ELLE is a top touring street artist, in a male dominated art scene.

ELLE photo by Peter Marquez

In addition to finding her work “in the street”, you can find it in galleries, published in books, and worn.

Yes, through her work with Reebok she created 2016 ELLExReebok graffiti legging & the 2017 ELLExReebok yoga capsule collection.

ELLE in ELLExReebok photo by dscreetsheet

She will be coming to the San Diego area for KAABOO on September 15-17th and I had the opportunity to ask her a few questions about her art before going to KAABOO and seeing it live.

When did you start creating graffiti & how were you able to transition from illegal graffiti artist to a sought after artist?

ELLE:  I had never really “seen” graffiti or streetart before moving to New York about 11 years ago. When I stumbled upon art by Gaia and Swoon in Chelsae I was inspired to do it myself. I got really into wheat pasting but was frustrated with how quickly they were coming down off of the walls, and so I began graffiti. I got really obsessed with getting up, doing graff and meeting other writers. A few years later I got sponsored by Liquitex paint– with the free spray paint I started offering to paint people’s walls, and that snowballed into festivals, museums, and individuals inviting me to come and paint with and for them.

Coyote Howl London photo by The Commissioner

I’ve seen some of your incredible work around the world thanks to IG & your website.  What are a few of your favorite places and pieces?

ELLE:  Hmm.. that’s a tough question. I feel like some of my pieces have been benchmarks, or personal breakthroughs.

To name a few: a couple pieces I did in Brick Lane London while I was there showing at the Saatchi “XX” show, curated by Yasha Young and Olly Walker,

Brick Lane London – photo by d7606

then again in Colorado for Colorado Crush last year,

@coloradocrush16

and a piece I did in LA just a couple months ago for Not A Crime campaign.

piece from #sunsetmarquis #notacrimecampaign in LA, CA

For all of these pieces I felt like something clicked that I had been wanting to happen, or I was able to finally move in a direction that I really wanted to.

What’s the timing of your KAABOO piece – will you be creating all 3 days or ???  and what happens to your work after the event?

ELLE:  I will be arriving late night on the 13th and will paint the 14th through the 17th. I also have two digital files that have been printed out and will be flanking the main stage. Those pieces were painted here in Melbourne a few months ago.

Lola in Melbourne photo by @kimothy1109

I love that you tell stories through your art and use it to communicate what’s important to you like raising awareness of global warming hazards & the need to protect the ocean, what’s your vision for your KAABOO “story” or do we have to wait & see?

ELLE:  Thank you! I was recently inspired by the book “A Sixth Extinction” as well as the movie “Chasing Coral.” Both go into detail about how we, as humans, are affecting the world; how we are pushing the reefs to extinction along with other species… If I can help to bring awareness to that and help, by recommending that people go carbon neutral, or that in consuming beef we are upping the methane greenhouse gasses, and by using single use plastics we are putting plastic into the food chain-than I will do so.

Wouldn’t it be amazing if we could reduce our imprint so that we actually left the world in a more positive state than we came into it? I am hopeful. I think that if we live consciously then we can change things for the better. For the Kaaboo piece and all of my future pieces I’m hoping to inspire others to join me in these causes.

ELLE’s piece on NO to the Dakota Pipeline

Any chance you’ve thought of painting skate decks or grip tape?

ELLE:  My little sister is a skater, and I’ve been meaning to paint her a skate deck for ages! I love skate culture and watching skaters, so would be rad to design a deck or tape for sure!

Thanks ELLE for sharing with us and please share pictures of the deck!  To check out more of her work follow her on IG and check out her website. Her art is amazing as our all the places she travels to.

ELLE’s work in Norway above & Ibiza below

KAABOO 2017 is coming up fast September 15 – 17th.  KAABOO features:

world-class music, hilarious comedy, incredible cuisine, craft libations, inspiring contemporary art, and personal indulgences

To see the full 2017 Line Up click here.  To see my 2016 recap click here.  For apps to keep you up to date on schedules

iPhone Download
Android Download
Link to the KAABOO app page

More posts on amazing artists scheduled to appear at KAABOO 2017 are on the way.  All the artists featured are girls following their passions and willing to inspire other girls to do the same!

XOXO skatingfashionista

KAABOO Indulgences is your spa & relaxation zone while at KAABOO September 15-17th. For the third year Paul Mitchell the School San Diego will be participating.

I was lucky enough to become friends with them last year, so here’s the scoop from Pamela Heal, Social Media Specialist of PMTSSD, to find out what style & fun they have planned for this year!

PMTSSD at KAABOO 2016

In 2015, you offered a braid bar and in 2016 you added services. What are all the services you’ll be offering this year?

Pamela:  We love bringing our famous Braid Bar to Kaaboo! We’ll also be offering makeup services and styling. Our Future Professionals are sensational makeup artists, as you can see on our instagram @paulmitchelltheschoolsandiego

The services are performed by Future Professionals, your students. How do you select the students that come? I’d imagine everyone would be dying to come!

Pamela:  Oh, they are dying! Our attendees are selected based on grades, attendance, and visionary attitudes. We bring the best of our best to ensure our guests at KAABOO are feeling their best when they leave our showcase.

Where will you be located at KAABOO and what hours will you be open? Can people make appointments?

Pamela:  We will be located in the Indulgences Lounge again this year and will be taking appointments!

Paul Mitchell lives by “Success unshared is failure.” #givingismystyle is totally represented by the school as the students donate their time, talent, and energy to multiple SD charities will the school be doing any charity work at KAABOO? 

Pamela:  We will be collecting donations for Houston in the wake of Hurricane Harvey and Bright Pink!, a Breast Cancer Awareness foundation.

What else would you like to share about why you partner with KAABOO and keep coming back?

Pamela:  KAABOO is a thrilling lifestyle event for San Diego to host right in our backyard: from the musical guests to the incredible variety of vendors that offer the best experience to its festival-goers, we’re grateful to have been involved with KAABOO since its inception. Not only is it a unique opportunity for our Future Professionals to network and share their skills, it’s a great way to celebrate San Diego and share with our community what Paul Mitchell is all about!

Thanks Pamela! Not able to make it to KAABOO or just can’t wait to check out the services offered by Paul Mitchell the School San Diego? If you’re in the SD area you don’t have to wait. The school is located downtown at 410 A Street Building in SD.

I’ve been there multiple times and loved every visit. You can visit 6 days a week just click here to see their hours & services. It’s also that time of year for classes to start so if you’re thinking about Cosmetology, Barbering, Make Up courses now is the time to check them out.

KAABOO 2017 is coming up fast September 15 – 17th.  KAABOO features:

world-class music, hilarious comedy, incredible cuisine, craft libations, inspiring contemporary art, and personal indulgences

To see the full 2017 Line Up click here.  To see my 2016 recap click here.  For apps to keep you up to date on schedules

iPhone Download
Android Download
Link to the KAABOO app page

Till next time keep it stylish on & off the board & yes skateboarding like the rest of life is more fun when you love your hair!

 

 

Kathryn Morin is an artist based in Anchorage, Alaska.

She specializes in watercolor and ink paintings.  She’s coming to KAABOO September 15-17th and after reading her goal

My goal as an artist is to find beauty where there is only darkness, to inspire feelings of strength and a passion for life, and to create a sense of balance within my own heart.

I had to research her & request an interview.

Possession

I read that you’re inspired by your hopes, dreams, nightmares, and fears. How did you find the courage to share your nightmares and fears with the world?

Kathryn:  You have a wonderful way of looking at things. In my mind, making art was my way of expressing my emotions without having to talk about them. Making art was how I expressed my struggles, and it was really all about getting them out of my head and onto paper.

Family and friends then encouraged me to set up a booth at some local craft shows, so I did. And I stood there awkwardly, not knowing how to talk to people about my art or myself. However, I soon found out that my artwork touched people in a way I never expected. People would look at my art and be able to see their own lives, and their own struggles, and be able to relate to it. While their struggles are different than mine, and they are at different stages in life, they are able to pull what they need from my artwork.

Nowadays, I’m better at talking about my art, and I try to leave room for interpretation in each painting, so that, while there’s definitely a part of me in the painting, the viewer can also find a part of themselves within it.

Strangers

On your site you offer prints of some of your paintings. How do you decide which paintings become prints? 

Kathryn:  All of my paintings become prints! I feel strongly that art should be obtainable and accessible, so I offer prints in a variety of sizes and price points.

prints like these are available in 8×10 or 11×14 or 16×20 

I read you sell originals at art festivals. Is that what you’ll be doing at KAABOO? Will you also be creating “live” at KAABOO.

Kathryn:  Yes! I will have a pretty large variety of framed originals for sale at KAABOO. I will also have a selection of limited edition prints available.

And, I really hadn’t considered creating “live” but now that you mention it, well, I’m already packing my supplies! So yes, I do plan on creating “live” and I’m really excited to talk to festival goers about my drawing and painting process!

time lapse video

Have you ever considered painting skate decks?

Kathryn:  Actually, yes! I had a festival goer recommend skate decks to me a few years ago, but I honestly don’t know where to start as far as getting a skate deck! If you or your readers have any suggestions, or want to commission a one-of-a-kind skate deck, please reach out to me via email, Facebook, or Instagram!

Thank you Kathryn for taking the time to share.  Your art is beautiful and definitely spoke to me.  To see more of Kathryn’s work both before and after KAABOO check out her IG and website – Amor Artis Gallery.

current WIP – will she make it to KAABOO?  I hope so she’s exquisite! 

KAABOO 2017 is coming up fast September 15 – 17th.  KAABOO features:

world-class music, hilarious comedy, incredible cuisine, craft libations, inspiring contemporary art, and personal indulgences

To see the full 2017 Line Up click here.  To see my 2016 recap click here.  For apps to keep you up to date on schedules

iPhone Download
Android Download
Link to the KAABOO app page

More posts on amazing artists scheduled to appear at KAABOO 2017 are on the way.  All the artists featured are girls following their passions and willing to inspire other girls to do the same!

XOXO skatingfashionista

 

 

 

Carly Ealey is a San Diego, California artist who will be painting a permanent mural at the Del Mar fairgrounds live during KAABOO at the Trestles Stage – September 15-17, 2017.

I recently had the honor to ask her a few questions about her art.

How did you start as a mural artist?  Were you using spray paints from the beginning or how did it come about?

Carly:  Painting murals was a natural progression from painting on canvas. I found myself wanting to paint larger and larger pieces and eventually moved to walls. I would mess with spray paint from time to time on smaller surfaces but didn’t really try using it outside of background textures until painting larger scale. I realized how fast you could paint and cover more surface area with spray a couple of years ago and was totally hooked.

Denver, Colorado

Before spray paint, I was painting with just brush and sometimes on big rolls of paper and wheat pasting to walls which was very time consuming. I love the instant gratification you get from spray paint and the use of my whole body…it’s a release.

I’ve seen some of your incredible work like the pieces at Chez Pierre Cabaret in Edmonton, Alberta Canada, the border wall in Tijuana, Mexico, and your piece from last year’s KAABOO how do these compare in size and style to what you’ll be doing at KAABOO this year?

Carly:  Every wall is different and requires a unique approach, I think that’s partly why they’re so fun to paint. My wall in Edmonton for Rust Magic mural festival 2017 is the biggest one I’ve painted yet and was a crazy struggle the whole way.

Edmonton in Alberta, Canada

I was short paint, encountered weather delays, and the wall was constantly wet (the building is incredibly old and has a very water logged and leaky roof) but it ended up being my favorite mural so far. One of my goals has been to make my murals look more like my smaller scale paintings and I feel like that mural achieves that despite all of the challenges that arose.

Tijuana Mexico

The border wall was an experience for sure…living in San Diego, Mexico is our neighbor and very much integrated into our everyday culture. Baja Internacional invited me to participate and I accepted immediately. Part of my desire to paint the TJ/SD border was to promote border unity and embrace diversity so it was a really cool and personally meaningful project to be a part of…especially during these turbulent times in this divided political climate. The border wall itself is pretty gnarly, rusted red corrugated metal. It’s definitely not the most ideal surface to paint on but the experience made it worth it. You just have to keep in mind that this is something people will only really see as they are speeding by on their commute so I kept it simple and big with not a lot of detail.

KAABOO 2016

Looking back at my KAABOO mural last year, I now realize what a luxury it was to be so well taken care of with my giant fancy lift and food and restrooms haha! It’s pretty crazy to see how far I’ve come in just a year. I’ve only been spray painting seriously for a couple of years now and I feel like I’ve grown tremendously. Then again, I pretty much feel that way after every wall I paint.

San Diego, CA

Each mural is an opportunity to grow as an artist and even as a person. I guess anything truly challenging can do that!

LA, California

This year’s KAABOO mural will be a whole new challenge. It will be my largest mural to date! It’s on a permanent structure on the Del Mar Fairgrounds across from the giant mural of the humpback whale by Wyland. Which is pretty surreal in itself because as a kid, I was really enamored with Wyland’s work and especially his massive murals. This particular surface is the facade of a two-story building that has a lot of doors and windows in it, so it will be interesting to paint. Because of the scale and amount of obstructions, my plan is to go really big with some giant female characters resembling mermaids or sirens in an underwater environment. It will be a cropped view of their faces as they gaze out from the depths.

KAABOO 2016 when it was WIP

What’s the timing of your KAABOO mural do you start on Friday when the festival opens? Can you share insights into the planning before the festival to make it happen in just 3 days?

Carly:  Due to the size of this mural, I will be starting several days prior to the festival otherwise there would be no way I could finish in time. A lot of planning went into this ahead of time, all of the paint colors were planned and ordered well in advance based on sketches and mock ups of the design. I had to have the fairgrounds approve the design as well as the KAABOO team months in advance.

painted live at Karl Strauss Brewery Arts & Amps – La Jolla, CA

What’s unique to you about “live art”? I saw your work on the container at the SDCCU Festival of Arts North Park and you were at KAABOO last year but is it usual to have a large audience watching you create? How does an audience change the vibe?

Carly:  Live art is just another challenge. I used to be really nervous about painting in front of people but now it doesn’t bother me. In fact, I kind of like it now. As long as you have a good crowd and positive people, I think it just makes you try harder. It can be more of a challenge to focus sometimes but that’s where good music and headphones come in handy.

container painted live at SDCCU Festival of Arts in North Park

Any chance you’ve thought of painting skate decks?

Carly:  I’ve actually painted quite a few decks in my days…and surfboards…and I’ve even designed some skis haha

Whatever the medium Carly’s art is stunning!

Thanks Carly for sharing with us. Can’t wait to KAABOO to see her work – you don’t have to. You can follow her on IG and check out her website to see much more of her amazing work.

KAABOO 2017 is coming up fast September 15 – 17th.  KAABOO features:

world-class music, hilarious comedy, incredible cuisine, craft libations, inspiring contemporary art, and personal indulgences

To see the full 2017 Line Up click here.  To see my 2016 recap click here.  For apps to keep you up to date on schedules

iPhone Download
Android Download
Link to the KAABOO app page

More posts on amazing artists scheduled to appear at KAABOO 2017 are on the way.  All the artists featured are girls following their passions and willing to inspire other girls to do the same!

XOXO skatingfashionista