Hello My Name Is GRUB$Y!
1. WHAT DO YOU WRITE? (YOUR ALIAS) …AND WHY?
What’s up guys! I write Grubsy I remember before I had my name I was writing under a different name but it was the original Grubs character. He was a large guy and I was trynna figure out a different name for eating or eater and I landed on the name Grubs it has stuck with me ever since and that’s what everyone knows me as.
2. WHAT CREWS DO YOU REP (IF ANY)?
I don’t rep any crews I just represent the city I grew up in which is East LA any time I write I try to put East LA in my bombs or next to my characters.
3. HOW LONG YOU’VE BEEN WRITING/TAGGING/PAINTING/DOING ART?
So as far as doing art and getting introduced to graffiti it was in 2011 I remember some kid in my class had this black book the first time I seen that I thought it was the coolest thing. Ever since that moment I started getting black books and sharpies and I drew characters and names I was on a venture to have my own official character I drew and created characters but nothing stuck. In about 2015 I got introduced to painting in my high school art class. I had never used a brush but from the first time I used it, that’s when I knew this was gonna be my new medium. I had started painting with acrylic paints and this is the year that I created my grubs character he was much simpler and he was made strictly on stickers I had never used cans or done pieces with him. And as far as graffiti it’s been a good year maybe year and a half since I did my first piece. I have been into looking at graffiti watching documentaries but I had never gone out on missions till last year and I like it, it’s a new way to create for me. Using different colors and fonts that’s what I like doing. Ultimately I just love creating anything and I have always loved art and the freedom you get with it.
4. WHERE DID YOU GROW UP, AND HOW DID GRAFFITI BECOME A PART OF YOUR LIFE?
I grew up on the East side of Los Angeles… East La! I grew up on sports and being around my family I have always been into art as early as I can remember in elementary I would create my own toys and my own characters and imaginary friends. I had an active imagination and I have always used it in middle school is when I got introduced to graffiti. My dad seen that I was getting into it so he gave me black books and took me to train yards to look at the art. I guess the thing that made graffiti look appealing was the colors and the names and the characters and how big pieces were. I always thought I could never do that so I mostly stuck to doing black book pieces. I was never really that good at letters so I drew characters. I guess I was practicing towards being able to put my art on walls. Graffiti was the thing that didn’t let me let up on drawing characters and creating because I knew it was cool even if people weren’t really doing that around me.
5. WHO/WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST INSPIRATION AND MOTIVATION?
My biggest inspiration has been my parents first off because my dad was the one who would get me my supplies he would get me stickers and markers and black books and he always told me I can be my own boss. That I have the potential to create something that people care about. And anytime I did anything my mom was always there to back me up she helped me plan my art shows and she made food for my guests she shares my artwork. My parents never doubt me they have my back and support my art and they believe in me. And one other thing that has been my motivation is trynna be in a documentary I love seeing documentaries and seeing a persons come up in life. I see documentaries on other artists and I see that they literally come from nothing but their ideas and dreams. And I say to myself why can’t that be me, that should be me, and that always gets me motivated to keep creating so that one day I can be on a documentary inspiring others to keep dreaming and creating like I did.
6. HOW HAS BEING IN GRAFFITI CULTURE CHANGED YOUR LIFE?
As far as the graffiti culture it gave me wider audiences to reach I’m not only making art for those who know me in real life, I’m creating pieces so that many others can see. Another thing that it has changed is that I am able to learn from doing art out in the streets it is different than painting a canvas you have to work under pressure and be able to be committed to your piece for however long you may be doing it. I have respect for artists out there who do huge murals it’s a big difference from creating in the comfort of ur own house graffiti is raw and I see that and I try to emulate that in my paintings now.
7. WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE MEDIUM TO PAINT ON? THE STREETS, IN THE STUDIO, ETC.
My ultimate favorite medium is acrylic on canvas. Acrylics are so fun to work with they blend easily and you have a wide variety of colors to choose from. When I had barely started using acrylics there was something about them that made them easy to work with and it made the artwork more appealing rather than using markers.
8. WHERE WOULD YOU BE IN LIFE RIGHT NOW IF YOU NEVER PICKED UP A PAINTBRUSH/MARKER/SPRAY CAN?
If I had never picked up that marker for the first time I really don’t know where I would be my life revolves around my art that’s what keeps me busy and that’s what keeps me happy. Creating art and using those different colors in that time I’m creating that is my happy place.
9. ANYTHING ELSE YOU’D LIKE TO SAY?
For all my people who are into art and like creating keep that up. Keep that dream alive. Don’t let no one tell you what you should be doing and don’t let them tell you that you are wasting your time. You are not if it makes you happy stick to it and keep creating no matter what. No one knows how to make you happy like you know so if creating makes you happy keep that up.