Here’s a local news story about how I helped fight crime with art

PORTLAND, Ore. – Illegal graffiti and tagging is costing property owners time and money. Portland requires building owners to clean up tags in 10 days, or else they violate city code and could receive a ticket. Relentless tagging at one vacant building drove a company to the brink and now they’re fighting art with art and encouraging other owners to do the same.

This project was my first gig as a foreman for Colossal Media in Brooklyn. It was a huge deal for me as a wall dog, because I got to lead a team of eight painters through the whole process. It was an honor to bring the artwork of iconic graffiti writer, TWIST, to full scale at the Mark Morris Dance Center in Brooklyn.

Here's a fun onsite interview I did about the day in the life of an NYC wall dog. 

It’s a typical Manhattan roof scene. Old weber grills. Patio furniture. Forgotten tomato plants. The harness I’m putting on is a full body type, with holes for the legs and the arms and it’s splattered in paint. There’s a single lanyard on the back that clips into the traveler on a safety rope. “This is the best wall we have,” Ray says. “My favorite place to climb out.” 

Here’s a great piece by Vocativ, encapsulating what it means to be a wall dog. It was an honor to share with them what we do.

In an age with instant communication at your fingertips and digital marketing on every platform, there are those who still get out messages the old-fashioned way, with a paintbrush and some attitude. They call themselves “wall dogs,” says one veteran of the trade, “because we are chained to a wall all day by our safety harness, and we work like dogs.” Vocativ spent a day with these blue-collar artists as they paint advertisements high above the streets of New York City.

This is a great film showing the process of creating a Stella Artois ad in NYC. This was in the beginning during my first year as an apprentice with Colossal Media. Film credit below.

I wrote this documentary along with my friends Malcolm and Christine, as part of The Ritual Project sponsored by Stella Artois (more at theritualproject.com). So proud to help these painters tell their story.

Concept: Mother NY; Production Co: Mekanism; Director/DP/Editor: Malcolm Murray; Music by The Album Leaf; Painters: Colossal Media/Sky High Murals/Bob Middleton; Presented by Stella Artois