1xRUN Thru Interview
Gypsy Love Spell by Tead
1xRUN: Tell us a little bit about this series “Gypsy Love Spell”?
Tead: It’s very simple, they are basically a visual manifestation of my travels through these industrial areas where I am painting. I mostly paint trains, so wherever I end up it usually looks like these areas that I’m painting. I’m usually in a dark place painting with tons and tons of colors. If I were to paint these places how they look in real life, they might be a bit more of a gloomy scene, might not have as much color to it. So when I’m adding all the color it’s just what I’m doing when I’m in that nasty area. It’s brightening the area up in my world.
1xRUN: So you’ve got this juxtaposition of all that color and these big dark landscapes. As far as the technique, how do you make these pieces?
Tead: I start first with the backgrounds and let the backgrounds evolve as much as I can until I start painting the city, then I figure out a color scheme to drop on there and then I just start having fun with the layers.
1xRUN: Ok, so are the backgrounds and city all free hand?
Tead: Yep, everything is freehand, the background is all spray paint and all the buildings are all done with a fine liner brush with acrylic paint.
1xRUN: Can you tell us a bit about painting in Detroit and your history painting trains?
Tead: Yea, I really got into graffiti through painting trains. I used to just hang out on trains when I was a kid. It was the only place where I grew up in Southern Michigan that you could get away with doing whatever you want. It was a great place for a little troublemaker. I started noticing all the graffiti, and I slowly got more into it through skateboarding and other media. So I started doing it on trains and then I moved into the city, where I’d go to a more sanctioned area where I could start to hone my skills. I painted streets for a few years, it’s not really my thing, I love painting trains. I love the freight train culture. That’s why I still focus on trains, that’s my bread and butter.
1xRUN: Tell us about the transition from painting these trains to the gallery style pieces here.
Tead: A lot of the trains that I paint are random chill spots that are usually in these industrial zones that look like this. It’s always reminded me of the River Rouge, 75 route that you head over. That’s always been my kind of Acid City.
-1xRUN