Thieves in the Hood

All the World's a Stage, Hockley (2009)

From the art organization to the side of records shops, its hard not to have seen some of the walls painted by the Oxygen Thievez over the years.

 

Left Lion last hooked up with smallkid (kid30) one of the members of the Oxygen Thievez a few years ago. We have now had the chance to chat to both smallkid and Kaption one (another member) about what its like being artist an active in Nottingham’s street art scene and to see what's changed since we last spoke.

 

For those that don't know. Who are the Oxygen Thievez and how is it best to describe what you lot do?

K30: The crew includes Mr Deamz, Kaption One, Mobs, Dregs, and myself. We started just painting graffiti together but over the years it has changed into any type of art from printing to big drawing projects.

K1: Basically through the rave scene in the 90s, going to things like exodus, desert storm and smoke screen parties. Lots of Graffiti artist were part of the scene and connected to sound systems; kelzo  to desert storm, banksy to babble sound system. I would see loads of caravans and trucks that had been painted up, every one was creative in one way or another, and I guess I had more paint than vinyl so graffiti became my thing.

K30: Similar for me, although I grew up in Oxfordshire so there was less graffiti around there at the time, but I got involved in painting a lot of backdrops for free parties but not with spray. It wasn't until a few years later that I really got into the art form, then took it up when I moved to notts, so I'm a later starter.

 

How would you most describe your styles?

Kid30

K1: When I'm painting I tend to work in two different styles. One being 3d and the other graphical using bold lines and colours.

K30: On walls I mainly paint characters often based or influenced on wildlife, painted with bold outlines and quite often with a cartoon feel.

K1: I think we have quite different styles when we produce canvases or print work.

K30: Yer, my canvas work is a lot more varied and the subject matter is quite a bit different.

 

These days I know you are quite busy, how do you spread your time between graffiti, events, design and commercial work?

K30: …with great difficulty!

K1: Yer, as you get older you get loads more responsibilities.

K30: The graffiti is often left for weekends now.

Are you lot still doing big graffiti productions? 

K1: Yer, we try to but its getting harder to get all five of us on a wall together!

K30: … and the weather is often a factor.

K1: Last time we all managed to get together as a crew it was the worst weather we have had for 15 years, snow, rain, the lot.

K30: Ha ha, yer, reckon its not meant to happen

K1: Hopefully we’ll do a lot more this year than last

 

What sort of commercial work have you done?

Oxygen Thieves @ Glastonbury

K1: Painting wise we have done bits for Red bull, blue banana, various tattoo shops, shock waves, Glastonbury.

K30: I’ve done work for the Big Chill, detonate, rock city, golden fleece, Nott's council… 

K1: …including workshops and design work we have done bits for the NHS, both universities…

K30: Ryouk, size, Dogma, freq., lactose...

K1: When I started, my initial artwork was driven by being part of youth culture, which was very free and anti-establishment where I could express myself where and how I wanted to. From this I turned my artwork into something positive that is artistically and publicly recognised and accepted within the community which gives me a positive drive force to keep being creative.

K30: I have a really curious nature and the want to always better myself and the buzz of producing work, oh yer and having small mans syndrome. I take inspirations from all sorts of things, places I have been or things I have seen

K30: All your clothes ruined with paint, car ruined with paint, wasted weekends, traveling, aching from going up and down ladders, beef from other writers, your work not staying up for long, hanging around in grotty areas, thinking about painting all the time, being skint, hanging around In the freezing cold and loads of people being better than you.

K1: shower, shit, shave, prep for what ever jobs I have on. Go to the studio or where I need to go for that day hopefully produce some good work. Go home, street meat, tyskie and bed.

What's your view on the whole street art thing?

Side of van, Brick Lane, London

K30: The crazy interest Banksy has received has changes things quite a lot and Graffiti style is being used more in the commercial market with advertising agencies etc.

K30: I do like the ideas behind a lot of street art and often find my self watching street artists more than graffiti writers. Wooster collective site always has interesting stuff on it

So why do a lot of graffiti writers hate Banksy? 

K30: He has achieved what most writers are hunting for!

 

What's that?

K30: Fame!

K1: Also his style and approach is totally different.

K30: I know that he has just painted over an old piece in London that has got a lot of peoples backs up, which I can understand.

K1: Stencil artists and street artists often put their work over other people’s stuff without really paying attention to what they are putting it over.

What are your views on the UK graffiti scene?

Kid30, Notts

K1: Some parts of the UK are really good for it and everywhere seems to have a different approach.

K30: The UK will never be as good as some places in Europe, but Bristol is really good and parts of London. Different artists often make places good.

K1: The weather has a lot to do with it, if we had loads of sun I’m sure it would be loads different…

…and the Notts scene? 

K1: Notts has a really rich history for graffiti and had produced some really good writers that have gone on to do really good things.

K30: The university is good as it brings new talent to the city each year and having the Montana paint shop helps.

K1: Not the weather! Artistically there is plenty going on for a city of this size and the diversity of people and venues makes it a good place to work in.

K30: Its quite a small city so you get to meet other artists easily. People seem to show a interest in your work and there has been a lot of opportunities that have been made available over the years. I have been lucky to have been able to have put on various painting and drawing events where I have had the chance to meet some really interesting and exciting artists. 
 

What do you think of Nottingham contemporary 

K30: Wicked, think its what Nottingham needs, look forward to shows coming up.

Any projects coming up?

Oxygen Thieves, Nottingham Graffiti

K30: Yer, I’ve got a few other bits in the pipe line, but don't want to jinx them and talk about them in case they don't happen!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What about events,  what have we got to look forward to this year?

K1: Alex Rubes and myself will be putting on a few more illustrati events which are live illustration/ graffiti events which will be at the Refectory Gallery, Carlton Road. 

K30: Yer, I am planning on quite a few bits in the refectory as I have recently moved my studio to the art workshops there so it will be on my doorstep. I’m going to do a vinyl show where I have been collecting vinyl that's is painted by loads of different artists. Also I usually get involved with detonate promotions a few times a year to put on some sort of art event

So how can graffiti artists or people interested in graffiti keep informed on these? 

 

K30: Email me at info@smallkid.co.uk for more info or if you know of any one who want to get involved with the painted vinyl project, or my site at www.smallkid.co.uk

K1: www.facebook.com/illustrati and www.nottinghamcityartists.co.uk

The canvas and print form you mentioned earlier, how long have been working in this way and is it easy to transfer your work into a different medium?

 

Exhibition at the Alley Cafe

K30: I have always painted canvases but we have set up a print workshop which has only been going for a few months properly so early days yet on this type of work and how this will change the style of work.

K1: With doing a lot of ink drawing work, and having to sketch for larger projects it seems to cross over quite well, but also offers loads more options to try out.

K30: Also we have been working with Sue Turton from Nottingham Trent Uni who works with a laser cutter which has loads more options and ways of thinking when producing work.

So which artists do you like?

K1: Lots of my favorite artists come from Barcelona like Pez and La Mano - the whole scene there is on a level like no other. And I always admire my crew, The Oxygen Thieves.

K30: I admire loads of different artists for different reasons but ones that spring to mind are: Sam Flores, Jeremy Fish, dram, Blu, D face, flying fortress, JR, space invaders, Dave the chimp, mainly as these artist are character or icon focused which appeals to me more than letter form graffiti. I also admire a lot of local artists and other writers I have had the opportunity to paint with including MTH, YFC, Rubes, Six the rest of Oxygen Thievez especially Deamz who has been a big driving force for me and doesn’t have a off switch!

Don’t you collect things, like the vinyl toys?

K1: I used to collect a lot of vinyl toys but the market has become saturated with new bits coming out every week so I calmed it down. I collect postcards, flyers and printed images that. I like the look of and pens and ink. 

K30: Yer same, used to collect a lot a few years ago but not now. I collect bits of tat that I have started making small sculptures out off and pens.

 

Got any funny stories from painting together?

K1: Yer, loads of good stories. I remember one time Deamz had been getting into the habit of always taking cans of paint from us that weren't his, so one time we filled his bag up with empty cans and bricks. All the way home watched him smiling thinking he had himself loads of paint only to find empty cans and bricks when he got home!

K30: Ha ha, I had forgotten about that. I did a community project out in Bestwood last year and the evening post were coming  to take some photos, but the woman turned up a day early, which was suspicious meaning someone may have rung the Evening Post complaining about the project. When the post published a cover story giving the project bad press I was glad I had given my name as Nathan Barley (Nathan Barley TV Series). Which sparked additional articles about the character Nathan Barley being involved in the project and a big thread of the leftlion forum commenting on it and laughing at the Post.

Any last comments from you two?

K1: Its all about having fun.

K30: Thanks leftlion, keep up the good work.

• Art org on Station Street
• Art exchange Hyson Green
• Theatre Hockley
• Golden Fleece, Rock City
• Oh My Gosh records

Wall at the Art Organisation, Station Street

For Graffiti commissions, printed design and illustration, Custom Designed Canvases, Spray paint murals and workshops contact: info@smallkid.co.uk

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