Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Chuave Fernandez. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Chuave, looking forward to hearing all of your stories 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 started my career as a muralist relatively recently, about five years ago. However, my artistic journey began much earlier as a graffiti artist. I first got into graffiti when I was 13, but I took a break from 18 to 25. Now, at 30 years old, I feel that everything I’ve learned has been a gradual process that couldn’t have been rushed—it simply requires time and experience.

My background in graffiti as a teenager greatly influenced my skills, especially in handling materials, which became the foundation for my work as a muralist. I believe that one of the essential skills for this career is having a strong ability to visualize spaces, allowing you to work effectively on large surfaces without major complications.

That said, there are challenges that come with this profession. Financial stability can be an obstacle, and this career demands wearing many hats: you’re not only the creative force but also your own manager, accountant, lawyer, agent, and assistant. Balancing all of these roles while maintaining a consistent creative output can be quite demanding, but it’s part of the journey.

Chuave, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

As I’ve mentioned before, I entered the world of urban art through Hip Hop culture. My mission is to beautify public spaces, primarily, but also private ones, through my work. I strive to bring an aesthetic sense to different spaces—not only that, but also a message connected to the human condition, community, emotional states, and our everyday feelings.

One of the things I’m most proud of in this journey is carrying on a family tradition, as I am a fifth-generation mural artist. My goal is to take this as far as possible. It’s important to highlight that, throughout every generation in my family, there has always been a strong commitment to the community.

Today, I am based in Miami, but I remain a key pillar in Los Bajitos Olla (a kitchen soup, Instagram: @losbajitosolla) in Córdoba, Argentina. We connect resources to provide food for 160 children every day, totaling approximately 15,000 meals per year.

Another thing I take pride in is having turned graffiti from a hobby into a way of life that allows me to live comfortably. I invite you to follow me on social media to keep up with my work!

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

I can recommend some books that have helped me a lot in defining my path as an artist.

First, I want to clarify that every person is naturally creative. I declare, therefore, that we simply need to find the rhythm within ourselves. We are creations, and therefore, we are creative.

Personally, I started drawing as a child. I have always had an affinity for music and extreme sports. I have been characterized as someone drawn to individual and high-risk sports rather than anything else. Perhaps that explains why I have chosen to pursue a career in large-scale painting today.

In my early 20s, I found great value in books such as The Power of Positive Thinking, Many Lives, Many Masters, The Four Agreements, The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fck*, and most importantly, The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron.

But as I always like to clarify, I am not the owner of the truth—I only share my own experience. These books have personally worked for me. If they help someone else, that’s great!

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

At the age of 18, when I finished school, I started working at a car sales agency to help my mother with household expenses. I learned many things—things that I still apply to this day. I consider it very important for an artist to know how to negotiate, and I see that very few people develop this skill. It is crucial to educate oneself and be meticulous when it comes to financial and legal aspects.

During my time at the car dealership, I thought it was impossible to start painting again. But life eventually led me back to it. I saved enough money to begin self-financing myself as a muralist and bought my first six-pack of spray cans. I started doing graffiti again, and soon after, murals.

Reuniting with my father after many years and the passing of my grandfather made me reflect deeply on returning to my artistic roots. And so, here I am—painting and learning a little more every day.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://chuavevo.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chuavevo/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chuavevo/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@chuavevo553

Image Credits

observe capture destroy ( George R. Mercado)
creacion de contenidos (Jhon Morales)