KAREN FARMER PAINTS PORTRAITS OF NYC GRAFFITI WRITERS

Sydney-based artist Karen Farmer has a close connection to New York. For the past few months, she has been getting requests by some of the city’s most notable graffiti writers to paint portraits of them painting graffiti. Farmer’s Instagram is peppered with her photorealistic renderings of EASY, DUEL, SEV and SEBO among many others. She not only paints the artists, but also recreates their tags with great detail.

HER IG_ https://instagram.com/karen_farmer/
check out her interview below .

ANY: How old are you?
KF: Old enough to remember Grandmaster Flash being played on Australian radio for the first time.

ANY: When did you first start taking notice of graffiti?
KF: As a kid I remember seeing a tag on a fence and really liking it — and then it was gone. They buffed it straight away. I remember that made me sad and I wondered why it was gone. Ever since, I have valued graffiti.

ANY: When did you choose to start painting graffiti writers?
KF: I started to paint graffiti writers organically due to requests on Instagram.

ANY: Why do you choose graffiti writers who are mostly from New York?

KF: I have been working for requests for the past few months and it’s writers from New York who have been approaching me. I have other commissions in Sydney coming up soon, and if the image is right I will consider it from other countries. But since I began making these paintings it has been New York or people from L.A. who have asked, and I happily agree as I think that the images I am sent are awesome



ANY:What’s the biggest difference between graffiti writers in Australia and graffiti writers in NY?
KF: The biggest difference between the New York graff scene and Sydney is that New York graffiti has a deep history and a legacy and Sydney does not. Sydney is just starting to have an identity. But other than that, not much.

ANY:What’s the graffiti scene like in Sydney?
KF:Sydney’s graffiti has had a long-term influence from New York that shows with is similar gritty industrial, look and a big tag and throw-up scene. The graffiti scene is as big as the street art scene, and they usually harmonize — but like everywhere, not always. Crews still get up on trains and it’s getting hard to spot a clean box truck. There are a few superstars like Lister, but mainly it’s just people getting up.

You can read the full interview @ http://animalnewyork.com/2015/karen-farmer-paints-portraits-least-likely-subjects-ever-graffiti-writers/
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