For this years Peel Here, Sticky Rick and his partner Damon Robinson, Director of the NOMAD Art Compound, wanted to do something new. Not just because they've moved offices from the ghetto mansion to The Nomad Art Compound in "Frog Town," but because they both know there's more to stickers than just slapping them on. They want to take sticker art to the next level because when someone takes their time to create an original work of art on a disposable surface, their passion and commitment to their work shines through. They want to help these artist make the transition from the streets to the art world because they're just as talented, if not more so than some of the artist featured in art galleries. They want to inspire all street artist to come together and unite because, "when it's all put together, it turns into a monster" said Rick.
At Peel Here, there are no boundaries or restrictions on what you can create with a sticker, it all depends on the artist and how crazy they can get when they're let loose. The goal of Peel Here is not only to showcase all of the talented art, but to help the next generation of artist trying to come up and Peel Here is one of the few shows that does that. There's no preferential treatment here for anyone because that's not what the show is about. Big names stand on the same level platform as young guns trying to come up. Everyone is on the same level and that openness is the heart of Peel Here. No one goes to a Peel Here show to start a fight or talk shit, they go to meet the faces behind the sticker and to meet new ones along the way as even one trades their works back and forth. Damion said that when you see a single sticker out on the street, it may have a message to depending on where it's at and what the art is, but when all of those stickers are put together as a whole collective, it tells a story.
Over the last few years, more and more artist have been using stickers as their medium not because it's inexpensive and simple, but because they know they can still get a powerful message across to the public. That's why for this years show, Rick reached out to artist who have established themselves on the streets, but have also been giving back to their communities. Timoi, Galo Make One, N.O.M.A.D. have been working with kids in after school programs, mentoring the next generation of artist.
By focusing their students creativity into more positive outlets and building their self-esteem, all three artist want their students to take charge of their personal lives and to pursue their dreams. All three artist have been guiding and helping their students create art instillations that are going to be featured during the show. Timoi has been working with a group of students from South East High School. Through the after school program “Envision,” Timoi has been mentoring her students in developing their artistic talents and finding their own voice. Timoi has been working with kids through after school programs for a few years and loves every part of it. Her students are all artistically gifted, whether it’s drawing their own unique characters, stencils, stickers and fonts and with Timoi guiding them, they’re contributing with their own art instillation that will be featured at Peel Here. Timoi nurtures her students artistic talents anyway she cans, but she wants to expose them to the art world and show them how far they can take their artistic talents.
Galo Make One has been working with kids for the last three and a half years through Art Share L.A. Working with kids of all ages and artistic talent, Galo also mentors kids in developing their artistic skills and fine tunning them. The after school program helps kids become more productive and at the same time prepares them kids for life beyond school. His students have also been working on creating an art instillation that is going to be featured at Peel Here. Ivan Aise is one of those students and loves what Galo and his other mentors Ernesto and David are doing for him and the other kids involved in the program. At 19, Aise is one of the older students and is a gifted artist who is trying to start his career. Trying to decide between focusing on his art or becoming a nurse is a life decision he’s trying to figure out, but with the help of Galo and his mentors, Aise hopes to make the right decision when he starts attending East Los Angeles College in February.
By helping build up the student’s self-esteem and confidence, Galo wants to empower them to not only take charge of their art, but of their lives as well. Making stickers, stencils and even silk-screening are just a few of the ways that confidence is built up and giving them an outlet for their creativity. Galo wants to bring out the “closet artist” in his students because he knows some may be shy about their art. Even though Aise hasn't decided on his future career, he's going to follow in Galos foot steps and go back to his community to help out kids they way he is receiving help. Aise is thankful and appreciative of all of the work and time his mentors take to help him because he never had that kind of attention when he was growing up and that's the key says Galo.
By committing himself to helping his students create a portfolio and getting their names out there, he knows that they're on the right path. N.O.M.A.D. has also been working with his kids in getting their piece together and ready for the show. N.O.M.A.D. has been guiding and inspiring his students with creative, artistic outlets to help them be more active within their own community. "I have had students create sticker art to trade with other sticker art kids and collect their artwork in blackbooks we provide," said N.O.M.A.D. The students have been involved in not just making stickers, but also zines and designing shirts. Sticky Rick himself has donated materials and stickers to his students inspiring them to be more creative. In the long run, N.O.M.A.D. wants to help his students refine their techniques and to open up the program up to more kids from any age group. He also said that more kids will be drawn to the program after his students see their work up on display at Peel Here.
