Siloette - Graffiti Artist Interview

October 2008

Interview with female graffiti artist Siloette who is currently based in San Francisco and is a member of the NG Crew. Siloette was one of a group of graffiti artists involved in the Adidas "End To End" project.

How old are you?

Twenty seven.

Where are you based?

Right now I'm living in San Francisco, California.

How long have you been painting / writing?

Since 1998.

How did you get into graffiti and what made you start painting?

Have been an artist ever since I can recall. Graffiti came into play through junior high peers and became a way of life in high school.

How would you describe your style?

Modern Art Nouveau.

How did you choose the name Siloette?

Saw it in decorative writing one day and started to contemplate the meaning… casting a shadow of yourself… seemed pretty deep at the time. Shortened it to Siloe in due course.

Do you write under any other names?

Shame on you :)

Do you write with any crews and if so which ones?

I write for a crew called NG, long standing friends and family who taught me the most of what I use today.

Have you done many collaborations with artists overseas or travelled abroad for your art and if where is the most exciting or interesting place you have painted?

Oh yeah… it felt like I was seriously living out of a suitcase from 2005 to 2007!

Paris was a trip for me, Belgium was probably the most romantic and Melbourne was a mission. I'd have to say working in London will probably be the time I'll end up reflecting upon the most though.

How often do you travel abroad for your art?

Approximately once a year, twice if I'm doing well for myself.

What are you about the current graffiti scene in the USA and California?

I'm pretty out of the loop at the moment, I've decided to take the year of 2008 off as it's not easy to hop a fence in maternity jeans!

Have you done much commercial work and if so what would you say was your most well known piece?

That's a tough question. The work I put the most time and effort in to isn't always the crowd pleaser, I'm sure it depends on your personal taste and preference.

How did you come to be involved in the Adidas "End To End" project and how did it feel to see your artwork on trainers the public were wearing?

They asked me to be a part of the team and I gladly accepted. I was so excited to get out there.

We were able to get together four times to work and promote for Adidas and each time it was definitely an adventure. I'm not sure too many of us ended up being especially pleased with our designs but the overall experience was amazing.

When you see someone wearing the merchandise it's definitely like a fun little internal feeling… I usually just wink at them.

Has graffiti become a full-time career for you now and if so was it a long journey to get to this stage?

Currently I'm working on commercial illustration work. I'm not exactly "Breaking Up" with graffiti, just definitely in a state of transition towards making my artwork work more personal.

Is there any one point in your career you would class as 'your big break'?

Mixed Bag… I've had my fortune sprinkled in amongst the trials and errors.

I like to think of "my moment" as something that hasn't happened yet… or is happening right now rather!

What do you see as your greatest achievement to date?

Getting over myself. Everyone needs to take a step back from time to time and consider the big picture.

How was your experience breaking into and becoming successful as a female graffiti writer in a mainly male dominated scene?

It's a total Yin-Yang my friend. There has been some crap no doubt, yet I have no cross to bear.

What advice would you give to other up and coming female graffiti writers and artists out there?

Love yourself and respect your elders.

Being a Graffiti artist and becoming involved in the art world is not that outlandish, graffiti is a skill or a trade just like anything else.

Siloette

What are your thoughts on grafitti being just a likely to be found in a gallery as on the streets these days?

Being a Graffiti artist and becoming involved in the art world is not that outlandish, graffiti is a skill or a trade just like anything else. I'm sure every medium has its egos, I know a lot of writers who are lawyers or nurses during the day but it's all about how you handle it.

Even though graffiti seems to have been more widely accepted there still appears to be a very fine line between those who view graffiti as art and those who see it as vandalism, what are your views on this?

If it's illegal it's graffiti, if it's legal it's not.

Do you prefer doing legal or illegal pieces?

Everything if it's on metal, I like the idea of my work traveling through the night.

Have you ever 'felt the long arm of the law' because of your art?

Nothing too harsh to date.

Do you try to keep your identity anonymous where possible?

Not so much anymore, if anything I like to keep my business anonymous which is something I learned living in a little city called Los Angeles. Identity is one thing, you always know who you are but business is another thing. That hits wind.

Do you see yourself as an artist or a graffiti writer?

See previous answers. Artist at the moment.

I go through my personal seasons… if you catch my drift?

Which other artists work do you admire?

• Beardsley
• Alphonse Mucha
• Lempicka
• Enoch Bolles

…and many others from back in the day.

Which other graffiti artists would you most like to work with if given the chance?

Been fortunate enough to already work with them, I'm going to have to take the fifth on the public tip.

What is your preferred medium for making marks with?

It's a toss up… I have a constant love for mechanical pencils, yet I find anything with a New York fat on it to be more rewarding!

Do you have a favourite piece of all time?

Working on it at the moment, about six months left to go.

What kind of music are you into?

I listen to bands that havn't even come out yet.

What is the last album you bought?

"Good Bye Enemy Airship The Land" by Do Make Say Think… Ha Ha!

What are you working on currently and what plans do you have for the future?

At the moment Im working on a few designs for Playstation 2 and I have a trip to Peru that I've been definitely gearing up for.

A relocation to Australia in the Spring should be the real adventure though. Our family will be coming back to the Bay by summer. I'm excited to get some new forms of inspiration along the way!

Anything else you would like to add?

Thanks!

For further information about Siloette please visit:

www.siloette.com