Hello there folks,

Took some fliks of the mural in downtown Tucson, Fifth and Broadway, southeast corner to be exact (for a higher res of whole mural click here). Take a min to check it out. Video coming soon. Inspired by the need to SAVE ETHNIC STUDIES!!! Check out the links to learn more…

www.SaveEthnicStudies.Org

www.wordstrike.net

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Beyond the painting, we were able to experience some fun at the Delano, the Mondrian, the W, 1111, and the beach. I think once we were able to soak in all that was Miami during Basel, we filtered the bullshit out and mused the good, bright, and vibrant feelings into our paintings. However, our respective cultures are so ingrained in us, it was obvious we weren’t locals and that we brought something interesting, different, and engaging to the environment. We had little time to see the rest of the shows that were happening, let alone experience the real Miami.

Next year I believe we will go early so that we have time to enjoy what the town has to offer. Yatika and I were also commissioned to do some work for an auction, while we were in town. I’m very pleased to hear the paintings went to some of the world’s top fragrance designers. I think it’s time for some scratch’n’sniff spray paint, although the MTN 94s smell like candy when wet.

We all had very dreamlike events happen to us in the days & nights of Miami. We smelled the sage coming off the wall, we saw shapes of color floating around us, and I dreamt of the walls we ended up painting, among many other serendipitous incidents. We knew we were there to do what we do.

I want to thank everyone who believed in this enough to just get down and paint with us. I also want to thank Josh Kohn & PanAmerican ArtProjects for the walls, MTN Colors for the gifts, my brother & my dad for assisting in whatever way they could, all of the artists, the beautiful Naffy, and all those who came to acknowledge us and share good words. Much gratitude. We will see you next year Miami.

For more info you can check out

www.aimkrew.tumblr.com

Photos by N. MacKnight

With respect and love,

Jaque

Dear friends, fam, & followers,

Rapid changes are an inevitable constant for someone who comes from the reservation or from a rural environment. I’m trying to find some down-time to reflect and express the recent experiences in my life, which I share with so many others, not because I’m a social creature, but because I love community and bringing people together. I’m sitting in a cafe to get away from my normal comfort zone of the house/studio to write you this, on an iPad no less, haha.

I returned to Tucson with a strong reality check. I miss the fresh ocean air of Miami, I miss teaching art in Charlotte, and I miss the sense of wandering I’m accustomed to when I’m in a different city, spray can in-hand. This December will be more about mental and spiritual hibernation. I want to emerge from my cave in 2012, with vigor and tons of energy to aid in the shift of human consciousness.

Miami was great! As usual, there was an endless amount of art, in the form of parties, salons, pop-up shows, street interactions and walls. This year would not be my tourist year. My intention this time around was to bring an indigenous presence to the art microcosm that is Art Basel Miami Beach. The roster included Yatika Fields, Ernesto Yerena, Nia MacKnight, Spencer Keeton Cunningham, Krystian Fragua, Roger Fragua, and El Mac. Although some weren’t able to make it to Miami, we had help from the likes of Kofie and Ben Angotti, who became a part of the tribe indeed. I don’t really want to spend time on the art we created, because you can look at the photos and video to get a sense of what we did visually. I do want to say though that this belief that there needed to be something indigenous in a place full of movement, facades, money, consumption, and homogenized culture, made us come together to create the antithesis. Some of the most elite had no idea that indians still existed! I’m very glad we were able to educate and open eyes just by being there. What we made was important, but not as important as the people we met, the laughs we shared, the dialogues we sparked, or the love that rippled from each color we sprayed.

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