Tes One Returns With Reflective Practice

Spanning 40 feet tall and over 430 feet wide, 1xRUN alum Tes One and Bask recently knocked out a massive Stay Curious mural as the centerpiece for the art project positioned directly across from The Tampa Museum of Art and the Glazer Children’s Museum.  Located in the heart of Tampa’s downtown arts district, the work encourages people of all ages to discover and explore the creativity that surrounds them.  We welcome back Tes One for his latest release Reflective Practice, which we’ll have in a Standard and Hand-Embellished editions available Dec. 30th at 12pm EST. Read on to find out more info on Tes One’s latest release and more…

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1xRun: Tell us a bit about this piece, was it part of a recent them of work, show or series of work you recently did?
Tes One: Yes, an earlier version of this painting was created about a year ago for an exhibit I had in San Francisco. While planning out the “Stay Curious” murals in Tampa, it became one of my significant contributions to the project; now as a 5-story mural near the Glazer Children’s Museum.

The title “Reflective Practice” refers to the importance of reflecting on your actions in moments of creativity. Observing these discoveries; practicing and learning from them. Wisdom begins in wonder.

1x: What materials were used to create this piece?
Tes One: Acrylic paint & spray paint on wood.

1x: When was the piece created and how long did it take to complete?
Tes One: First iteration was late 2014, recreated as a painting and a mural in 2015 which took approximately a week.

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1x: Tell us how the idea and execution came about?
Tes One: One of the reoccurring themes in my work is exploration. I try to capture/interpret the sense of discovery and curiosity that exists within us all. An ability too often suppressed or discouraged in society, but vital.

1x: Describe the piece in one gut reaction word.
Tes One: Discover.

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1x: When did you first start making art?
Tes One: I started out as a writer in ’92, then evolved to painting canvases around ’99.

1x: What was your first piece?
Tes One: Ironically, it was a large burner of the word “FIRST”.

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1x: What artists inspired you early on?
Tes One: My early influences were made up of comic books and 90’s graffiti. That era definitely shaped who I am and remains a source of inspiration to me.

1x: What artists inspire you now?
Tes One: Tons of amazing artists doing their thing right now. The big homie Tristan Eaton is absolutely crushing the game. Palehorse creates real life superheroes. I always enjoy seeing new works from Kai & Sunny, Evoca1, Hueman and the great white Shark Toof.

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1x: Do you listen to music while you work? If so what? If not then what is your environment like when you work?
Tes One: My studio soundtrack is an even split of and philosophical podcasts and 90’s hip hop. And yes, I’m fully aware that this combination may cancel each other out.

1xRun: Where else can people find you?
Tes One: WebsiteInstagram@tesone – Facebook

-1xRUN

Mural photos by Amy Martz, Greg Bryron and Tes One.