Subscribe
Share
Share
Embed
Graffiti Park Radio! 🎨🎧 Where creativity knows no bounds.
Listen to Graffiti Park Radio were we’ll tap in with artists, our proud partners, and community stakeholders who believe in empowering the next generation of art visionaries and the valuable teaching moments that come from living, breathing art.
Wesley Knight 0:00
This is a KU NV studios original program. The content of this program does not reflect the views or opinions of 91.5 jazz and more the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, or the Board of Regents of the Nevada System of Higher Education.
Anika Jones 0:16
Let's get scratching. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the vibrant world of graffiti Park radio, where creativity knows no bound, we'll tap in with artists, educators, our proud partners and community stakeholders who believe in empowering the next generation of visionaries beyond the hidden alleyways abandoned warehouses and local city transits, where artists are known to leave their mark, graffiti Park Foundation has redefined and re imagined the persona a street Museum.
Dan Moloney 0:44
Hello, we're here. We're here. Hello, hey, so we got our sunglasses on. Everyone a little sleepy, little shady, got our sunglasses on. It's Dan and Dan and miss and Nika Jones, another episode of graffiti Park radio. How you guys doing today?
Dan Bulgatz 1:03
Fantastic. Or any better, I'd be a twin. There you
Dan Moloney 1:07
go. There you go. I heard him say that four times today, this must be a good day. Must be a good day. Today is, in fact, a good day. We are joined by Corey, also known as a minxer. Beautiful day out there. It is. It is a he is a Las Vegas born artist with his roots in graffiti, whose work brings color, creativity and community together across the city as the lead in house artists for the graffiti Park Foundation. Corey designs and paints murals in schools, playgrounds, boys and girls, clubs, rec centers, con X box as you name it, transforming those spaces into vibrant reflections of local pride. His creative process centers on community engagement, often involving the students and people in those communities and hands on workshops to explore how to compose those, design those, and make them a part in shaping the murals that brighten their environment. Mr. Mink, sir, how you doing?
Khori 2:03
I'm doing great, man. It's a beautiful day. That was a great intro. Thank you. Sounds it sounds good.
Dan Bulgatz 2:13
So that guy sounds pretty cool. Just been busy. Is all doing?
Khori 2:20
What? Yeah, between art and action at Boys and Girls Club and picking up side jobs and stuff like that. Man did a couple backyards and a little con X Box, like you said today. Actually, I just finished that. That was great. But yeah, man just trying to put together classes for the kids and hoping that I'm good enough to teach them. You know,
Dan Moloney 2:45
more than good enough, man, they are lucky to have you, dude. It is an honor, man. It's been a long time coming. We've been This is episode, what, 1516, maybe 17, maybe 17. It's one of the teens, mid teens here. You know, there's some hormones. So mid teens, we've, we've had quite a few artists on and one day you were like, dude, let me get on the pod several days. So we got you on the pod, yeah, man, and we're stoked to have you, dude, thanks. Well,
Dan Bulgatz 3:13
so I'd like to interject and talk a little bit about that is, we did a podcast a long time ago, probably three years ago now at this point, and it was at our very first office, and it was similar, we also had sunglasses on, but we had a whole face garb. There's a whole stigma. Still. You were still an active graffiti writer, and now you are an active, full time muralist or artist. I guess it'd be a better way to say that. So can you just run us through that? Now, here we are, three years later, after that initial interview, what's changed for you in the last three years?
Khori 3:43
Brother, a lot's changed. But I'm still, I'm still the same me, you know, I think with the face mask and all, I just felt more comfortable. Like, yeah, I didn't, I don't know. I didn't know you guys back then, and I don't know who's watching. I'm like, you'd rather just not have my face out there. Now, it's like, I mean, I don't know, you want to arrest me for painting murals for kids. That's cool. Like, I don't know. Yeah, lately I've just been really working hard at murals and stuff and community stuff, more than you know, graph itself. It's been a while, actually, but, yeah, it's been a great transition, man, I've been working harder than I ever have with with painting and stuff like that. So it's been beautiful.
Dan Moloney 4:33
I know that our first project was in, I think, October of 2021 over at Tate Elementary School, the good old, the famous fearless letters that are still rocking out there.
Khori 4:46
They're still haunting me. Dude,
Dan Moloney 4:49
that's one of my favorite pieces, yeah, of all time.
Dan Bulgatz 4:52
Um, so we'll pop that up on the screen. But funny story about that, as we were doing, you know, those c cap projects that we were once doing and mixer had reached out. Through another artist that works with us, el Mario del barrio. And Mario is like, Hey, I got a buddy of mine that wants to come out and put some letters down. And so again, these CCAP projects were open call for artists. We provide all of the paint, the theme, everything kind of involved in those projects. And then the artist is able to come out there and just crush it. And minks are put out, I think, arguably, one of the cleanest set of letters that we've produced now in almost five, six years. And he I remember us talking beforehand, well, a couple of months after that, and minx was talking to us. He was like, Dude, I was so nervous to come out there to the first event at graffiti Park. Like I literally threw up before that event. And I remember talking to him like, well, that's kind of like the the community, the experience that we try to provide for people when they come out to these projects is, hey, don't worry about any of that stuff. Just get on there and get to the wall and crush it. And that's exactly what you did. And so that started now five years, I guess, up to this point now, of projects and change and and coming from, like a moonlighting artist who are now that is your full time profession, man, like, that's so cool to us. And so just walk us through a little bit of that journey of like, start to finish, I guess,
Dan Moloney 6:03
yeah, I want to go further back, further further back than 2021 I like that. Where are you from? What, what? When do you get started in art?
Khori 6:16
Well, I'm from right here in Las Vegas, on the, like downtown district, right on the border of, like, East Side in North town. And with art I, I grew up with, like, some B boys right, like the house right across the street from me. They were, yeah, break dancers. They went by homegrown crew. And within that crew, I would see graffiti everywhere, and the videos that they would have, you know, it's like a lot of graffiti, so it always interests me, you know, it was one of those things, like, I wanted to be a B boy, realized, Okay, I can't do all that stuff, but the graffiti was there, so I just took that along with me, and then I had been just doing it in books, you know, like on paper and stuff. And I'm talking real young, like I was, I was break dancing at like seven, you know, so I'm like, right? I'm doing all this at like that age. And then in fifth grade, some of my crew members moved into the neighborhood, and like me and the younger brother became like best friends, and we just had all those interests, you know, like skateboarding, break dancing, graffiti. So it started there at a real young age, man, and then just throughout the years, I couldn't let it go, you know, it's just one of those things that you like. I still can't let it go. You know, I'm not gonna say I retired or anything. I'm it's just breaks. You know what? I mean, like, sometimes you got to pump the brakes. But throughout my whole life, I've always done it. And then coming back to Vegas, I just, I don't know, I when I saw you guys popping up online. I was like, why are all these people painting? And I'm not like, what is going on here? I hit up Mario kind of mad. I was like, Who are these dudes? But yeah, so I was following you. Bull gets on Instagram because of we had talked a long time before. I was like, what is that? That's cool. And then he told me your name. So I was following your page, your private one, like personal one, anyways. And I was like, I do follow that guy. He's like, No, you got to follow their company's thing. They'll put out the call, and then you just show up. So that's how I found you guys. And then, yeah, was there more to that question?
Anika Jones 8:41
I guess just the in between, yeah,
Dan Moloney 8:43
well, that, well, I'm trying to throw you some softball here. What were you doing? So you said, you mentioned you came back from so we know minx are very well, but we're trying to get all y'all out there listening to know, so obviously graffiti, and I wanted to include that in your intro, like, your roots are in graffiti, like you mentioned, like the hip hop culture, of the music, the dancing, the graffiti, like all that's a part of that ecosystem. And all those players are equally important. And you find what you like you know the most. And so you mentioned coming back to Vegas, you were doing some art stuff, maybe down on Fremont, right? So how are you creating? What was your creative outlet, besides graffiti, before you kind of started rocking with the murals?
Khori 9:29
Oh, so Mario again. Man, I love that dude. He hooked me up with a job at the caricature booth and on Fremont Street. Nice. So I did those starting in 2016 Okay, and yeah, I was, I was at some job that I hated, and we went through it like me. And the dude I was, I was quitting. I quit. And the dude, like, apologize. He was like, Look, dude, well, blah, blah. So they kept me for a little longer after that. But I put out the post anyways. And I was like. Like, I'm an artist. I need our jobs, serious stuff. I'm not doing tattoos anymore, you know, like, I'm not doing your tattoo idea, you know, like, for 10 bucks. And then Mario put that out. He's like, I got you an interview. So I went over there and learned how to do caricatures, and got humbled by that real quick. And, yeah, so that was, that was great at that turned into a love hate thing. I was real eager to prove myself with those and then long journey I I'm comfortable with where I'm at now and doing them. It's just kind of a, just one of those things I got my back pocket, though, that I can, I can always,
Dan Bulgatz 10:41
always a source, a little party trick, yeah,
Dan Moloney 10:43
and like, and sorry, Dan. And it's like, it sounds like one of the first, like, actual professional outlets to, like, be a creative right? You're like, you kind of sounds like you declared yourself. I'm an artist. I'm looking for like, an actual thing that can, you know, move me forward, other than like you were saying, just drawn in for the homies or whatever. How long? And I could imagine how nerve wracking that is, especially down on Fremont. When you're, you know, people are sitting across from you. They're paying for it, or they have a certain level of expectation. May or may not have had a few How long until you feel comfortable? Or do you ever feel comfortable? Like, how? What was that process like for you?
Khori 11:21
Now, it's cool. I have fun because I see that they're more nervous. You know, it's always I remember getting a few of them myself. They suck, you know, like, dang, smile at you, but no, like, it's, it's fun. I have more fun with them now I'm looser. I can talk to people I can, you know, goof off with them, to where they do smile for me. And I'm not like, can you please smile for me? Look at me and smile please, like, you know. And how long did that take for you to get it took about it took about a year or so, man, or even more. Because, yeah, the struggles of caricatures still are relevant to anyone at any point, because if the customer don't like it, doesn't matter how good you are, how good you think you are, if they don't like it, you know, they don't like it. So and that can really throw you off. It can, like, really mess up the mood, where maybe it affects you personally. But also it's like the customers will see that. Yeah, I've seen that happen, where people go down a path after they get rejected once the other people, like, I don't want to go to you, you know. And it may not have been bad or whatever, but it's just a stigma kind of a thing. Same thing with starting caricatures. If nobody's sitting for you, nobody wants to be the first one, you know. I mean, so it's hard to get them started. I
Dan Moloney 12:41
mean, even just like, you're taking someone's likeness, right? And so you're like, what do they you know? And every you know, that's the human thing, right? And like, what do people love about themselves? What do they hate about themselves? And it's like, you know, if they have a mole, you put it in there, you're like, Oh, it's you it's funny. And they're like, I hate that mole. And you're like,
Khori 12:58
why would you sit for it? Then, yeah, exactly, you know what I mean? I kind of read people, yeah, some, some husbands or wives get, like, suckered into it, and they're like, I have to sit here because they want it. So I'm usually nice with it. With girls, I can be real pretty with their eyes. And that's that usually does the trick. If you got a double chin off, you know, just the eyes are pretty big
Anika Jones 13:25
boobs, and there you go. No, you have a great sense for just being compassionate and reading the room and reading people. You said that you love doing things that involve the community. What started that for you, like, what built that was that your upbringing, your fat your own family, your community. How did that start? I don't know.
Khori 13:45
I don't know. I've been shy my whole life. Yeah, we kind
Anika Jones 13:48
of forced him to do that. Yeah, you're so good with it, but you're so intuitive when it comes my senior character,
Khori 13:53
maybe like my dad's an entertainer. You know? He plays music. I see him on stage, and when he's up there, he's not stiff, you know what? I mean, he's real, like, hey, like he's talking to people. Crack a joke while he's playing, you know? Like, it's not just music coming from him. You'll hear some laughter and whatever, he gets people involved. So there, I've had good examples throughout my life. I don't know. I just try hard to not be like, young quiet me anymore. You know, I used to just keep my mouth shut everywhere I went, but
Dan Moloney 14:28
well, and I think, like Anika, feel free to interject, but I think what you're saying is, you know, when we sometimes, when you do murals, you'll put little easter eggs in there that are like, Oh, I was talking to this kid, and he really liked this. So I put that in there. Or, you know, they had this one picture in the front. I think it's really cool. I kind of slid that in there. Or in art and action is literally you draw, you know, you and me walking around the room, like, what do you guys want it? And like, these kids love tacos. Make sure. Finds a way to put Kirby sucking a taco, on, on, on the mirror. Roll. And, dude, we were at the, you know, Boys and Girls Club today, and they're like, the mural at so high looks sick. The kids love it. The whole clubhouse is talking about it. So I don't think you, you know, it's, you can still be shy, but it's, I think you, you, you're a sponge. And you take those things and you find ways observant, yeah? And I think it probably comes back to the character caricatures to some extent, right? So I think that's pretty cool.
Khori 15:20
Yeah, yeah, you kind of it's easy to pay attention sometimes, yeah, you know, well,
Anika Jones 15:26
we connected in that way to working at the school that I, you know, work at as my day job is just completely connected with as a holiday season. So like, everyone's really busy, we're stressed out, worried about having to get things done and makes you were there. Your dad even showed up to, like, just be a great support. And just, even though I'd already known what the you know, what the guys do, and worked with them for a long time, you definitely tried to make it a very community involved thing when that is, like, literally my job, and he was giving that to me as somebody that we had hired to do a job. So that was really cool, and we've been cool ever since that was what, two years ago?
Khori 16:00
Yeah, yeah. Well, it's been great, yeah. Like, that one was a job that you guys threw me, and you're like, here's the budget, if you want to do it all yourself, you know. And of course, like, I'm not, I'm not gonna be greedy about it, first of all, and there was way too much work for me. Like, even trippy got in on that one, like, last minute. I saw him at the party, yeah. I was like, Hey, what are you doing tomorrow? You want to go back? It was, like, a real big help throughout the whole thing too. Is like, very last second, yeah, Becca was there.
Anika Jones 16:29
It was nice. It was really nice. I had asked you actually, our principal wanted an addition, just like you're saying that little caveat that just makes it so special. It was He was done. It was done. We were ready to start our holiday. And my principal was like, Can you please just add this last piece? And it's so cool, because it's that Curious George in the corner right at the end. And I could just tell you did not want to do it, but he was like, so sweet about it, so I kind of owe him.
Khori 16:51
It's all good. Yeah, I I enjoy stuff like that when, when it's like, All right, I'll just do my best or whatever, because then that surprises me. Sometimes, sometimes I the small detail things too curious. George isn't a big character, and I did them real small. Yeah, stuff like that is a challenge, but I like it, because throughout the years, I proved myself what I can do in certain situations,
Dan Bulgatz 17:21
definitely, man, and I'll attest to that right here. I'll tell you straight up, like you're one of the most versatile artists here in Las Vegas that we know, like when it comes to caricatures, murals, characters as a part, graffiti, letters, I mean, like, there's really no style that you can't do. And I think that's just kind of a testament to starting out at one place and making sure that you perfect that craft and getting comfortable in it before you get curious about another one, I guess. And so even in this last year, mink, so we've seen you now go from, you know, like a graffiti artist, quote, unquote, to now our most recent product, or not most recent even we've done so many now since that one, but at El Dorado, we went very clean, very collegiate, all brushwork. We're using the Oculus to get the things up in there. We're using a paint sprayer to get down the basic background paints. And so we've really seen you evolve from just a graffiti artist to now where there's quite literally no part of a mural or any sort of professional installation that we don't think that you can handle, which I think is so cool, man. Yeah.
Khori 18:18
I mean, through all this, you guys helped me every step of the way, like you said, like making things easy for me, prep wise and stuff like that. You know, not needing to go buy all the paint before I go do the thing people like me need that. You know what I mean? I'm not very motivated to go do all everything. You know what I mean? Like the fact that I can show up and just be creative is real helpful. It's like, it's something that I needed to get my foot in the door on this, because now I am going to go do all that stuff, you know, and it's not that big of a deal anymore. I'm not worried about if I can. I've done it so many times now. It's like, let's, let's do it right every time.
Dan Moloney 19:00
Yep, yeah. I mean, what you just said, like, that's like, our why, you know, is, like, we want to work with artists that may not want to deal with all that they certainly can and they will now, like you just said, but it's like, hey, that's what we're here for, come rocks and murals,
Dan Bulgatz 19:17
especially in the start. Like, it's, it can be so discouraging to like think about all those things before you even get to be able to implement your design or do what you know. So for the artists that are looking for that kind of jump, are looking for that motivation is, do you have any words of wisdom for them? Anything that helped you out along the way that you think is like a good point to jump, to sink your teeth in, to start
Khori 19:40
well for like, murals in general, I just make sure you prep that thing. You know, you can bring everything, except for the tarp, and then you're painting all over their floor. And then what you know, like, so take that extra care, take that extra time. Add that extra day to your quote. You know what I mean, that you're going to be you. Of taking care of the space. It's not that hard. It might be frustrating a little bit, but it ain't that much work. You know, I think a lot of us, I don't know, I can't speak for all the artists, but I think a lot of people are, like, lazy or just don't know that they can
Dan Moloney 20:17
how far that, you know, dust can go well, and
Anika Jones 20:19
how far this takes our career. Like, you know, this that little bit of extra, yeah, you're a little bit of extra. Add so much more legitimacy to the brand, because you're making sure that it's top notch every time you do it exactly. I think every individual artist needs to know how important that is to them and to their craft as well.
Khori 20:36
You know, a lot of people are new to spray paint, yeah, that I've been meeting, you know, like, through graffiti, park and stuff. So they don't really know what, like, maybe they do know that it's in the back of their head, and if they are being lazy about it, like, step it up. You know what I mean? Because seriously, like, we're not, I mean what? I don't know this is a fun gig. It is a very fun gig, but take pride in your work, yeah, because it is a gig. So just come with your A game. I feel that
Dan Moloney 21:04
snip that one. So as you've we've seen from the fearless letters to, you know, the mural you did two weeks ago at so high, you know what Dan mentioned, all these skills that are now in your little Batman utility belt. What has been, kind of, do you think has been the biggest challenge, or the thing you're most proud of, maybe, was a challenge you overcame in the last like four years of working with us?
Khori 21:36
Doubt, I think, like the self doubt part, like, you know. Like I said, with that fearless piece, I was so nervous, you know, I knew I was gonna rock it, you know. But like, I, I just don't know what the Horizon has, you know. And now you never know, do you? You know, it's like, just, I don't know. Face Face it, whatever it is, face it, yeah, look it straight in the eye and do it scared, if you need to, you know. So now it's like, I come with so much experience now that the new stuff I'm just curious about now, like, whatever's new, come on. Like, I wonder what that's gonna be. Like, I'm not like, tripping inside. Like, oh man, I don't know. Should I just call it off? No. Like, go up there and see what's gonna happen. You know, like, the biggest thing was, like, talking to anyone that class I did for the Boys and Girls Club thing, the very first art in action that I had a part in, I was sweating so hard, man, just so nervous. It was a hot room, yeah, just like, I don't know. I was not having I was like, why am I doing this to myself? I volunteered for that, and then what we've done like, eight of them since then, or however much, I don't know, but it gets easier. You know, I felt it like one of the last times we were going for the first time, you know, like, to a club brand new, that like, I wasn't nervous. I'm like, pulling in. I'm like, Look at me. Not nervous.
Dan Moloney 23:03
I was all proud of myself. Yeah, dude, this last design you I love the second design you sent me. On the little top, you said, you know, sorry I can't be there today. I'll see you next week. Minxer, I was like,
Khori 23:15
Yeah, I don't want them to feel like, whatever. Yeah, like they met us. Now it's we're sending DOM and Lou, like, who knows? They're probably just like, they don't even care about Yeah, little message like that can go along
Anika Jones 23:27
Exactly, yeah, we talked about that a lot. You know, you're dealing with the demographic of students oftentimes that don't have that support, or maybe don't have that support as often as they should, or maybe, you know, not in the way that they wanted to so just that little recognition to a guy from a guy so cool, I think that that really means something to them, that really does well.
Dan Bulgatz 23:49
Minx, I do want to kind of throw in a couple of cool little tidbits. So straight person, person man like you are the first artist that we've really felt, I guess, the impact that graffiti Park has had on someone's life. And when I say that, like, we kind of brushed on it a little bit earlier on, there was a point when you were moonlighting as an artist, I guess we'll call it, and you still had a day job, and Dan and I are trying to hire you for gigs. And you're like, Hey, man, I'm sorry. Like, I've got work. This, this, this, and Dan and I kind of said to you, we were like, Okay, what? What are you, you know, what is the direct compensation over the course of a week? And if we are just rocking these three day projects, like, what are the chances? And I remember, literally, within a week, you would come back to me and you're like, so I
Dan Moloney 24:35
quit my job. Quit my job, so I'm free whenever, like, Oh, damn. We don't have any projects.
Khori 24:43
I did that by mitzvah, yeah,
Dan Moloney 24:46
so and like, we literally tell that story, like, dude, like this guy, there's a reason you're like the lead guy, you're in our staff meetings. You know. Where are we going
Dan Bulgatz 24:56
with that? So I just want to tell like, we have so much confidence and faith in you. You and your ability to do that, even though you did it scared, even though, like you said, you're looking down, right down at this problem, and it's like, okay, what am I going to do? How am I going to fix this? What am I and not only did you conquer that, but you've done it with flying colors now, and I think in the last couple of years, like you've really found your footing as a full time artist, and you're confident in saying that too. So can I just asked, from your perspective, what was that like?
Khori 25:22
Man, that was crazy. That was the most confident I've ever felt in my life. Quitting that job. It wasn't because of anything you guys said, You know what? I mean, it was you had asked me a while before that actually, if I could be lead artist, and my excuse was I had a full time job, I didn't have a car, you know? I didn't know if it was doable, and that the quitting the job thing was already going to happen. That was just in the cards. Man, they were doing me dirty, and I was feeling like a fool. You know what I mean, like union rules. I don't want to get specific on anything, but union rules really screwed me over there, and I was five years in trying to level up, it wasn't happening. And I was like, turning down jobs from you guys to go be there where they're treating me like that. And I was like, All right, I'm out. And then that wasn't the plan to just be a full time artist. I had a job lined up across the street at another casino, and when I went to the Union bartenders union, I ain't afraid to say that they treated me like crap, dude. They were just like, we don't even know you. They said, You know, like I was going for a union referral, right? And she was like, we're not helping some dude off the street. And I was like, I don't know what to tell you. I was like, they sent me this email. She was like, save it. We're not helping some dude off the street. And I was like, Cool. And when I bounced out of there, that place called me back and was like, Yeah, you need that. You're for I was like, Thanks for the offer. I'm not going back. I'll never go back. I was like, No, that's not for me. Like every bartender I knew there was, like, miserable with their job, even though, like, it's a cool gig. You know what? I mean, they're all miserable because they want more. And I was like, that's not me. That's not gonna be me. I'm not fighting for that position because this one was here waiting for me, you know. And I was like, You know what? Like, I feel great. I called you a little too high up. I was like, anything you need, you know, like, yeah, you run some miscellaneous jobs, yeah, whatever. Give it to me. I don't care. Like, I need the work right now. And you guys provided that. That was great. Thank you guys.
Dan Moloney 27:42
So we got a couple minutes left here on the before the after hours episode. So you get two minutes left, man. What do you got coming up and where can people find you if they're interested in taking a look at your artwork?
Khori 27:57
As of right now, I'm, I'm only on Instagram, which is fine. I'm, you know, I'm doing my my thing as I can, trying to get better at this. But in the future, I will be rocking with whatever you guys got for me, whatever anyone's got for me. I just did a pop up job this weekend for a dude going to complex con in a couple of days, and we got Seema right after that. That's gonna be fun, sir, yeah, me, and he'll be rocking some stuff. That's gonna be fun. And I don't know, just like I'm getting more comfortable with caricatures, not saying that I want to do more caricatures, but that is something that I got in my back pocket always do that, I'm sure. And then the murals, man, just hoping they get bigger and and better. And whatever I can do for it, you know, wherever I can be of assistance. You know, I love it, really, not trying to be the lead on anything, you know, just like, let's, let's just work.
Dan Moloney 28:58
Loved it, man. So you can find minxer on Instagram at minxer, that's m, I, N, K, S, E, R, o7, and if you're interested in checking out minsters work, you can find them there on his Instagram. You can also check us out at graffiti Park. Underscore, L, V, he's all over our social media, and it's been a pleasure to have you here today. Man, we're excited. You really are the man.
Khori 29:22
Thank you guys, that's been great.
Dan Moloney 29:26
Miss Nick Jones, thank you. You got anything? Just happy to be here. All right, and now, Kia, you.
Transcribed by https://otter.ai