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CHARM MAGAZINE | 32

PHOTOS BY SORTA STREETART AND LEXI PEARSON

INTERVIEW BY LEXI PEARSON

GETTING TO KNOW

SORTA STREETART

and it’s free to look at., and hat’s why

I love it.

Would you consider your work

“graffiti”? What meaning does Urban

Art have for you and what do you think

the difference is between street art and

graffitti?

That’s why I love it. Under no

circumstances would I label what I do

graffiti. Graf is writing a name or drawing

a character on a surface. Often, it’s some

glue sniffin punk with no handstyle just

trying to be cool. But it’s the pieces of

talented writers that keep my attention.

Like El Mac... he’s my favorite. He’s got

skill. Or Retna, I love his shit too.

I wrote graffiti. I kinda outgrew it once

I had kids, but always picked up a can

when I could. I placed first in 2 graffiti

competitions in south Florida within the

last couple years and it sparked the drive

again. So wheatpasting is a less frowned

upon form. I have been confronted by

police and they usually just appreciate

it, or are concerned for my safety. There

are thousands of vacants in the city and

they make for the best canvas. They can

only be improved. But street art is really

anything art related that’s done on the

street, in public view. It’s for everyone

Your art is seen all over Baltimore city,

but nobody knows something about

you, so who are you and where are

you from and what does “Sorta Street

Art” mean?

I’m from Baltimore. Born on the

westside. I’m a father of 2 boys and

one stepson (even though I’m divorced,

I still play that role). My children’s

mother is who gave me the name

“Sorta.” My mother is Puerto Rican and

since I’m not full blooded, she calls me

Sorta Rican. It’s quite funny actually.

Sorta Streetart is one of Balitimore’s most active and highlighted street artists. Lexi

Pearson from Charm Magazine sat down with him to find out more about his hidden identity, his process, why he chose to do street art in Baltimore city.

Street art is such a growing part

of the urban art movement. Why

did you choose this particular way

of recreating the city? What’s the

difference to other street art forms?

Street Art is the biggest art movement

since the renaissance period. I have

always been drawn to the street

and everything about it. When I was

younger and even into my adult life,

What determines the spots in which the

work is installed?

I want to find the most rundown of

vacant properties. If they have an

overhang, or awning that is better. But

the uglier/dilapidated the vacant, the

better.

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STREET TALK / /

A lot of your work seems to reflect the

environment in the areas in which they

are installed. What’s your intention and

what’s the message of your artworks?

Part of my reasoning for doing what

I do is to give the people something

beautiful to look at other than the run

down, shit holes that are surrounding

their residences. in a sense I like to kind

of cater to the people. This is why I like to

use the very same people I encounter in

these neighborhoods in my art. I also use

my own children because I feel like there

is nothing more beautiful than the

innocence in a child’s face. In addition

to that, I sometimes shape my pieces to

fit doors or other surfaces I find while

I’m out there. Here’s the thing, imagine

working your entire life to provide a safe

comfortable home for your kids and

your grandchildren only to eventually

walk out of your front door and your

neighborhood looks like Beirut. And

now, you are too old to do anything

about it. That’s what a lot of people in

the inner city are dealing with. I know

that my efforts are small... but at least I

am putting forth some effort.

How much does your art affect/

influence your everyday life and are

there any role models or artists who

inspired you?

I live and breathe to create art. I HAVE

to do it. I have no choice. So it affects

everything. I parent my kids with art.

I encourage any kind of creativity. My

biggest influences are Swoon, El Mac,

Shepard Fairy (despite a lot of people

thinking he’s a sell out), Gaia and on a

more personal level...Nether. He taught

me a lot and he is currently my running

mate on a lot of my late night runs.

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"I HAVE BEEN CONFRONTED BY POLICE AND THEY USUALLY JUST APPRECIATE IT, OR ARE CONCERNED FOR MY SAFTEY."

This peice was drawn out from a portrait of Sorta’s son.

How long do you need to elaborate

your next action and what inspires

your next piece?

There isn’t much thought with my head

that goes into my work. It’s more heart

felt. I know that’s kind of cliché to say,

and borderline lame to say...but it is

the truth. I paint/draw/paste what my

gut tells me to do. So once my subject

matter is in my heart, my hands create

it with little effort.

Have you done other types of artwork

than what we see around Baltimore?

Has any of your work been in galleries?

I made a recent run through Philadelphia

putting up wheat pastings, and I have

shown my work in several galleries.

Can you give a quick run down of the

process of your work, starting from

the time it is thought up to the time it

is put on a wall?

The subject matter isn’t premeditated.

I just draw whatever comes to mind.

Sometimes it’s local people from the

city that I photographed. Sometimes

it’s my own kids. So I draw or paint

them in my studio, photograph it, then

print it. I take the prints, cut them out,

sometimes paint on them and then I

ride around and look for vacant places.

Then I just paste them up. Day or night.

If your art would be a musical genre – which

one would it be?

Dubstep. Just kidding, I’m mostly influenced by

hip hop and reggae... so let’s go with that.

Have you ever been in trouble with the police?

[Laughs] Sure have. However my trouble with

the law and my experience with the court

system has absolutely nothing to do with art.

I am a recovering alcoholic and heroin addict,

and I’m not ashamed to admit that. Finding a

spiritual solution to my past life has offered me

the opportunity to experience everything that

life has to offer. It has also given me the privilege

of helping many people with my experiences,

whether those were good or bad experiences.

So my past life choices have landed me in jail

multiple times. And my current life choices allow

me to help people. My art is directly impacted

by my past drug addiction. And my current

spiritual stance also is reflected in my art and

my day to day life. (Bet you weren’t expecting

that answer, huh?)

What would you recommend to someone

who wants to get active/make street art him

or herself?

I would say to find someone who knows

what they’re doing and ask for help. Then it’s

mostly trial and error. Don’t give up. And don’t

destroy occupied homes and small businesses...

that’s just wrong. Also, be original, don’t bite

someone else’s style...find your own voice.

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"Finding a spiritual solution to my past life has given me the privilege of helpingpeople with my experiences."

HIDDEN IDENTITY

Street artists and graffiti artists prefer to keep their identities anonymous, preferring to

stay hidden and unattached from their works, whilst marveling at their art from afar. While

they do sign their names on their works (as can be seen in the photo on the left and the

photo above, Sorta Streetart usually has a unique rendering of his name, ‘Sorta,’ somewhere

on every peice he pastes up), they hide it in plain view, including it in their spray paint

masterpieces or wheat paste pin-ups, and thus protecting their identities in this particular art

form. This became very popular with street artist ‘Banksy,’ who’s work can be seen all around

the world. Almost everyone in the art world is familiar with his style.

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Sorta pasting up his work located on Park Ave. in Baltimore. This peice is 14ft wide and over 10ft tall.

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"I LIVE AND BREATHE TO CREATE ART. I HAVE TO DO IT. I HAVE NO CHOICE."

What are your plans for the future?

What do we have to expect from you

to see?

Your guess is as good as mine.

“Attention Baltimore, get ready to see this image of Art Modell all over the city by the next Ravens game.” - @sorta_street_art on Instagram