We’re looking forward to introducing you to ErniVales. Check out our conversation below.
Good morning ErniVales, it’s such a great way to kick off the day – I think our readers will love hearing your stories, experiences and about how you think about life and work. Let’s jump right in? Have any recent moments made you laugh or feel proud?
Each time I complete a painting, completed to at least to most of my liking, usually fill me with genuine joy and a great feeling of productivity because the paintings rarely come out as I envisioned so II get surprised as well so there’s always an adventure when I create new art. So that process will bring on and through me a series of emotions all depending. on the dance my painting and I engage in. together. the beginnings are usually filled with different anticipations while the progressions may deliver a wider range of feelings all depending on how the flow is moving or not but regardless I always try my best to either sloth my way or glide through the piece but when I am nearing a finishing of a piece there almost always is the joy and happiness that comes with bringing something solely created from me to the world.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
ErniVales. Original NYC graffiti artist from the mid 1980’s turned his career into a literal one man group show always challenging himself to grow and challenge myself experimenting with techniques, styles and different mediums. I have painted around the globe, painted for celebrities, nightclubs and restaurants over 500 in the past decades. Muraled Hollywood sets in the 90s, muraled so many parts of NYCs Chelsea Market I cant even count them on fingers and toes of anyone reading this. Self published my first book “An Unusual Journey (Sold out)” which led to my 2nd book published in London titled 3D Street Art from Around the world. I am the inspiration to hundreds and hundreds of what were once super young artists worldwide to have grown up to become amazing talented artists in their own rights today, which is a special accomplishment that organically happened that I hadn’t planned for but love and honor today. I opened my first exclusive gallery in the heart of the Miami arts district of Wynwood where I thrived for almost a decade. You may not know of my name as of yet but I guarantee you have seen my works, I do believe that warrants intros now.
Okay, so here’s a deep one: Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
I chose a question randomly from this select. None of these questions really can garnish anything relevant to my younger career except for simple or one word answers so I will just adorn my tin foil spray painted hat and hopefully be able to share some kind of knowledge. The answer to this question is just as simple. I was no one, nobody. I liked Marvel comics and was basically an introverted zero confidence laced uninteresting Latin guy from the projects in LES where the only relevant other artist in the hood was dubbed the King of Graffiti. It was def a big shoe to think I could step into one day. (I couldn’t, I never did but the urban art path, well I don’t know of any art path that works that way but I was young, naive, and believed all people I met were honest and mostly good. Let’s say I’m not young anymore. Graffiti was my influence, not a person, artists, thing or act just all of it. Together, it freed me mind, soul body and all of the cliche’s that can follow that. In graffiti lore, I am self taught, self hustling, self guided only difference today is I am inspired by my executive muse that keeps me painting within the lines of art and life, luckily because when she isn’t watching out, I will paint outside the lines of life.
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
Who is writing these questions? Ugh, so depressing. I actually had great successes in the graffiti world from early on, sure the were speed bumps and stuff that was negative and unavoidable but that’s just a truism of life. thankfully I didn’t suffer major health setback, I sure do today but I think that question is slowly creeping forward. Also I was fortunate enough that really tragic events seemed to sidestep me. I know that’s a life payment no one escapes so today I’m just grateful I been spared from that more than most people I know. That being said when it comes to struggles, hardships and that sort it always came at me through my paintings. As it still does, my lessons almost always come from the teachings of a good ole life reminder that I am still just a small player, a pawn sort of someone that is ruled and commanded not by my failures but more so by my %#(&@ struggles through my paintings. Don’t get me wrong, many of my works slid out of me hardly unnoticed but although I was so happy with the outcome produced the lesson was not as powerful as when I struggled or maybe you can say even fought with paintings to get to amicable outcomes. the paintings do speak to me, not in words but in colors and shapes and the harder they push me the stronger the lesson and the teachings never come out there in those particular paintings, they flourish and present themselves in future pieces.
So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. What are the biggest lies your industry tells itself?
I think I will tackle this section in its entirety let see how that goes down! 1- What would my closest friends say really matters to me? I have no idea but you can ask the hundreds, yes, I did say hundreds yourself anytime, I believe they will mostly have good things to say, the ones who don’t I care less for as they have really no bearing on my life and career. 2. is the public version of me the real one? Ugh again, I am an honest and true artist, what version would I put up, a lie? a misrepresentation of myself, that’s outrageous I say (glove slap) I am only me, what you see or hear or read is all me. 3. Whom do I admire for their character not power. Irwin Cohen and Dorothy Cann Hamilton. 4. What are the biggest lies your industry tells itself. That it’s honest and loves you and is always on your side but every creative industry is guilty of this. 5. all the other questions put forward are really irrelevant as the answers can change anytime in time. we are all on a path and every single creative person will travel their path and all paths will be different. ALL. It’s not the Yellow Brick Road of art, we will never go together or end up together. creativity is a solo act.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. What do you think people will most misunderstand about your legacy?
What people will misunderstand probably is what people have always misunderstood about my art for decades. I am not surface level. Graffiti , fetish, sexy etc. is just the first vehicle of what I paint and it almost always carries in tow several other stories along with it as well but my theory is people don’t have the capacity to really delve themselves into especially visual arts they see a character and move on to the next painting not getting the entire context I may have laid out. I believe when I am long, or shortly gone will people the stop and see the nuanced messages and double meanings I had left behind and maybe then the hordes of people will finally uncover the truths of my brilliance and genius that I always offer so graciously to their wandering eyes and minds. Or not.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://ernivales.com
- Instagram: ernivales
Image Credits
Red Shostak-Vales
