#slokeone

[scopophilic1997]

scopOphilic_micromessaging_1577 - scopOphilic1997 presents a new micro-messaging series: small, subtle, and often unintentional messages we send and receive verbally and non-verbally. (2025)

SLAUGHTER HOUSE - This is a wall you've seen a few times in different incarnations. Here's the 2025 version.

[arcadebroke]

[scopophilic1997]

scopOphilic_micromessaging_1576 - scopOphilic1997 presents a new micro-messaging series: small, subtle, and often unintentional messages we send and receive verbally and non-verbally. (2025)

Detail image for tomorrow's posting.

[bloodinthegold]

Sloke. Austin Tx. ________________________________________________ #sloke #slokeone #cbs #creatures #graffiti #graffitiart #graffporn #graffitiporn #graffspotting #bombingscience #texasgraffiti #atx #austin #austintx #austingraffiti #graffitiphotography #photography (at Austin, Texas)

[bloodinthegold]

Sloke. Borderland jam 2016. El Paso Tx ________________________________ . . . #sloke #slokeone #graffiti #graffitiart #graffspotting #bombingscience #texasgraffiti #borderlandjam2016 #elpaso #elpasotx #eptx #photography #graffitiphotography #graffporn #graffitiporn (at El Paso, Texas)

[afujitathesis]

It's never too early to get excited about this coming Sunday's episode of My Life In Letters where we get the chance to learn more about the Texas scene from none other than the king of Austin @slokeone. But while you're waiting for his interview to drop, check the link in my bio and hear any of the first 17 episodes featuring artists like @persue1 @dougc1971 @apexer @chriscycle or @amuse.126 as well as many other graffiti taste makers. #mylifeinletterspodcast #subscribe #graffitihistory #documentation #slokeone #austingraffiti 📸:@slokeone

[jodae]

[eb-andflow]

CL: What is the first thing that comes to your mind when someone says “Graffiti?”

SO: When I think of graffiti I think of the streets. Graffiti to me is tags, throwups, and bombing trains and subway cars —it’s from the streets. I just think lawless; illegal activity. It’s available to anybody but you gotta put your work in the streets, that’s where it starts. Now when someone says “graffiti art” that’s a whole other thing for me.

Why don’t you tell me a little more about how you got started?

Well, I started out in the streets. I got up, took my little flex and pictures, then enjoyed a little bit of street fame for a while. But unfortunately the law caught up to me and I went to jail 3 times for graffiti.

I had to make a decision around 2002. I was doing the streets for 12 years by then and it was like, man! You know?? You almost gotta understand that where I’m from it’s not like New York, or LA, or San Fransico — especially back then. The scene was really small — it still is small — but it was even smaller back then. So the more you got up, the more you stood out. So we, like a lot of other cities, have graffiti tasks force, et cetera et cetera, and then after a while they knew who I was. Even though I switched names, went undercover, and all that, I had to find a way to keep doing what I love to do — which is paint. It was that time around 2002 I started to do more legal work and that transitioned into a fucking career in graffiti art. [Laughs]

It’s been a long road — don’t get me wrong. I’ve been doing this for 24 years now. You get older, everybody’s different. Some people play both sides of the fence. But for me, it was that the legal aspect that caught up to me. It was like every time I fucking got up I had to worry about getting a phone call like “Hey, we’re watching you.” I just kinda got clamped on by the law. It was just like, damn dude, I can’t go back to jail. I’m losing time man! You know all I did in jail was draw graffiti anyway! [Laughs]

It was just kind of finding a way to make it work, and that’s what I had to do — that’s what I’m still doing.

I’m sure a lot of other people would’ve called it quits after getting pinched 3 times. What kept you going?

I had times in my life like everybody else — going through struggles — whatever they may be. Graffiti was a bit of like an anchor for me.

When all else fails, go pick up a can, and paint. -SlokeOne

So then in ’02 I got out of my trade as a screen printer for 16 years. I mean, graphics art are cool but I didn’t want to own my own shop or sit in front of a computer all day. So I had to find ways, and it started more in the mural aspect. Like going up to businesses, asking “Hey can I go paint some murals up for you?” Show them my portfolio, knock on doors — it was basically the way I looked at my approach on the streets. But doing it in a business sense, legally.

I knew that if I did it legally and with permission — which I don’t consider graffiti by the way — it would stay up. Pretty soon I started to get all city with these murals/ permission walls and people would ask me to do commission work. Then I started teaching graffiti as art.

So as I got older, it was like, “man, how can I make a living off of this?” It was a lot of trial and error. I just took my business sense, and just applied it to the legal aspect. Things slowly overtime started to change and people started to contact me to do murals, even corporate offices wanted me to do graffiti. It was just like, man, I’m gonna dive in. I gotta pay my bills, just like anyone else. You know what I mean?

Yeah — hustle.

Yeah, exactly. I began the art hustle. [Laughs]

I’m sure that paved the way for a lot of the youth.

SO: We got a whole new generation of kids up here. I like to think that we did lay the foundation here for kids in Austin. In terms of the art form transitioning from the streets to above ground. And of course with street art becoming popular, it’s a really interesting time for everything because not a lot of people know that graffiti is the mothership. Graffiti is kind of what the blues were to rock and roll. That’s how graffiti is to street art. It’s interesting to see where it’s all heading. I see a lot of kids now want to jump immediately into the t-shirt lines, the websites, and that’s great and all — but yo, you’re forgetting that you gotta build your skill.

It’s good to see these kids hungry. But you gotta know your foundation, you gotta know your history, and you gotta build skill. I mean if your stuff’s whack, go home and practice. It doesn’t happen overnight.  It’s just like anything else — you gotta have the heart. I mean I didn’t think I’d still be doing graf 24 years later. But at the same time, man, I don’t know what else to do. I mean, I love it.

Find something you love to do, and bust your butt at it. Just don’t ever forget why you got into it.       -SlokeOne

Cause you know, it is work. That’s why they call it art-work. [Laughs]

    SlokeOne pt. I CL: What is the first thing that comes to your mind when someone says “Graffiti?"