Here , you have Donna Lewis approaching us and saying , “ I need you guys to be in CityArts Factory .” Once we realized that we had been hand-picked , we said , “ Oh ! This is a great way to get to that next level !” You bring it to the people .
That ’ s really awesome , man . So , what was your dream as a little kid ? And has that changed , or is that still the seed of your dreams ? When I was a kid , my dream job was to be a football player , but also always an artist , and a poet . My mother was an artist , and my father was a poet . I was always going to be doing some sort of art , and some sort of poetry . Now it has turned into music , as well .
So , what ’ s your dream right now ? Man , I ’ m living my dream . Straight up . I do art for a living , I do music for a living , I ’ m not really working any other job , but I promote . I am totally living my dream . The only thing that I could hope for is for everyone around me to live theirs . But , if I were to move further , I would be working with these local businesses , and we ’ d be putting on shows or events where people can benefi t from that , pretty much weekly .
I ’ d like to turn any city that I ’ m living in into a city that is constantly striving to be the absolute best that they can be . There ’ s a bunch of ideas that I have for that type of movement . But for me personally , I ’ m set .
What do you think Orlando ’ s goal should Respect the Architect , digital art be , as a city ? And also , where you think the art scene is headed ? I think Orlando should focus on the arts . Too many times we play this role of trying to be accepted . We need to be making bolder moves .
There ’ s this art project where people are painting on electrical boxes . I like that people are pushing to put art in different places ... But for me , nah . Not electrical boxes . Give these people a wall . Give them something valuable . Let it be known that this is really important . There was this whole movement of putting art on dumpsters . Really ? You put me in all these nooks and crannies , just to “ beautify ” the city . But you ’ ll never put me in a place that truly matters . So , I ’ d say we really need to push harder . Dare to be bolder . Come together . The same way that we
Orlando ’ s Art Scene , v . 1.4
had the vigil . That was a perfect spot . That was beautiful . It gave that Dr . Phillips Center a totally different feel .
But , how do we push people like that ? We have to get smaller businesses , like ARTBORNE , to build with some of these bigger businesses . If ARTBORNE links up with a few different dope artists from around town , then links up with Sam Flax , then links up with the Orlando Museum of Art , and the Orlando Magic , and Orlando City Soccer — we get forces like that behind us , and we push a big project together !
When everybody comes together , that ’ s when you start to see a real difference . People need to come together with their businesses to support each other . And make it known .
Why do you think art is important ? Oh , man … It ’ s an effective way of communication .
Just getting the message across in the most effective method possible . Yeah . Because , a lot of times when people look at art , they don ’ t have that creator to speak to . It ’ s got a life of its own .
This kind of brings it full circle . You have people talking about the fl ag saying , “ Don ’ t disrespect it !” Somebody created that shit . It ’ s a symbol and this is what it meant . I would love for my piece to be treated like a fl ag . That ’ s exactly how I ’ m creating it . I can ’ t imagine being the creator of a fl ag . I ’ d be like , “ There are people dying for this shit !”
It ’ s practically a defining factor of their life . That ’ s crazy . That ’ s a really good note . The other thing is , when people wave that fl ag , it ’ s representing . When folks wave that fl ag and then misrepresent it , it can turn into a whole different thing , and that ’ s when we start getting away from the art . Like I said , art is a great communicator of information , but if you don ’ t understand what you ’ re trying to communicate , then it ceases to be the art .
Art is dangerous when mishandled and / or misused and / or mistreated . So , folks burning the fl ag — I get what that symbolizes , but if you don ’ t know what the fl ag means , and I ’ m not saying to other folks . I mean
36