When it comes to graffiti the women are scarce, yet selective. There is none more versatile as the woman raised in Queens, NYC: Her name is TOOFLY.
TOOFLY’s body of work consists of illustration, fine art painting, collage, graphic design, and fashion. Her ambitious compositions are a combination of stylish female characters, graphic marks, and graffiti tags. An array of imagery, that represents her style and the beauty that lives in urban street culture.
Meca Isa: What is your astrology sign?
TOOFLY: VIRGO, an obsessive and a compulsive organizer! Just kidding!!! But yes, I enjoy organizing everything and anything.
Where are you from?
Ecuador. My family and I came to the states in 85′ I grew up in Corona Queens, New York.
So tell me about yourself and your art background?
I try to live a very balanced life where I can be the artist, daughter, girlfriend, and friend to all those who appreciate and care about me. I love art and graphics and building special collaborative projects with friends and family.
My background as an artist has to start with my early beginnings as an illustrator. I grew up drawing a lot of fantasy art, unicorns, fairy’s and mermaids. I enjoyed looking at a Boris Ballejo and drawing Rougue from the X-Men comic books my uncle had stashed away in his room. I think that She-Ra and Jem after school kept me in tune with girl power. These early influences helped me develop my own girl character in high school. When graffiti became part of me, it was all I needed to enhance and give birth to my own super girl. TOOFLY is the name I was given by one of my cousins who tagged up back in the early 90′s. I drew my character and name on all the black books I came across. People thought I was a guy at first, but it wasn’t until my girls appeared in Stress Magazine that my name and art became one on the page. That’s when everything came together for my work as an illustrator, painter, and designer.
Do you have a theme, message or reoccurring character?
My theme is the urban environment around me and how it’s influences are expressed in my work. By placing my character in this world I am making her part of it and in conjunction they live together in harmony as I do.
When did you start painting with spray paint or your transition?
I picked up a can and marker back in the early 90′s but officially in 92. My cousins tagged up here and there, so I did it too when ever I hung out. It’s that rebellious spirit you get when you1re a teenager. But slowly I began to study the calligraphy styles of graffiti artists on the 7 line, which was the train I took home everyday. I appreciated the street bombing and all city tagging that was going on all over the city. every street became a piece of corner became a piece of art. The energy in graffiti inspired me like nothing else back then. I just concentrated on perfecting my own style of writing and my character grew as I did. When I took graffiti art into my paintings I began to illustrate and tell a story about a culture that gave me the freedom to just be, TOOFLY.
What do you think about the graffiti scene and is it harder as a female to get respect?
The graffiti scene now is art shows, product, and commercial endorsements. There is a lot of opportunity for graffiti influenced artists to make anything and everything. If you have an idea and it’s graffiti related, you have a better chance to make a show, a product, a book, etc.; it’s what’s “in” right now. Like most beautiful and extraordinary things the masses want to consume it. Everyone wants a piece of graffiti. Many are lucky to have caught a bit of its essence before it all became “commercial”. At least we showed society that this negative vandalism has given these street artists a time to shine in books, magazines, clothes, and all kinds of accessories. I think the true spirit of graffiti lied in the subway era, and the street bombers of the early 90′s. That’s just what I think is up with the graff scene from my perspective, as far as getting respect being female…It’s only hard if you don’t put an effort into perfecting your skills! You’ve got to be dope, period. Whatever it is that you do and you do well that will be your strength. You get respect when you truly and honestly earn it.
What is your favorite color? What is your favorite type of paint?
Right now my favorite color is black. My favorite paint is acrylic, house paint and Belton artist spray paint.
Who have you painted with? Do you prefer doing productions with females?
I’ve painted with ACB, these graffiti female artists from Chile, Muck from New York, and Lase, who put me on to the graffiti hall of fame. I also paint with friends and young people who help me on non-graffiti murals for non-for profit organizations. I do prefer painting with females because as a collective we can bring more girl art and walls to the scene.
Any upcoming projects?
The B-Boy Barbecue in June up in Philly, I will be painting one of my characters on a wall. A non-graffiti mural up in the Bronx for CAAAV late June, and the Testosterone Art show, an art battle between males and female artists down the road.
Any other interests or outlets that you use your creativity?
Oh yeah, besides painting and illustrating I really enjoy collaborative graphic design projects with other artists. I am also creating a line of girl T-shirts and styling with different fashion photographers. There’s the street fairs in the summer, and home decorating that soothes my time with friends and family.
How do you feel about the way women are portrayed in Hip Hop?
Right now there is a lot of booty everywhere. I like J-Lo and all her dance skills; she’s fly and is paving the way so I can’t hate. From a visual perspective I think Lil’ Kim, Foxy, Beyonce, Ashanti, all look great with their toned up bodies all over the videos, magazine covers, and commercials. But where are the Lauryn Hills, and where’s Lady Bug man? I miss seeing someone who has a different approach who is dope lyrically, and just as beautiful. Women can be super fly without having to expose themselves so much to get the attention. Hey, there’s always room for a new kind of hip-hop magazine right?
