We recently connected with Baxter Suber and have shared our conversation below.

Baxter, appreciate you joining us today. Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.

I learned as a teenager the first time by picking up the cans and painting everyday. To speed up the process I wish I wouldn’t have taken a 10 year hiatus from the craft, This caused me to basically start over the second time around. Honestly there is no speeding up the process besides consistently drawing and painting each day until the muscle memory is there full-time. The most essential skills were learning the brands of paint and developing knowledge with how to use and what types of details can be created with each spray paint cap. The obstacles that I have encountered as a graffiti style artist is that we don’t get respected as actual artists so it’s harder for us to land jobs and placements for murals due to it being more of an “acquired taste” if you will.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am an African American colorblind graffiti artist. I got into the craft because it was and still is the perfect fit, I’ve always been into more free and creative hobbies like skateboarding and producing music. I got into the industry after realizing that I want thrive as an artist way more than I do with a career behind a desk that involves little to no creativity. I love the opportunity to wow people with the use of spray cans and make my pieces pop off the wall or look like someone came and slapped a big sticker on the wall. I’ve been painting graffiti since the mid 90’s and have drawn influence from other graffiti artists all over the world. My style of graffiti has a strong late 90’s and early 2000’s New York style graffiti foundation mixed with today’s innovative and rapidly advancing styles. Without graffiti I wouldn’t be who I am, when you see my work you are being exposed to many years of dedication, practice, evolution of style and a lot of fun! I think what sets me apart from others is that I have a style that I can call my very own also having good market knowledge about various types of paints in my industry helps me to be able to cater to each clients budget to where it works for both parties involved. I am most proud of being able to be an influence to my children as I am able to show them how to be dedicated, balanced, and organized. One thing that clients should know about me is that I strive to complete projects as quickly as possible often working sun up to sun down if I’m able to do so. My work is clean and well planned and all proceeds are going to a small business that helps me raise my family.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist for me is learning and pushing my self to learn new techniques that make my art look as professional as possible. Art teaches me patience, strategy and discipline, which all cross over into my everyday life.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

Yes, the goal is pave the way for others that come after me. I want the graffiti culture to stay alive for as long as possible, so if that means knocking down barriers as a go, then that is fine by me. After all graffiti artist are just regular people like anyone else, we work regular jobs and have families to support as well, it’s just that society likes to give us a bad rap like we are pit bulls. Give us a chance to show you and we will prove to you that we can create art that looks just as good if not better than artwork that you see in a gallery or in the streets that is curated with any other medium.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @slimsuberart
• Facebook: https://www.fb.com/artbyslimsuber
• Youtube: @keepchasingdreams

Image Credits

Brady Scott, Tanner Colvin