Madsteez Returns With WEENlton

1xRun Thru Interview
WEENlton by Madsteez

1xRun: I want to break from our usual first question and ask, has Alfonso Ribeiro seen this piece?
Madsteez:
 Hahaha. I have no idea but I’m going to say he has to of seen it by now. I do know that one of my friends happened to be at the airport wearing the shirt when he was a bystander while Alfonso got in a fist fight.

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1xRun: Tell us a little bit about this piece, is the original still for sale?
Madsteez:  
I originally created it for a group show but when I was finished, I was like nahhhhhhh I can’t let this thing go! The piece is sold! Shaun Neff is the proud owner.

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1xRUN: When was this piece created and with what materials?
Madsteez:
This piece was created 7/21/11 – 10:17pm using oil, spray, and acrylic paints.

1xRun: Tell us how the idea and execution came about?
Madsteez:
  I was  watching a rerun of Fresh Prince and it was one of the ones where WEENLTON was just crushing that dance and I was like oh shit, I don’t think anyone has done a proper portrait of him. I looked online and sure enough, it was on!

1xRun: How long did this piece take?
Madsteez: 
 Adding in the drying times of the oil, about 6 days.

1xRun: What is unique about this piece?
Madsteez:
 I had the original painting drying in the sun on the roof of my WEENvan and some how I forgot it was up there and drove away. I probably got a mile away when I heard what sounded like a pterodactyl pound my roof. Except it was WEENLTON flying airborne what looked like 15 feet in the air. A little dirt and scratches never hurt nobody.

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1xRun: Why should people buy this print?
Madsteez:  You should buy it because WEENLTON is rock’n a WEENer dog bow tie!

1xRun: Describe this piece  in one gut reaction word.
Madsteez:
 FRESH.

1xRUN-Madsteez-Weenlton-15x22-blog1xRun: When did you start using such a wide variety of colors in your work? or has that always been a signature of your style would you say?
Madsteez:
  I was born blind in my left eye with a super rare condition. Instead of seeing black, I see a plethora of kaleidoscoped and gradiented colors. So naturally, I gravitate towards brightness and color as that is the only thing that I have that  gives my blind eye a voice.

1xRun: You’re the creative director over at BL!SSS Magazine tell us a bit about that, how did that get started and for those who don’t know what does the magazine cover?
Madsteez:
   BL!SSS is a culture magazine that features surf, skate, snowboarding, art, music and fashion. It’s a place where we’ve been able to showcase the things with love in the world that we live in.

blissmagcovers

1xRun: You have drawn a range of celebrities and musicians over the years, who have some of your favorites been?
Madsteez:
  I’d have to say, BoW!EEN (Bowie), WEEN DoggyDog (Snoop), Bob MarWEEN (Marley), HopperWEEN (Dennis Hopper), and WEENKostanza (George Kostanza).

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1xRun: We’ve seen you and Danny Brown mugging by your mural of him, have you met many of the other musicians/actors you’ve painted?
Madsteez:
  I’ve gotten to meet a bunch of them but the best hands down would have to be Bill MurrWEEN (Bill Murray). I still can’t believe I had that dood naked, cock in hand, in the WEENfaktory posing for a portrait.

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hopper

1xRun: What music has been inspiring you lately?
Madsteez:
  Currently, Dan Deacon’s Pandora channel has been doing the job as of late but I must say I am a bit musically frustrated at the moment.

1xRun: Any new artists that you have really been digging as of late?
Madsteez:
  I’ve really been loving SatOne. He’s experimental style is just so amazing. It’s so hard to do but he’s seemed to have figured out how to translate his canvas work into his large murals.

1xRun: What else do you have coming up in the next 2-3 months?
Madsteez:
  I just shot a Reebok commercial with Shaq which is going to be dropping in a month which I’m super exited about. The usual hustle at Art Basel and just finding time in-between to paint for my solo-show which hopefully will be in 2014.

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1xRun: What was the last piece of art that you bought?
Madsteez:
  An animation cell from the Simpson’s of Santa’s Little Helper. My new favorite!

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1xRun: Where else can people find you?
Mad Steez: WebsiteFacebookInstagram @madsteez

-1xRUN