 documentary from director Nic Hill offers a brief history of San Francisco graffiti. By doing so, it offers an idea the origin of West Coast graffiti in general. It also highlighted some influential artists who were on the scene at one time or another. While the graphics were visually engaging, it offered little in the way of pieces. I understand that wasn't its focus and it did show some of the development of style over the years. Especially since 90% of graffiti pieces are gone within 7 to 10 days.

The strongest part to me was the artist interviews. The younger generation artists fulfilled a number of various stereotypes, which was dissapointing. The better interviews were the older artists who were getting up more in the 80's. Their historical perspective offered a better understanding an excitement to the timeline presented.

Okay music and a decent movie overall. Not great, but decent. Typical message from a typical movie about graffiti, just packaged a little bit nicer. Add it to your Netflix queue or catch it on TV, but don't hurry down to BlockBuster to rent it.

Welcome

2008-11-09T15:25:54Z

Welcome to my blog. Please check back soon for new entries.