Graffiti, street art, urban art, can art… whatever you want to call it, it’s undeniable that the streets of the cities near you hold some of the most interesting, creative, and out-of-the-box art of present times. This is also where you’ll find some of the greatest visual artists of our generation.
I grew up idolizing street artists. Certainly not because I was near any kind of arts-rich neighborhoods, though Seattle had its own fair share of talent (and still does). I loved it because it didn’t have to be perfect and, in fact, it was better when it wasn’t. There was a rawness present in street art that indicated the lack of interest in rules.
In my teens, I discovered Sam Flores, an artist from California via New Mexico who began his career creating images for skateboards and clothing. I fell in love with his use of animal and nature imagery in his designs, and the clean but exaggerated qualities of his zen-like figures. His brand, 12 Grain, has beautiful pieces of artwork that focus on the hybridization of people, music, nature and urban life.
Sam Flores street art on Poplar St. in San Francisco. (Source)
Judgement by Sam Flores.
These days, Sam Flores is a part of Upper Playground, a collective of artists based in San Francisco that have offered a rich and beautiful online store for us to support our favorite street artists, and discover new ones.
Left to right: Sleeping Girl, Everglade, Tiger Castle
Check out all of Sam Flores available gear on Upper Playground
Need a favorite artist? Browse Upper Playground’s roster or see if you can pop in to one of their stores and just ogle the pretty.
Do you have a favorite graffiti artist?
Tell me about them below! If they’re on Upper Playground, definitely let me know! And, as usual, support independent artists!
