From Patrick:

Another day without a dollar.

Many small independent mom and pop businesses have been closing up left and right all across the United States. All that is left behind is a cold empty vacant space. Martinez utilizes the space to engage the viewer or passer by on the street with a colorful visual dialog and touching on what people are going through finically during the current recession. Painting portraits of his own parents and placing the words ” trying to make a dollar out of 14 (16) cents.” over the paintings in bright saturated neon letters. Remixing typical Los Angeles neon signs and introducing the traditional painting element into the mix.