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So What's It Like Being A Graffiti Artist Anyway?

So What's It Like Being A Graffiti Artist Anyway?

Time to find out...

Mel Ramsay

Mel Ramsay

If you're anything like me, you think graffiti is the coolest thing ever. Well, street art. I hate it when someone daubs a wall with their initials. Generally, these are placed in the most annoying place possible. For example, next to actual street art. Or on a sign. Or just anywhere that people walk past a lot. Honestly, these people need to fuck off.

Anyway, I spoke to a real artist - JPS. He's actually one of my favourites. If you've ever been to Weston-super-Mare, you very well may have seen some of his work.

Turns out being a graffiti artist takes fuck loads of time, dedication and above all else, talent.

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TheLADbible: Starting at the very beginning, what made you decide to get into street art?

JPS: Art was something that was very important to me from about the age of four. I escaped the world around me by drawing and painting every day. When I was around 19-years-old, things went very wrong and I fell down the path of drink and drug addiction. I'm 38 now so obviously filling in the gap in the middle is a very long story.

However, back in 2009 a drunk version of me attended a Banksy exhibition. I had dabbled in basic stencils at school, but the way he was using them was so much more complex and detailed. It really impressed me. I thought: 'I want to try doing this'. I had pretty much hidden my talent for 12 years and suddenly this exhibition had woken me up.

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dk

When you first started out, did you find that people weren't particularly receptive to your art? Have things changed as you have become more well-known?

When I decided that I wanted to be a street artist, I was focusing more on practicing and technique opposed to ideas. I was also attending counselling and group therapy for addiction - my brain was pretty fried for the first few months. The spray paint I was using was awful too, but early 2010 I had practiced enough for them to start drawing attention.

Things changed a lot. With success brings problems and some people don't want an ex-crackhead to succeed.

In terms of anonymity, you aren't completely anonymous yet you choose to wear a hockey mask, why is this?

As corny as it sounds, I was hurt over breakup... it was simply to hide my feelings.

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You have taken on an apprentice in the form of 'Fawn', why is this and how is she doing?

It took Fawn almost a year to convince me to teach her. I first met her when she attended my Bristol exhibition in 2014 - she spent all of the money she had on her on a piece of my work.

I was surprised that a young girl would be so interested in street art. She had asked about becoming an apprentice, but it wasn't something I could afford to do. However, she eventually won me over.

She hasn't disappointed me. There's not enough female street artists. Plus, Fawn's work is much less dark than mine, so we make a good team.

fawn
fawn

Are all of your pieces legal?

No. Let's just say i'm superstitious. I never do three illegal pieces in a row.

Talk me through the process. For example, what time do you head out and start?

I make the stencils. Some of them can be quite time consuming. For example, the Robocop piece took around ten hours of cutting.

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robocop

I'll pack my various coloured tape etc the night before and my stencils fold to fit in an A1 folder. I hate painting in the dark as you cannot tell the colours apart under street lights.

So I guess, the best time to do it is at sunrise. Yeah, you see the odd dog walker but in my opinion it's the most peaceful time. If you're doing it in full view of CCTV, you've got ten minutes - max.

I'm not condoning this behaviour, but sometimes if you know you're going to see the cops... it is possible to write your own fake permission - but of course I've never done that.

The time taken to paint a piece can vary. I've completed one in six minutes, another in 45.

Do you have another job on the side, or does all of your income come from art?

I don't have another job, although I am in a fortunate situation. When I got clean, I was lucky enough to move back to my mum's and concentrate on art. Really, I should have moved out by now. However, this year I'm finally getting my own H.Q. I pity the landlord because I'm sure to be decorating.

What are three things that aren't well known about you?

Firstly, some people assume that I'm just a stencil artist but I do like doing other types of art. In fact, I have an interest in animation. Secondly, I have a brother named Lee Scanlon (sorry bro) and finally, Pete Doherty owes me a rum and coke.

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Where does your inspiration come from?

Being born in '77 I was very much brought up on 80s movies. We never had much money, so in some ways it's like the boy in me is reliving his childhood. I'm putting my favourite characters in the world. Not just for myself, but for others who may find that it adds something to their lives.

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All images credited to JPS

What do your family and friends think about your art?

From the very beginning, I have had good friends and family that thankfully believed in me. There's too many to thank. It's the support of not just them, but also the fans who have helped me stand back up if I relapse, because even though the art has saved me - I'd be lying if I said it had been easy and there hadn't been hiccoughs.

How do you 'get away with it'?

I try to be sensible and respectful. The police operate on complaint. If someone doesn't want to press charges - then effectively you're in the clear, I've just been lucky, sensible and a bit sneaky.

Thank you, JPS.

You can follow his work through his Facebook page here.

Words by Mel Ramsay

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