Showcasing inventive and inspiring ideas from some of Sharpie’s most passionate fans, this year’s Sharpie Squad is comprised of 20 bloggers, artists, fashionistas and creative gurus.  As Sharpie ambassadors, Squad members get the exclusive inside scoop into the world of Sharpie.  They will also be among the first to learn about promotions and campaigns and will receive all of the latest and greatest Sharpie innovations before they hit stores.  Each member will collect some sweet Sharpie swag throughout the year, including t-shirts, personalized Sharpie markers and one-of-a-kind Sharpie avatars designed in their likenesses to use on their own social media sites.

As we are so passionate about the talent this group has to offer, we’ll be shining the spotlight on each individual Squad member throughout 2010 on our own social media sites, so keep an eye out on Sharpie Uncapped, Facebook, and right here on the Sharpie Blog.  You can also stay up to date on all things Sharpie via Twitter with SharpieSusan & SharpieWhit.

Get to know the Sharpie Squad!

Though brand new to the Sharpie Squad this year, you may recognize this next member as she was a brilliant asset to Sharpie during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in NYC last fall at our DIY Sharpie Bar!  

Erica Domesek is a distinguished lifestyle, design and style expert, living and creating in New York City.  She is also the founder of the innovative DIY brand “PS-I Made This…” With a keen eye and ability to make everything from fashion accessories, home décor accents and provide a vision for creative soirees, Erica’s work has been featured in publications such as Teen Vogue, Glamour, Vogue Nippon, Domino, GQ, among others.   She has styled and designed campaigns for international brands such as Kate Spade, Tumi, J.Crew, Anthropologie, Roxy, Sigerson Morrison, and True Religion, Helmut Lang, and has hosted Alloy Entertainment’s Teen.com TV’s Craft Club.

Follow Erica on Twitter. Fan her on Facebook. See all the DIY inspirations from P.S. – I made this…

Erin Moore of Things Moms Like, a popular review and giveaway blog, is the mother of two (7 and 14).  A 2009 Sharpie Squad veteran, back for more in 2010, Erin has worked as an event planner as well as a promoter.  She frequently speaks at parenting conferences all over the country and loves to travel!  Erin enjoys offering fun contests and honest reviews to parents everywhere with her blog.  And Hello?!! Of course she uses Sharpies on a daily basis!

Erin is on Twitter and Facebook!  ThingsMomsLike.com 

Alex Poli, better known as Man One, is a leading urban muralist and artist.  Involved with the Graffiti Art movement since 1987, Man One began his artistic journey in the streets of Los Angeles tagging and leaving his trademark of bold, colorful aerosol strokes, in search of his artistic purpose. He may be new to the Sharpie Squad in 2010, but his artwork has already been showcased in over 40 group exhibitions domestically and internationally, 10 solo exhibits, and displayed at several museums and high profile galleries, including the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, The Getty, Orange County Center for Contemporary Art in Santa Ana, and Parco Museum in Tokyo. 

Commercially, Man One’s commissions include murals, designs and concepts for MTV, Coca-Cola, Adidas, Sony, Ubisoft to name a few, as well as scenic visuals for feature films, music videos and TV commercials and ads for Microsoft, Target and Ford. His artwork has been profiled and featured in a number of international magazines, newspapers and books including the Washington Post and New York Magazine. He also owns and runs Crewest, the only L.A.-based gallery dedicated to the upliftment of Graffiti Art.

Man One is on Twitter and Facebook.  Get more Man!

Kristin Lesney is the mother to Kai, 5, and Brooklin, 1.  She’s a busy full-time college student living in Oregon and a veteran Sharpie Squad member, returning for her second year!  Kristin chronicles the daily life of just another Ordinary Mom.  Kristin is the owner of Our Ordinary Life, a blog where she talks about her journey through life as a mom and college student. She enjoys keeping it real and always has an opinion about something!  Kristin shares what her family finds useful and if she doesn’t seem busy enough, she also involves herself in several projects around the blogpshere. She’s one of Frito Lay’s Fab 15 moms as well as a Frigidare Test Drive Mom.

Catch up with Kristin on Twitter & Facebook and take a peak at her extraordinary website, Our Ordinary Life.

Linda Ellett is a professional artist who specializes in decorating pottery with Sharpie markers!  Residing in upstate New York, this new Sharpie Squad member is celebrating 31 years of extraordinary tile-making with her shop, L’esperance Tile Works found on Etsy.   Every one of Ellett’s tiles is handmade and hand-glazed in her upstate New York studios.

Find out more about Linda through Twitter, Facebook and visit the amazing L’esperance Tile Works.

Brand new in 2010 to the Sharpie Squad, Corine Ingrassia is a suburban stay-at-home mom of two — a boy, 4, and a girl, 1.  Corine blogs from Central New Jersey where she talks with an audience of other “Complicated Mama’s” who are seeking balance in their full-time, permanent stay-at-home mom jobs. Corine is also a contributing writer for the NYMetropolista blog and NJ.com/parenting.

Find out what’s so complicated by chatting with this mama on Twitter, Facebook, and on ComplicatedMama.com.

Welcome back Jon E. Nimetz, second year Sharpie Squad member!  Based out of Venice, California, Jon is a producer, marketer, advertising producer, and the talent behind SuperFineArt.com.  He is known for his loud personality and passionate style, which he emphasizes through his art. Jon uses a combination of acrylic paint and Sharpie paint markers to create nature-inspired paintings that are both unique and self-expressive.

This Squad member is Super Fine! Find him on Facebook and Twitter too.

Linsey Knerl, the endearing voice behind Lille’ Punkin Reviews , is always on the lookout for the next best thing when it comes to making her life easier.   Who isn’t, right?! As a free resource for parents and friends of parents, Knerl offers regular, unbiased opinions on a variety of family-friendly items.  This is Linsey’s second year on the Sharpie Squad!  This punkin is a must-have resource when it comes to parenting!

Check out Linsey on Twitter, Facebook and her website: Lille’Punkin

Lauri Harrison is founder of MomToBeDepot.com and is a blogger for several media sites including Working Mother magazine and Examiner.com. Not only is Lauri a second time Sharpie Squad member, she is also the mom of a tot (no, not tater-tots, silly) and a teenager, informing parents about great new products (as well as the classics, eh hem… Sharpie)!

Connect with Lauri on Twitter and Facebook. Also be sure to head to the Depot!

Cheeming Boey is a California-based artist using Styrofoam cups as his chosen canvas.  With artistic creations that seem to go viral on a weekly basis, this brand new 2010 Squad member uses Sharpie markers to create intricate designs on cups, selling them online at iamboey.com. Boey has attracted tons of attention with his mini masterpieces and has  been featured in the OC Register and maxim.com.

Flip some cups with Boey on Twitter & Facebook  You’ve gotta check out IAmBoey.com.

Laura Kelly is an official Sharpie guru and second year Squad member.  Using Sharpie markers, Laura creates bright, bold and simple designs that uplift the human spirit.  Surrounded by people who share her aspirations to generate joy, happiness and empowerment in a vibrant, organized environment, she fills notebooks with playful Sharpie drawings inspired by everyday images when suddenly, a new collection is born.   Laura currently licenses her work to companies in a variety of industries including gift, stationery, gourmet food and home décor as well as bank products.  She also owns her own wholesale company, Laura Kelly Designs, which manufactures stationery products for stores around the country. When she isn’t working on her licensable portfolio, you will find her painting, baking, gardening, playing with clay or making stuff out of recycled stuff.  She is also a active member of the Greeting Card Association, Craft and Hobby Association where she serves on the Trend Team and as a delegate to the National Stationery Show.

Laura’s Facebook and Website. Shop Laura Kelly!

His second year on the Sharpie Squad, Travis Todd creates Sharpie art on everyday objects from lunch boxes to automobiles.  He even carries a Sharpie on his key chain just in case he is overcome with an urge to create “instant art!”  Travis has built a great name for himself – he is especially renowned in online automotive forums for his amazing Sharpie Art Car creations, one of which was recently featured on womansday.com.  He has developed his own blend of elegant scroll work and graffiti-style art and claims that  people tend to see what they want to see in his artwork.  You can find some of his works on his Flickr page @ www.flickr.com/spdu4ia.

Click HERE to see what Travis’ Sharpie Art is all about.

Say hello to Alli Whitmore, the brains and beauty behind One Pearl Button.  This Sharpie Squad newcomer is an archaeologist and crafter, striving to do something creative everyday!  She blogs about fashion, design, crafts and photography and has had work featured all over the internet as well as in print.  As an archaeologist, Alli is naturally drawn to the history of objects and has a feminine, slightly quirky style which is strongly influenced by the past.  Some of her current loves are crocheted afghans, clothes that are way too big, and Polaroid photography.  And of course, Sharpie markers are considered invaluable tools in her creative arsenal! 

Tweet with Alli and then check out her website OnePearlButton.com.

Derek Benson of San Diego, CA takes lunch time to a new level using Sharpie markers.  A second year Sharpie Squad member, Benson uses Sharpie markers to add intricate drawings of cartoons, super heroes, characters and more to his childrens’ brown paper lunch bags – and he does it every day!  During his lunch breaks, Benson conjures up his unique designs, all which can be seen on his website lunchbagart.tumblr.com.  His drawings have been featured in Parents magazine and can be seen on his Tumblr or via his twitter account.

Have lunch with Benson on Twitter and Tumblr!

New to the Sharpie Squad, Debbie Bookstaber is editor of Mamanista.com, a site dedicated to pointing out the fabulously chic and irresistibly practical–shopping, making it easy for the hip mama on a budget to compare products.  Debbie is currently the Director of Strategy at The JAR Group, holds a postion on her local school board as well as gives her time to serving serveal charitable boards. 

Follow Mamanista on Twitter, join Debbie on Facebook.  take a look around Mamanista.com & see what fab finds are out there!

Mark Rivard is a well-known skateboard artist, covering a wide variety of genres and designs. Based out of Minneapolis, Minnesota, Rivard is a returning 2009 Sharpie Squad member, whose work has been seen in exhibitions around the world, including shows in Belgium, Denver, Detroit, Seattle and New York City. Rivard takes his Sharpies with him worldwide, teaching and inspiring through art. 

Connect with Mark on Twitter & Facebook.  Ride on down to Mark’s website MarkRivardSkateboardArt.com.

As the creator of If it’s Hip, It’s Here, Laura Sweet has always had an admiration for art, design and craftsmanship.  Her blog is an outlet to share what she admires as “hip” with her 30,000+ readers every month.  Currently residing in Beverly Hills, Laura has lived and worked in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, Detroit and Seattle. Living in these assorted locations has exposed her to a variety of diverse attitudes, styles and values. For more than 20 years, Laura has been on the creative side of the TV and print advertising business. She has produced work on several major accounts from luxury cars to IKEA. Laura holds degrees in both Fine Art and Art History from UC Berkeley. She also has a degree in Advertising from Pasadena’s Art Center College of Design, where she was an instructor for eight years.  This is Laura’s first year as a Sharpie Squad member!

Get a quick hip from Laura on Twitter and Facebook.  Satisfy your Sweet tooth at If It’s Hip It’s Here

Hanna Agar is a 2009 University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire graduate with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Photography and a minor in Spanish.  For the past few years, she has been creating a lot of artwork involving the use of recycled paper to create sets, costumes, and props that then are photographed.  A returning member of the Sharpie Squad, Hanna uncaps her Sharpies all over the paper with her camera on an interval timer so that she can photograph the whole process.  She considers her work “documented performance art.”  In addition to her love of Sharpie markers, Hanna currently works as a studio photographer doing assignments for Volume One Magazine (an arts and culture magazine in Eau Claire, Wis.) as well as some freelance work. Hanna has recently returned from Southern India where she was working as a product designer for the women’s organization, “Blue Mango.”

Check out Hanna’s work! She has a wonderful section on her website dedicated to Sharpie!

Tali Buchlar, a fresh face to the 2010 Sharpie Squad, is a stay-at-home mom, raising her kids in the most creative way she can.  A mother of two girls and blogger of  www.growingupcreative.com, Tali shares her experiences and research about raising her girls to be innovative and imaginative.  Upon graduating from Massachusetts College of Art from the Department of Architecture, she gained four years of training at an innovative architecture firm. Since then, she has opened her own firm with Kristen Giannattasio in Watertown, Massachusetts.  Tali recently moved back to Israel from Santa Monica, CA.

Learn more about Tali & Growing Up Creative.  Tweet with her and check her out on Facebook.

Welcome Heather Batts to the Sharpie Squad!  Heather is a mom of two boys who writes about her journey as a diva on a budget at thedomesticdiva.org. for.  Her blog has been recognized as one of the “142 Resources that will Save you Cash” in 10,001 Ways to Live Large on a Small Budget by the writers of Wise Bread, for being a part of one of the “Best Personal Finance Blogs.”  With such a successful blog, Heather has even been able to has interview celebrities including daytime talk show host Kelly Ripa and Animal Planet’s Jeff Corwin.

This Diva can be found on Twitter & Facebook! Be sure to browse around on her DomesticeDiva.org too!

To follow the entire Sharpie Squad’s tweets follow the Sharpie Squad Twitter List. 

Don’t forget to Tweet with the #SharpieSquad hashtag on Twitter!

Created by Jon Burgerman, this custom helmet derives from aaaall the way back to 2007 and made with a  Metallic Sharpie Marker for The Vader Project for the ‘07 Star Wars Celebration Europe exhibition held in London at Excel.

"Armed with a silver Sharpie, I scrawled and colored my way over the helmet, dropping in little Star Wars references as I went…." - Jon Burgerman

Recently,  Jon has been traveling the world creating murals for AOL.  Here’s a time-lapse video of him creating a mural at the AOL headquarters in Manhattan, New York.  Check out Jon’s London agents, Debut Art for more of his designs and photos from his “mural travels.”

(That is one awesome sweater! The fact that he turns it around so that we can see it’s awesomeness, wow…what a guy!)

Be sure to take a tour of Jon’s work at on his own website: www.jonburgerman.com !!

Inside, Uncap What Is

No, this is not gibberish and don’t worry, we haven’t lost our minds over here at Sharpie either.  These words are in fact a work of Sharpie art and the newest permanent fixture at Jbar, a well-known Chicago hotspot neighboring The James Hotel. 

“Everything inspires me.  Some artists paint pictures and shapes, I paint using words.  Words create images in my head, but I like the way words look when they are placed next to and on top of each other, taking on a form of its own.”  “My technique allows the viewer to think simple letters form complex words, serving to create language as a form of art.”

-Brian Graves

Local Chicago artist, Brian Graves made his Sharpie mark on the bar’s walls with Jgrooves I & II and Jposition I & II, installations from the Jbar Project.  For this project, Graves drew inspiration from different areas, including famous one-liners from popular club songs that have been fixated into his own mind.  The words above are from a portion of the installation, stating the precise location of Jbar itself; beginning with outer space progressing to its exact coordinates on Earth.

*I would like to take this moment to thank you, Mr. Graves, for cursing me with the musical mash-up that is repeating in my head, consisting of Madonna’s Hey Mr Dj, U2’s She Moves in Mysterious Ways, Tina Turner’s Proud Mary and P!nk’s intellectually stimulating, Get this Party Started.*

Graves focuses on the development of self-taught expression of both feeling and emotion in his own form of abstract painting. Letters, words, everyday expressions and emotion combine and collide with color and texture through layers of acrylics, oils, pastels and yes, Sharpie markers!

Artist Brian Graves (second from left) and friends at Jbar

Trust me when I say that you need to see more of Brian Graves’ artwork. Absolutely incredible!  BigArtChicago <— Check it out

Hey, why not see his work up close and personal?!  Grab a cab and jet on over to the JBar at The James.

*A BIG thanks goes out to Raul Ruiz, Sharpie Highlighters Brand Manager for suggesting Brian’s Jbar project for the Sharpie Blog.  Follow Raul on Twitter! (He has a great profile pic)

Urbane Apartments celebrated the grand opening of their new Michigan location in a unique way.  On October 22^nd, owner Eric Brown hosted the Sharpie “Draw on the Walls” contest by opening up the space to the public and inviting 12 local artists to create innovative and eccentric designs on the walls of the building’s Co-Work space’s meeting rooms.

*The Co-Work space is designed for small to medium sized companies needing a trendy office space, as well as for Urbane residents’ use of office machines and desk space.

 The winner of the Sharpie “Draw On the Walls” contest and $750 was Urbane resident, Ryan Gardner.  I think that the best way to describe Gardner’s creation (this pun just happens to fit perfectly) would be this:  Uncapping What’s Inside of an imaginative mind. Now, I know that you think I’m just plugging the Sharpie campaign, but seriously, look at the pics and tell me that’s not a pretty accurate description!

1st place Winner, Ryan Gardner

Gardner, Writing on the Walls with Sharpie!

Spotlight on the Winner!

With about 100 attendees, the event was a success.  Taking place in the Co-Work space, the 12 artists drew live on the walls with an assortment of Sharpie markers.  The outcomes are pretty amazing! (See pictures below.) I don’t know about you but I get nervous writing my name on a nametag with 1 person watching, let alone 99 people watching me draw on a wall –Talk about pressure.  I have to give big props to the artists.  Great work guys; you’ve made Sharpie proud!

In addition to live art, Urbane Apts. also provided drinks & appetizers, gave property tours, hosted a live raffle, all the while, moving to the beats of DJ Terry Hall, with photographer Rachel Wade capturing every Sharpie moment!

Here are some pics of the artists drawing at the Urbane Apt. event!

For more on the event check out Urbane on Facebook and their blog.  Of course get the scoop about Urbane Aprtments at www.urbaneapts.com

Sharpie? Yes, please! www.sharpie.com

This is no ordinary 17-year-old. This man's got skills...

Garcia: I’ve been drawing since I was 13. I was influenced by a graffiti drawing my sister brought home from school one of her friends did for her. Since then I’ve taught myself new techniques and forms of art there was to be learned. I would really like to explore the different types of art and things there are to be offered, but then again…money isn’t always around to help out. 

Dragon Ball Z

Q: What are the main types of shoes you draw on?

Garcia: Plain white canvas Vans and High top Converse are the shoes I focus on the most for their material. High top converse and Vans are very useful for all the space they provide me with to draw. It’s so easy to draw on and works great with the sharpies. No smears or smudges except for water. That’s a big problem I have right now. Protecting the art. It would be nice if I could experiment with the different types of paints and art supplies to better my designs though. Other colored shoes aren’t great with multi colored sharpie art which is why I stick with white.

Q: Why are Sharpie products a good fit for this?

Garcia: Well I have tried pens and other plain school markers, map colors and pencils. No other writing utensils match up to the great sharpie. If only there were a greater variety of colors to choose from. I’m sure there is or maybe I just haven’t heard of them. But I love the easy glide sharpie gives when drawing on the shoe. It makes it so much easier than having to constantly go over the same spots again and again. Thin sharpies don’t bleed as much as thick sharpies do on the canvas that’s why I prefer them most. And sharpie also keeps its thick bold color on any surface.

Q: What specific Sharpie tools do you use? Markers, pens, etc.

Garcia: Since I discovered my talent for drawing on shoes from the beginning I’ve only been using thin sharpies. Once in a while I’ll use thick

Got my vans on but they look like sneakers...

 sharpies to save time for bigger spaces to be filled on the shoes. Everything I do is done free hand. I don’t use any stencils. As for measurements and shape placements, I just wing it and hope it comes out as I plan.

Q: How long does it take for you to complete a design on a pair of shoes?

Garcia: My last design took me three hours. And I believe that was the longest time than I took on any pair before. FYI my last pair was the pair with the Looney Toons and Cars on separate shoes that I just posted on the sharpie website. I have so many ideas and people’s opinions to help me out all I need is a great supply of materials to get the job done. Not only do I get to spend days and possibly my lifetime doing something I love but I also get paid for it.

Q: What’s your favorite design you have made? Why?

Garcia's favorite... I think it's mine too!

Garcia:The Looney tunes design is my favorite. Since I came up with that idea I knew it was gonna be a seller. I loved the challenge and the different characters it involved. So unique. That shoe itself took me about an hour and a half. The first day I advertised them I got so many compliments, requests and phone numbers. It was amazing to me and flattering at how many people admired my shoes. It was definitely worth the time and always will be.

Q: Do you wear the shoes? Sell them?

Garcia: I wear the shoes every day. I only have a pair for myself but I wish I had the money to have a different pair everyday. I do sell them as well. Right now for very cheap as a matter of fact. 40 dollars isn’t much in my pocket. Especially when I have to keep providing myself with more supplies. I’ve been told by so many people though that I’m under-charging and that I could be charging near the hundreds and possibly more.

Q: Have friends or family asked you to draw designs for them?

Garcia: Everyday. I do do my family’s shoes for free

Q: Anything else you’d like to share that I didn’t ask?

Garcia: Yes. Well, I’ve recently been offered a job in Corpus Christi for an underground clothing line. I don’t really trust the owners and my family knows how long I’ve been waiting for my time to be noticed. I’ve looked around so much and as far as this interview, this seems the closest I’ve gotten to being in that limelight. And even if this doesn’t go as I planned I’d like to thank you for requesting this interview and helping me out any way you can. Thank you.

See more of Aj’s Work  http://www.myspace.com/ajgarcia19

Hit him up for shoes!  snbntaurelio@hotmail.com

Visit www.sharpieuncapped.com for more ideas on how to get creative with Sharpie.

 

Now this is what I call HOT WHEELS! As a kid you were probablly told never draw on anything with a Sharpie.  Heck, you probablly tell yourself that even as an adult!  Well, leave it to two young guys in Jacksonville, North Carolina to break the rules and go to town on a $10,000 Honda sportbike! 

Spending over 50 hours tagging this bike, Jesse Lockhart, 25, and  Nick Schuman, 27, went by their own rules, took out their Sharpies and simultaneously began drawing on opposite sides of Schuman’s brother-in-law’s sportbike.  The duo decided to name it Shiyonin, meaning “Servant of God,” reflecting their Oriental backgrounds.  And with no professional background, Schuman and Lockhart, with a total of only 4 Sharpies,  uncapped their creativity and drew whatever came to mind!

You may want to take a second, third, even a fourth look at Shiyonin because every time you look, you are sure to find something new!  And no Sharpie fans, you are not seeing things- I asked and yes, that is the Michelin Man and Woody the Woodpecker!  Check out these pictures and learn about how Lockhart and Schuman used their talent to create one AMAZING piece of work.

Tell me a little about yourself and everyone who contributed!  My name is Jesse Lockhart, I’m a 25 yr old male and  Nick Schuman is a 27 yr old male.  Our wives definitely had a big role in contributing to this bike because.  Alongside our 9-5 work week, we had to work on the bike after hours, LATE into the night.   One of our biggest contributors, we would both have to say is Jesus, for giving us the talent to do it.

How long have you been riding?  I started when I was 8 on dirtbikes, so for 17 years I have been riding.  Nick has been riding for 15 years, starting when he was 12, on a minibike.

Do you have an art background?  Professional artists?  We both have had artistic talent since we were young.  Our minds have always seen things differently that most people don’t usually see – Curves, Colors, Shapes, Texture!  We are not professional yet, but we are well on our way to becoming full-time custom painters. 

What made you decide to Sharpie up this HOT bike? We are in the process of opening our own custom paint shop and we wanted to do something that would definitely stand out amongst the crowd and shine some light on our business.  This bike was actually done for Nick’s brother in-law, who was more than willing to lend a bike to get tagged when he heard the idea of a “Sharpie bike.”

Why Sharpie? Why did you go with Black & White?  Nick and I have always been big fanS of white vehicles ( Both of us and our wives all have white vehicles).  White is very clean and the bike itself is mostly black, so it was kind of a no-brainer that we would both want to do black over white.  All our lives we were told to never to write on anything with a Sharpie because it was PERMANENT, so when we had the chance to use a Sharpie on something big and important like a $10,000 machine, we were all over it!

About how many Sharpies went into this? What kinds did you use? Believe it or not, I had 2 markers and Nick had 2 markers and neither of them ran out!  We both had 1 fine tip for outlining and 1 fat chisel tipped for filling in.

Did you have a plan? Tell me about the process!  NO PLAN!!! We both stepped back with a blank stare, he took one side and I took the other and we met in the middle.  Whatever popped into our heads went on the bike. Total improv.

I would be terrified to mess up…Who made the first mark?  How nervous were you?    We both started at the same exact time with both of us laughing at what we had gotten ourselves into!  We knew it was going to be a long process.   Then about 10 minutes later we started cracking up at the “squeeekie,squeeekie” sound that came from the tips of the markers- that never stopped.  It was hilarious...we weren’t nervous!

How many bikes do you own? Kinds?  I have a 2008 Suzuki GSXR 600. Nick traded his beloved Honda “Nicky Hayden Edition” RC51 in for his son’s new dirtbike.

Does anyone actually ride it or is it just for show?  Yes!  It is driven daily, we haven’t even been able to finish it.  He (Nick’s brother-in-law) was told to bring the bike back the next day for touchups and here it is a month later and it still hasn’t made it back (he just likes the attention)!

Any other designs in the works?  Yes, but it’s a secret for now.

What’s next for the bike?  Lowering it, extending it, finish custom exhaust, and Sharpie the wheels.

***

Be sure to visit Lockhart’s myspace page to see more photos of Shiyonin and the hard work that was put into creating the design. 

Also, look forward to their new website and new updates on http://www.shiyonin.com/

James and Karla Murray and friend Mike at the launch party of “Miami Graffiti”

James and Karla Murray are professional photographers who began documenting the world of graffiti artists in the mid 1990s. They started first with New York City (and two books about the scene there), and eventually traveled south to Miami where their interest resulted in Miami Graffiti, a new book just out showcasing some of Miami’s most vibrant work.

This is where I have to point out that graffiti has its critics and Sharpie wants to be sure you understand that we don’t condone its use to deface or damage property or hurt or harm people. That’s not the intention of most graffiti artists anyway. The artists featured in the book are clearly people driven by a passion to create. In fact, the majority of the works are located in places that are invisible to the public eye, painted inside abandoned factories and along trackside buildings.  And the graffiti artists seem to like it that way. 

Sharpie was part of the book’s release party in Miami Beach, serving as the official marker of Graffiti Miami. Sharpie markers have been used for years by many graffiti artists to create the works they draw on paper and in their “blackbooks’ (sketchbooks).  Check out the action below:    (For info on where to buy the book, contact Ali Gitlow at Prestel Publishing, agitlow@prestel-usa.com). 

The Crew

James and Karla Murray and friend Mike at the launch party of “Miami Graffiti”

James and Karla Murray are professional photographers who began documenting the world of graffiti artists in the mid 1990s. They started first with New York City (and two books about the scene there), and eventually traveled south to Miami where their interest resulted in Miami Graffiti, a new book just out showcasing some of Miami’s most vibrant work.

This is where I have to point out that graffiti has its critics and Sharpie wants to be sure you understand that we don’t condone its use to deface or damage property or hurt or harm people. That’s not the intention of most graffiti artists anyway. The artists featured in the book are clearly people driven by a passion to create. In fact, the majority of the works are located in places that are invisible to the public eye, painted inside abandoned factories and along trackside buildings.  And the graffiti artists seem to like it that way. 

Sharpie was part of the book’s release party in Miami Beach, serving as the official marker of Graffiti Miami. Sharpie markers have been used for years by many graffiti artists to create the works they draw on paper and in their “blackbooks’ (sketchbooks).  Check out the action below:    (For info on where to buy the book, contact Ali Gitlow at Prestel Publishing, agitlow@prestel-usa.com). 

The Crew

By Mike Giant, a giant in urban art

You’ve got to hear about this AMAZING art show coming to L.A.   But first, we pause for a word from Judge Sharpie Susan of the People’s Court:

Graffiti has been around since the dawn of mankind.  Wikipedia describes it as “images or lettering scratched, scrawled, painted or marked in any manner on property… sometimes regarded as a form of  art and other times regarded as unsightly damage or unwanted.”  Well, before I let you in on one of the most exciting art projects to happen to L.A. – the world, for that matter — know that the graffiti I’m about to talk about is art and has nothing to do with anything harmful or illegal.  The gallery where the show is being held backs me up on this all the way.

By craola

Okay, back to our regularly scheduled program. 

Crewest gallery is the master behind the madness. The gallery, in a show curated by renown graffiti artist Man One, is presenting The Sharpie Show.  It’s a first-of-its kind round-up of graffiti artists who will show their Sharpie-created work.  It kicks off with an opening reception on February 7 from 6-9 p.m. at the gallery on Winston Street.  Here’s your invite:

Here’s a little background from Crewest:  In the Graffiti subculture, practitioners are known as “writers” because graffiti is about writing your name on as many surfaces as possible.
Although many writers elevate their art form to the level of creating huge and beautiful murals, they all began their journey as an artist by first learning to write and perfect their name.  The Sharpie marker is often the first tool a writer acquires in his lifelong journey to hone his craft and in becoming an artist.

By King157

The Sharpie Show will feature original pieces created using Sharpies by some of the best known graffiti artists in the country (and beyond). Aside from graffiti artists, work by tattoo artists and known illustrators Lalo Alcaraz and Overton Loyd will be on display. From stylized hand signatures, to throw ups, piecebooks, stickers, and any other possible object that can be marked upon, this exhibit will demonstrate the level of creativity that can be achieved between an artist and his/her most basic tool – The Sharpie.

Here’s a list and links to the participating artists, a plethora of serious talent now available for one-stop shopping right here on the Sharpie Blog. 

20MG
AFEXONE
AUKS ONE
BRANDED
BROOKS B. GOLDEN
CACHE
CATCULT
COPE2
DASH”2000″FIDEL
DEB (AUSTRAILIA)
DENZONE®
DRILONE
DYTCH66
EGR
ERIBERTO ORIOL
ERIK DEBAT “RISK”
ERICK SCARECROW
EVAN SKREDERSTU 
FLYCAT(ITALY)
GIMIKS
GREG “CRAOLA” SIMKINS
GWEN MERCADO ­REYES
INDIE 184
JAMES “CASPER” JANKOWIAK
JOSE REYES
KING157
LALO ALCARAZ
MAD
MANDOE MaK
MAN ONE
MARKA27
MAX NEUTRA
MOE RADKE
MR “PUPPET” 201
OVERTON LOYD
PEAP (NEW ZEALAND)
PHOENIXARTNOW
PHONETICONTROL
PROJECT RABBIT
RANDY KONO
RELAX
ROA (BELGIUM)
ROME (CHICAGO)
SERGIO D. ROBLETO
SHERM
SLOKE ONE
TRAVIS MOORE
THOR
VYAL
WANE ONE
ZEN ONE

Also want to give a shout out to DJ.Phyz Ed who will be responsible for the music vibe at the opening.

 
For more info, contact:  Luna George  .  818-235-4598  .  luna@crewest.com  .  213-627-8272