Today we’d like to introduce you to KASM78.
KASM78, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
I’m originally from Modesto. A small city that sits in the middle of the Central Valley of California. I remember always enjoying drawing and painting ever since I was a small child. In my second year of high school, I found myself scribbling stupid stuff on where it didn’t belong for no reason other than being a young skate-punk full of piss and vinegar–basically, graffiti started as a joke for me. In 1996, I fell in love with using spray-cans after painting my first wall. This is also the time-frame that I discovered my graffiti name, “KASM,” short for “sarcasm.” Since the beginning, I’ve made it a point to travel to different cities. My job requires me to move around a lot, so I’ve lived in several different states and Germany. Currently, I reside in Las Vegas with my hot wife and two wearisomely talented children. I try to connect with different artists where ever my path leads me.
Graffiti has given me a huge opportunity to travel, meet like-minded artists and to paint in amazing locations. I’ve painted all over the United States and in Europe. As an artist, I believe that painting graffiti art is a part of my life’s journey. I was once told that God created us and; therefore, we are meant to create. I believe this is pivotal to my motivation and part of the reason why I have a need to progress each time I paint or draw.
Can you give our readers some background on your art?
As a graffiti artist my main tool is the spray can, but I also use other mediums like latex paint, tape, markers and pens. I enjoy painting building walls more than anything due to their size and texture–naked bricks are also a great canvas to use. Although my main focus is on letter structure, I’ve began to work on more characters and abstract work. Each style has its own challenges and I like to switch between the three so that I can keep my work fresh. From my experience, people that have never used an aerosol can to make art before don’t realize that it takes a great deal of technique, skill, and practice to get lines that are necessary to make a piece. One of the things that I love about using spray paint is the sound of spraying and how the paint mists out of the nozzle. The act of spraying is exciting and feels very organic. The paint, depending how you’re using it, can take a life of its own and this is another reason why aerosol is such a fun medium.
I find my inspiration through my feelings and shapes. The completion of a painting may not always feel the same way as it began. How I feel when I’m done painting is how I rate the success of the wall and not how the wall may look. I could finish with one of my worst letter-structures ever, but if the day has been a blast and the company has been stellar then I usually will walk away feeling successful.
When I paint I want to leave with a sense of accomplishment. I don’t believe that all graffiti is good or created equally, but it takes time and discipline to master the use of a spray-can (we call this CAN CONTROL). So, when you see graffiti artists painting a wall, take a few moments to watch them and how they spray. Every artist has a unique mannerism when he/she applies techniques. I’ve been told that I have a “different” type of application to most other artists. I believe using a good color combination, letter structure and technique will inspire other artists. Since the establishment of social media, I’ve been able to reach a plethora of younger artists that I’ve been able to inspire. Graffiti is not such an art form, but it’s a culture. The culture has changed so much the past 10 to 15 years that I feel it’s important to inspire the generations to come.
My letter structures may be for other graffiti writers, but the colors, technique and message is for everyone–it says, “hello, I’m here and I hope that you feel a positive vibe from me.” I’ve been around long enough now that I’ve actually painted with young graffiti artists that were inspired to write graffiti because they saw one of my walls. In short, I aspire to inspire, while being inspired by my graffiti crew and other graffiti artists and always try to progress. This includes painting with younger, less experienced graffiti writers. I enjoy painting with nearly anyone as long as the vibe is good. There’s not much more that can beat a great day at the wall, chilling with some good peeps and vibing on some good tunes–food is always good an added bonus. I like to believe that my artwork is abstract enough that anyone can relate to the shapes and graffiti enough to stay within the boundaries of the culture–whatever that may be.
Any advice for aspiring or new artists?
If there’s any advice I can give to other artists it’s that you need to be true to yourself. Social media can be a huge influence on your style and how you want to create work, but you need to get past that. If you put enough work in and focus on progression, your painting or drawing or whatever it is you’re creating will find its way. It’s took me nearly fifteen years of painting, making mistakes and learning from them, to finally find a style that I could call mine.
When it comes to graffiti writers, don’t bite and keep at it! And, most of all, remember to stay humble and treat people with kindness.
I’ll paint with just about anyone and I purposely will paint with less skilled artists because I want them to elevate their game. Let your work speak for you rather than your mouth. Don’t allow your style to become stagnant. If you don’t produce quality work with emotions then you won’t inspire the viewer. One very last piece of advice to younger artists–travel a lot! Get out of your comfort zone and paint with different people… you’re going to be amazed at what positive things will happen when you do this!
What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
People can view my work on both Facebook and Instagram. It’s hard to catch a running mural because most graffiti art is so temporary. Depending on the wall, it could be gone over in a couple of days or weeks. The longest mural I’ve had run was a little over a year or so. The easiest, and very much appreciated, form of support is liking and sharing my social media pages or photos. It’s weird, but with social media playing such a major role in the art and graffiti community nowadays, it’s cool to have fans post pics of work they find, too.
If you do, please tag me or hashtag it with a #kasm78. Also, buying pieces or having commission paintings done is a huge support. I don’t use art as a form of income, but whenever I make a little cash from painting it helps to pay the extra costs for paint, supplies and gas. Graffiti supplies are expensive with a can of paint costing anywhere from $5 to $8 a piece. Lastly, the greatest support that people can give is by having an open mind to graffiti art, supporting the local artists–even a little free wall space is nice. It’ll give artists a place to paint and you get some free art for your business.
Contact Info:
- Email: kasm7eight@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kasm78/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kasm7eight/
Image Credit:
Action shots by: EAKS, TASKO, KLEW and DRANE
Getting in touch: VoyageHouston is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
