His not been able to paint the last couple of years but continued to support the event behind the scenes ..

We are looking forward to seeing Wingy back painting at this year’s event.

 

NUE quick five 

Tell us a little about yourself and what got you started painting ? 

Began life in Newtown, moved to Erdington and stayed in erdo til i grew up.

Saw all the early graff scene evolve through my brothers generation in Brum and all the music that come with it so i got to see well before my time really. My bro was friends with Media & Jem1 and their crew pretty much had the run of north Brum.

I got to help them paint out the Pen & Wig when i was about 13/14. I didnt know that ppl paid for Graff until then. Beyond the books/magazines

they were my real inspiration. After that i just sketched and tagged, til All-nighters were more important…

shouts to Trial DWZ in the eary days around Erdington.

I didnt pick a can up and paint my own thing til about 2012 after a life of shit jobs/dole and needed to get back to who i was.

Kem & Mef were fundamental to me painting at that point, as were all the others who said to get on it…

pilgrim, jem, auz, zook, title, temper, ske, fuels, rask, vom, hush, coast off the top of my head.

NUE around that time was my first rushed (shit) attempt to pick up a can again when Vic let me take an empty bit of wall.

i come back next year and dropped Dredd, but gnasher & step had smashed their own dredd characters and brave created a killer wall too. big year.

After that it was all a learning curve and making some great friendships along the way.

Biggup everyone I’ve met along the way!

 Best place you have painted ?

Best and worst was in Dubai with Title as an experience. Like nothing i’ve seen before, and in that heat! an impossible task to use cans in.

Just by using a can of paint gets you into places you just would never normally see… in my life anyway.

Flake got me painting on the “Ready player one” set with hoax, days after my bro died and that was a very special moment.

I feel privileged everyday to paint for a living. And the social paints with top mates. I love being out of sight, behind the scenes in hidden spots.

 Any big plans for this year ?

Back to basics this year, i helped build Highvis last year.

But this year I’m concentrating on my mental health a bit more, all the jobs and festival took its toll.

I’d say thats a big plan. Still doin commission stuff but also more time in the studio,

I’ve got things i’ve planned for ages that i just dont get time to finish.

Tell us your funniest moments when out painting ?

We got chased through perry barr park by the gypsies building marquees years ago 92?, we’d been tagging n having a smoke

but done nothing other than run through the tents on the tables on the way home. they went raccoon on us, chased us in 4×4’s it was full on.

then they caught us but were sound and let us go. 

I do like a trip over or a slip loaded up with cans, emulsion n ladders

Anyone who you would like to collaborate with?

I got to paint with Posea last month, hes on a mission this year!

I also got to work with Gent48 this month, he’s someone i’ve rated for ages.

i’m always amazed/privileged who i get to rub shoulders with on a wall and never take it for granted.

Just to paint with humble heads really, who are prepared to muck in and get a wall banged out the best you can.

RIP Mark. Love to my girls. Peace