I have written a few names over the years but in my current incarnation, I go by the nom de plume of Wavy, Wave, or 2Wavy. Some names have been replaced out of boredom and others due to legal issues sustained during my graffiti tenure. I have spent more of my adult life on bail or probation for vandalism than I would ever feel comfortable admitting to the average person. Every serious writer will have a confrontation with the authorities and legal system at some point during their “career.” However, to me this adversity is unimportant. How you persevere and bounce back from this is what defines you and will separate a real writer from a toy who falls off after their first case. Graffiti like many things in life is subjective, commitment to the game is not.
I have been writing off and on since about 2003. Some of my breaks have been to focus on other aspects of life, decline in interest, or issues with the judicial system. I have great admiration for those who are consistently active for a long duration of time. While very committed at certain points I was not good at graffiti for many many years. I am not a naturally talented artist by any stretch of the imagination. Every trick, bit, and doo-dad I have learned has come from long hours of practicing my craft and the very patient help of my more skilled painting partners and mentors. I am forever appreciative to those who have helped me over the years, you know who you are. Your graffiti while yours, is also a piece of every mentor and influence you’ve ever had. You should do your best to represent them well. I come from a boringly average city in the midwest where graffiti just never quite seemed to catch on like it did in its closely surrounding cities. While it has some of my best friends and a handful of writers who deserve recognition, it certainly doesn’t have a substantial scene or rich history. I’ve been fortunate and motivated enough that I have been able to spend more time traveling domestically and abroad than many of my peers. This has allowed me to build an extensive network of friends and like-minded writers worldwide that I am eternally grateful for. I still enjoy solo travel and experiencing cities by myself but often I am pleasantly surprised at how easy it can be at this point to have a contact or friend of a friend on the other side of the world. This is one of my favorite things about graffiti.
Throughout my years of writing, I have focused on every major medium for graffiti at one point or another. I have evolved over the years and have preferred different surfaces at different times of my life. That being said painting transit in particular the metro has been the most important medium for graffiti since its birth, continues to be today, and probably will be forever. Graffiti looks better on a subway than it does anywhere else. While not my best work in my opinion nor am I currently active within that medium of graffiti, my time painting subways was by far the most fulfilling for me personally. The memories, experiences, and flicks obtained during this time will be cherished and etched into my mind forever. Figuring out a system and completing an action solo or with your friends will always be the most rewarding type of graffiti.
Graf has been the source of some of the best and worst aspects of my life. Ive incurred felonies, nights in jail, and its cost me more time and money than anyone who hasn’t experienced it could imagine. One of life’s funniest pains is the look/reaction you get from a fellow inmate when they ask you what you’re in jail for. The amount of corny/terrible writers I regret meeting has been palpable. There are many types of people from all walks of life who write graffiti but make no mistake…It’s predominantly a shitheads sport lol. That being said, I regret nothing and would do most of it all over again in a heartbeat. Most of my best friends are graffiti writers and I am forever appreciative of their friendship and lifelong bonds we’ve cultivated. Theres a special kind of energy that’s created between people from doing dirt together that I don’t think can be replicated any other way. I come from humble beginnings and the places I’ve been, experiences I’ve had, money Ive made and things I’ve seen the average person could never imagine. This is all due to a network Ive developed over years of traveling and spraying. I could give you crazy stories for days but we’ll save that for another time. I’m not sure what the future holds and for how long I’ll continue to paint. I’ve lived a fast life and sometimes a fast life can come to a sudden halt. That being said I still got some gas in my tank and everyday I can paint with my friends is a blessing I dont take for granted. Shout out to all my friends, RIP to the ones no longer with us, and thank you to the great writers who came before me. Peace
Follow Wavy on Instagram at @wavincicode
