Dec 29, 2011

For the last few years here in L.A. Street art has grown to bigger proportions from new artists wanting to break in to international artists coming to cali to make their mark. Within the spray and paste we focus on an artist today that can be seen all over the streets of Hollywood. His name is SEPTERHED.

I recently tracked down and got a hold of the man behind the imagery, so I figured I would ask him a few questions.

Q: How old were you and where did you start?

A:I have been an artist my whole life so I guess as early as I could hold a crayon, although I preferred sharpies. I didn’t start focusing my attention on Septerhed until about 3 years ago. Septerhed was my senior thesis in college. I branded myself and never looked back. At times it’s overwhelming and obsessive and annoying, kind of like life.

Q: Where have you been?

A: I’ve been here the whole time. Hi.

Q: What compelled you to do your first street throw?

A:I’m going to assume “throw” means “getting up”. I have always driven around LA and seen Shark Toof pieces here and there but never made the connection. Alec Monopoly SMASHED my hood and I finally realized that it was something I could do. I was compelled to do my first bombing run by daring myself to go out of my comfort zone and do what felt unnatural SPREAD ART ALL OVER. BOMB BOMB BOMB BOMB BOMB BOMB and then BOMB.

Q: What was it?

A: It was a screen printed Zeruch surrounded by suicides, very small, on newsprint. I used an actual paint brush and some store bought paste. It was all very cute.

Q: Who are your influences?

A: My enemies. They make me want to try harder. Alot of B&W artists. I really dig Mike Giant and Skinner and well I don’t really want to drop names too much. When I 1st started doing street art I was impressed by all of the street artists I looked up too. At the time it was all of them. Now I get my influences from outside sources. I follow certain artists and I like certain things but I use life experiences as influences. I go through about 35 different sites a day and just skim bits and pieces from here and there. Actually I just lied, nothing I said for this question was true, sorry.

Q: What, in your opinion, is your best work?

A: Whatever the last thing was that I made. I only like it while I am making it. About a minute after I am done, I could give a shit about it. It’s just the way it is. ALWAYS MAKE NEW, NEVER STOP.

Q: Is there a goal?

A: To do what I love until I die.

Q: What do you aspire to be?

A: A bulldozer.

Q: Do you generate a good income from your street presence?
If so, how?

A: Selling serigraphs, gallery pieces, freelance work and printing posters for clients. I also breed miniature bulldogs in my daydreams. I do pretty well, EVERYTHING goes back into the streets. It doesn’t matter though, I am in so much debt, it will never matter. It’s like spitting on a burning mountain. It’s very difficult to make any money. Everything is half of what you sell. It’s just the way it is. The term “starving artist” is 100% true for most of us. You follow your passion, broke and hopeless, because you don’t know anything else. If you have enough sense to try to do something else you will end up living miserably because you’re not doing what your soul wants.

Q: Do you have any advice for the kids?

A: YES.FUCK OFF! Also,do what you want because someday you will be dead and it won’t matter. But listen to your friends and maybe even your parents. I mean don’t actually “listen to them”, but acknowledge telling you what to do because they may actually know and/or care about you. However don’t do what they say and don’t listen to me either. You will live your life, make mistakes and find out the hard way it will be AWESOME.