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January 5, 2004
Profile: Khaze
Khaze - The Vitals
Age: 50
Hometown: Memphis Tn.
Where do you live now?: Ain't moving
How long have you been doing street art?: At least 20 years, but much more in the last 5 years after I got my digital and started taking pics at work. I developed 3 or 4 new monikers and found out more and more about Buzz, Solo, Other, Broke and all the rest on the internet.
What did you do last night?: I made a couple of my metal pieces , watched our NBA Grizzlies beat the Magic then Ann and I went to Kudzu's ( one of Memphis' great beer joints) and saw The 4 Head's , Bob, Susie,Rick and Roberta and as always they were kind enough to let me get up with the band and do three of my originals. What a Hoot!
What is your favorite thing to eat for dinner?: Just about anything thing Ann cooks and of course Bar B Q
Who is your favorite fictional character?: Frodo, before the movie, and all of R. Crumbs crazy folks.
What do you have in your pockets?: 35 dollars, 89cent plastic comb, Harley pocket knife, two lucky marbles, two guitar picks and my Victories Secret mint tin with black and white oil pastel sticks
If you were given more time, what would you do with it?: I guess I'm pretty lucky cause I get to do a lot of what I like, such as being with my wife, son and granddaughters,Hannah and Mazzy, playing music, making my metal art, shooting pool and marking boxcars.
Who do you love?: See above!
Khaze - The A's to Our Q's
My Style-- I have never really thought about my stuff as being any particular style I just try to do things that I like and if others like it then that's great. I have been doing regular art, oil, watercolor, pen and ink for a long time and it is your basic stuff. My boxcar art has developed into my own design over the years but of course has been influenced by getting to see so many streaks at work.
Get started? I have been drawing and painting for ever. I started entering the Mid South Fair amateur division about 10 years ago and have won several awards including a people choice two years ago. I had been doing monikers for a long time with chalk and switched to oil pastels 4 or 5 years ago. I did the Blues hero's all this year after seeing Other and Broke.
Why trains? Natural choice since I've worked on trains for 32 years.
What other artists? My high school art teacher, Helen Stahl, who is a noted artist here in Memphis, As far as my boxcar art the monikers were influenced by Buzz, Solo and the others I have mentioned, but I would say that Other, Labronia and Broke have been the ones that have made me think about expanding my art on the cars.
Favorite spots? Sargent Yard for train art, Mid town Memphis and Cooper Young for spray art. The city is finally letting people put up some stuff with out getting hassled.
What inspires me now? Again every time I see a new piece on a boxcar it makes me want to do more. I also have been moved by all the street art I am seeing on this sight. It has got me thinking about stencils and name tags, stuff for the street.
What am I currently working on? I started picking up metal off the rail yard about three years ago and have been making hanging mobiles. This has turned into my main work and has been very rewarding. I got the chance to do some art festival and people really like them. Through the festivals I have had my work at Mid Town Artist Market, a co-op galley and Butler Street Bazaar, a funky collective of art, crafts and farmers market down in the South Main Art district here. I have included a few pics out of the 300 or so that I have made.
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