Meet Ms. Yellow | Muralist, teaching Artist & all around creative

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ms. Yellow and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ms. Yellow, what habits do you feel helped you succeed?
Self discipline and consistency is a must in any type of field but most especially when you are your own boss. I do things that are true to myself and surround myself with like-minded people that simultaneously strive for the betterment of their own lives. That goes a long way because then you have a crew of people actively moving forwards instead of backwards and that’s the kind of space I want to be in. I’m always mindful of who I give my energy to and I never dwell on comparing myself to others. You have your own journey as others do, don’t discount what you been through and how far you’ve come. It took me a long time to actually call myself an artist (even though I been one all my life) and it took me even longer to pat myself on the back. It’s also important to note to never lose sight of your goals and why you are doing what you are doing. Distractions are easy. Negativity and bad talk is easy. Living your dreams is hard. I rather do the “hard” then to succumb to things that won’t get you anywhere.

My initial goal was never to be necessarily “successful” because I made it a point to myself to always allow my art and the way I went about it to be as pure as possible. I rejected any form of commercialism, ego, pride, clout and any type of negativity to get in the way of why I even needed art in my life. It’s the simple fact that I cannot survive without it. You want your “brand” to be successful? Let it be pure, from the depths of your soul and the chaos that burns within. That passion will rise if you allow it. I turn a blind eye to “trends” even when it could probably skyrocket me to the top.. why? Because I do not care for them personally nor would I allow it to infiltrate and tarnish something that I’ve be nourishing since birth. I really don’t care what anyone else is doing. I don’t care what’s popular. I care about what moves me and what speaks to me. The authentic voice unphased by societal standards, not what everyone’s posting on social media. I did whatever I wanted… people liking it was a nice cherry on top of it all, but was never my aim. People ask me “but how did you do it?” The literal answer is that I never lost sight of who I am and what my soul needed. I have the same friends I grew up with. Nothings changed except I travel and get paid to do what I love now because I never abandoned my dreams.

The pieces will fall where they need to be. You can’t control everything so stop trying to. Hope for the best but always prepare for the worst. And most importantly… don’t bullshit. That shit gets you nowhere fast.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Professionally, I’ve been an artist, muralist and teacher for 14 years but creating art is something I’ve been doing as long as I can remember. I knew since I was a little kid that i wanted to create art forever.. there was never a question or doubt about what I wanted to be so it was a natural thing to stick by all these years. It challenges me and helps me to express myself through my own art language and style. I didnt so much as “pursue” art but its more that I just never really stopped doing it. People around me had the highest opinion of how much I was wasting my time on an “unrealistic” career. They thought I was just some punk kid living in a fantasy. All the negativity I was forced to live in fueled a fire in me because I knew it was right for me even when everyone said it was wrong. But I created opportunities for myself before they were there, nurturing my own reality in my own world. Instead of conforming and following the same path as everyone, I carved my own. Its okay to be different and want different things. Now I get hired to travel around the world to work with different communities, facilitating art workshops and bringing murals to life and I really love it. The journey was not easy at all. It was the most discouraging thing ever actually but the weight of having this dream and never fully being able to shake it off was well worth it.

Hard lessons have been learned but I’m grateful for them because it adds to my growth as a person. I always welcome art to continue pushing me to levels I can only dream about. The dreams I had as a kid, I’m living right now… the dreams I’m having right now I hope to live when the time comes. And for everything that art has done for me, I hope that by me and others doing what we do can in turn inspire the community and for them to find their own connection with the work being set forth.

I love painting in public spaces where art is the most accessable and can be indulged by anyone. Imagery and color can nurture the emotions that run through us. It revives spaces and gives light and life. Art is magical and can leave everlasting marks on society that can start with just planting a seed. It deserves to be within reach in everyday life. It can also strengthen a community and give a great sense of pride and ownership of the art that speaks to them. Artists have the means to help cement the stories of the people onto walls for years to come. Times change but the stories on the walls can live forever.. or die eventually as everything does.. but the point is that we, as artists, can be that vessel of communication for communities so that their stories and traditions stay alive.

What do I want the world to know about my “brand” and story? That it’s okay to be different. It’s okay to not follow trends. It’s okay to set your own path and it’s okay to walk against the current. Doing that got me here. Don’t be a sheep. Being the same only gets you stuck.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If they’re an artist. I’d take em to some local only spots in the South Bay/ Harbor Area/ Los Angeles area to paint, I won’t name them. If you know, you know 🙂 Then go eat at Redwest in Wilmington or any taco stand throughout LA.. take them to a soccer game and watch LA Galaxy put in some golazos while sitting and cheering with the LA Riot Squad. Hit some underground spots for punk or ska shows. Hit up Venice Beach because it has a little bit of everything. Go to some museums or countless art shows in the area and drink wine with our pinkys up hahah. Catch a wrestling event either in the underground scene or somewhere in the south bay. Spontaneous events always pop up in LA. That’s the thing, we go with the flow and follow the good energy. The possibilities are endless. LA never sleeps.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I always give credit where credit is due and that belongs to my friends who believed in me before I believed in me. All my homies from the animal house, Sam, my sisters & family and beyond. I’ve been blessed with people who have lent me a helping hand or that have mentioned my name in rooms I’m not in. Genuine friendships that keep me focused, head strong and inspire me to the fullest. Teas, Niz, Wink, Live, Toch, Venus, my AACA family in Wilmington, Mer Young, Eileen, Meme & Few And Far, my LA Riot Squad & LA Galaxy family,.. I’m missing a lot I already know… so many beautiful people out there that I cherish for being their beautiful selves and inspiring me in the best way.

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