Graffiti has always been in a special place within my heart. I love all forms; from tagging to merely stickers on a metal pole. In my current series, I have been capturing pieces of graffiti that I think will look amazing on canvas. I look for compositions that will work well with color, lighting and shapes. I love directional lines and graffiti is full of arrows and curves. My imagery and inspirations come from photos I have taken in areas that have high volumes of graffiti. San Francisco is a playground for artists and endless possibilities for new paintings. Each of my acrylic pieces captures the feeling and enlightenment of this wonderful world of street art. My photos are usually cropped because the magnified look will draw the viewer in. Acrylic paint assists in apprehending the street feel by using techniques such as dry brushing and glazing. An example from my series is called, "Chinatown Communication". It is a photo taken from the front side of a Chinese Jewelry shop next to a large mural in Chinatown. This piece in particular has three forms of communication: the Chinese characters, the written English translation and the graffiti piece done by Seid. My idea was to compare the two elements of a hand painted business sign to the hand painted mural. The composition and bright colors of the painting creates an ultimate feeling of appreciation. I enjoy painting urban life and cityscapes but in a non-traditional way. I feel by zooming into the subject, it creates an intimate feeling for the viewer. The realistic style that is consistent throughout brings more strength to my idea that graffiti is art.