href="http://www.woostercollective.com/images/screen3.gif"> src="http://www.woostercollective.com/images/screen3.gif" WIDTH= "320"> 
/>
One of the things we love most about street art is how an artist can
take a seemingly simple image - a symbol, a figure, a curved line - and then
come of “own” that image by replicating it on thousands of posters and stickers.
A terrific example of this are the arrows created by "http://www.goabove.com">Above.

It’s been a few weeks since we
received our first package from Above.  It contained a CD loaded with amazing
images of the guy’s art from both Paris and San Francisco. There was also a ton
of stickers in the package.  (Although they’ve mysteriously been disappearing
from Wooster HQ and appearing all over lower Manhattan).

So we’ve
been sitting on this CD, loving the images, hoping to have the time to reformat
them all to create a nice comprehensive archive up on Wooster.  But each day’s
been passing us by and it’s still not done.  And then we received the Q’s to our
A’s from Above. We’ve been pissed that this stuff has been sitting in our
Blogger “Drafts” folder for days on end. So this morning we decided that, rather
than wait for the archive to go up, we’ll get this interview out to you now.
Enjoy.  We’ll get the archive up soon.  We promise.

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

/>Above: I originally started painting freight trains at the local train
yard in my city. Growing up right next to the yards, I would always jump the
fence and see the trains and the graffiti. I was probably like 8-9 years young.
I started to paint trains when I was 16. My family background is very artistic.
Both my mother and my father are painters, and two of my brothers are musicians.
And one is a photographer. It was instilled in us at a young age to find out
creative outlets and to “run with them”

Wooster: What
originally inspired you to “Above” images?

Above: I started
bombing freight trains with various letter styles. I am a very, very visual
person. I relate more to images than to words. It was one day when I finished a
piece, when the train started to pull out of the yard. As the speed progressed I
soon could no longer make out the name Above. I found that to be effective I had
to be able to catch one’s attention as the Iron horse would speed bye you. There
were several ways to do this but for me the most practical way was to create an
image/logo that would represent the name Above. I could go on for hours about
why in my eyes a logo is so effective…to mention just a few is that an image
speaks a universal language, to any person of any age or ethnicity. People can
also relate or attach emotions to an image. It was logical to choose an Arrow
(an image that we have all seen before) and to then personalize that arrow
complete with a shadow, letter line, and outline to represent the name ABOVE.
The beauty of it is that each person is free to interpret my logo to their
liking. All emotions are valid. Why label it to just a name? Some see the logo
as a mentality, others see it as just an arrow. Its what ever that person wants
to think it is. Every reactions, or interpretation is as unique as the
individual themselves.

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

Above:  I admire any artist that puts
their heart and energy into creating art. I really enjoy art that has a meaning
or mentality behind it, and that is executed in an original or creative manner,
someone that innovates or just takes an idea to its extremes and beyond. Someone
who is just a junkie for ups. Someone that could not stop doing art even if they
wanted. Shepard is a perfect example of
this kind of drive with his Obey campaign. "http://www.graffiti.org/maseo/JAN01_Update/FRIENDS/heart_boat.jpeg">Heart
101 is someone I enjoy to see because of his wide variety of styles, and
consistent ups. El Tono, href= "http://www.bansky.co.uk">Bansky, space invader, and "http://latlas.armvr.net/">l’atlas are all artists with a mentality behind
their work, along with the drive to show the world their vision. I respect these
qualities and artists because of these characteristics.

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

Above: I really enjoyed painting my trucks at the
markets of Belleville in Paris. But I think that the whole city of Paris will
get the vote for my favorite city, neighborhood, and block to ‘post’ my wooden
arrows. I walked that city day and night, up and down. Paris is just so art
accommodating. I love it all. to answer the question on my favorite city to see
street art would be San Francisco. I love the handstyles, and terrain that S.F.
has, lots of hills, therefor lots of rooftops to see and enjoy.

/>Wooster:  What inspires you now?

Above: The same
thing that inspired me in the past, and the same thing that will continue to
inspire me in the future. The mentality to “RISE ABOVE” I love to challenge
myself and to “RISE ABOVE” these self proclaimed hurdles. I get such power from
this mentality.Knowing that If I focus and channel my energy that I can do
anything I set my mind to in this world. I just smile, and keep my head up
/>
Check out more work from ABOVE at his "http://www.goabove.com">website.