Daily Inspiration: Meet Grin

Today we’d like to introduce you to Grin.

Hi, Grin. Thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, you could tell our readers some of your backstory.
I paint in the alleys of the Crossroads annually between mid-summer and fall. For 8 years, I’ve been stopping through to visually mingle with the other artists on the alley, such as Scribe, Rifraf Giraffe, Risk, and more. Their work inspired me to become the character artist I’m developing today, as well as piloting a 501c3 that works with art in community development and public education, which later transformed into a private company that offers services to those nonprofits. I travel nationwide but ensure that one of my “gypsy tagging home bases” is the Crossroads in Kansas City.

Would it have been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Character development without biting (using another artist’s creation and claiming it). My first experience with trying characters was trying the bees I found around that alley, which led me to Scribe. I meant no harm, as I imagine many artists who are inspired enough to attempt to recreate something they see and like, but it certainly got an education on the underground code and what *not* to do. Finding places we can spray without fear of consequence is another, and my work certainly focuses on small towns throughout the Midwest. A random chick lit a dumpster on fire when I was there recently.” I’d like to include that “but, with the help a few folks at the Border Bar and King G’s, we all were able to extinguish it pretty quickly, and that type of team effort was comforting. YOLO!

Thanks for sharing that. So, you could tell us a bit more about your work.
IG: Grintags Graffiti Character Artist, Public Art Promoter and Entrepreneur. Inspiration vendor and Community Color Technician.

Please talk to us about happiness and what makes you happy.
Just finding the walls and putting them down is what I want. It’s nice to get paid finally and paid well, but more importantly, it is therapy to me. This lets me get it out. All kinds of creations come leaping out, and it’s a healthy way to express myself, contribute to community beautification, and hopefully inspire others to venture down this avenue of self-expression as an alternative to other destruction that can come from something as simple as bottling a feeling, to the deep dark crevices of suicidal depression.

Pricing:

• Murals : $12-$25 square foot (plus travel)
• Canvases: Varies: $50-$5000

Contact Info:

• Instagram: IG: @grintags

Image Credits
Some images inspired by Scape @zcape_hec, all rights reserved, NFS