If you’ve walked around Soho or Nolita in
Lower Manhattan, then you’ve most likely come across the amazing installations
of Patrick Smith.  We’ve been seeing them for months, and have been telling
everyone we know about them, all the while having no idea who the artist was
that did them. So we couldn’t have been happier when we received an email from
Patrick saying hello….”—Wooster

src="http://www.woostercollective.com/images/Green_SpringDETAIL.jpg">
/>

Patrick Smith - The Vitals:

/>Age:  31
Hometown: grew up in
Boston.
Where do you now live?: Manhattan
/>How long have you been creating street art?:   5-6 years
/>What did you do last night?: worked, then walked home
through town checking out the walls. every night routine.
What is
your favorite thing to eat for dinner?: href="http://newyork.citysearch.com/profile/7087381/">Frank, 2nd ave and
5th.  Calimari and black linguini.
Who is your favorite
fictional character?: I like that little Spitfire Wheels dude, he’s a
flame or something.
What do you currently have in your pockets?: 
keys-cel-wallet.  I repeat that every morning before I lock my door.
/>If you were given “more time,” what would you do with it?:  
draw
more.
Who do you love?: in general?  um. I’m
currently in love with a ballet dancer.

src="http://www.woostercollective.com/images/patsmith_patsitting.jpg">
/>

Patrick Smith - The A’s to Our Q’s:

Wooster:
How did you get started in creating art for the street?

/>Patrick: I did a public installation back in 1997, I covered
Boston Government Center with twenty 8’ by 8’ cartoon heads. My point was to
display art to people that would normally not see it, And to utilize public and
street space to their full potential.

Wooster: What
other street artists do you most admire and why?

/>Patrick: I admire a lot of Graffiti artists, like Sub, Dime.
I like Dalek, his use of a theme is
insane. Kaws is rad….  I also totally dig
Tom Otterness, he’s a total
inspiration, he uses cartoon characters to communicate complex issues and
emotions, that’s what I try to do.

Wooster: What’s
your favorite city, neighborhood, or block, to post and/or to see street art? 


Patrick: New York City. I dig little Italy, Lower
east side. I like Tribeca, because pieces stay up so long there.  I want to
start bringing it uptown, upper west side, upper east side. I think people up
there would really like street art, they just don’t get it that often. I think
if it’s well made, well thought out art, even conservative people will respond
to it in a positive way.

Wooster: What inspires you
now?

Patrick: Street art in general inspires me. I
also get stoked on animated films. Bill
Plympton and George Griffin Rock. I see street art as an extension of
filmmaking. it’s liberating for a filmmaker to work out in the street, away from
the aspect ratio of the screen, and away from technology and computers.

/>Wooster: What are you currently working on?  Can you give us
a sneak peek?

Patrick: I’m currently building
another round of “Columns”, some of which will be 10’ high (the last round was
8’). The images are maturing, getting a bit more complex, color and design.