Upfest 2024: painting day looming. Artist reflects on previous upfest and the upcoming upfest 2024
Upfest is in full swing, with workshops and various classes happening throughout the week. Over the weekend, amazing artwork was created in the Tobacco Factory beer garden and on the big walls around Bedminster, giving the area a fresh new look. While it’s sad to see previous works painted over, that’s the nature of street art. Now, with Upfest being held every two years, the artworks last a bit longer.
I am thrilled to be accepted once again to paint a temporary free-standing board. I still can't believe I was asked back, so I want to share my previous approach and experience, and how I am preparing for this year’s event on June 1st.
Reflecting on Past Experiences
The first time I applied to Upfest was in 2020, but lockdown delayed the festival until 2022. I had all that time to overthink and wonder about my approach. My imagination often envisions epic cinematic photorealism, but my art usually doesn't come out that way. My kingfishers were close to this vision, but they took around 20 hours each. This year, I only have about eight hours to paint.
In 2022, I spent hours preparing an elaborate stencil, but the wind made it a challenge. It took me two hours to get the stencil up and spray painted, only for it not to work. The paint seeped under, and the dots didn't hit the board correctly. I ended up using brushes because my spray paint control wasn’t great, and it took me 14 hours to finish.
Learning and Adapting
Since then, a lot has happened. I painted a practice wall the same size as the Upfest one in four hours using just spray paint, and I painted a similar-sized portrait in under four hours. I discovered transparent paint, which helped add intense contrast to my pieces. I am now more comfortable with spray paint, though I’m still self-conscious about using a medium I haven’t practiced with as much.
This year, I’m approaching it differently. I won’t use a reference or try anything new. Instead, I’ll bring my maze heads and stream-of-consciousness style to Upfest. One will feature a maze, and the other will have a ripple and waterfall. I plan to go with the flow, adding elements as I go.
Preparing for the Day
It's easy to question everything and wonder which image to showcase, but I’m focusing on being in the moment. Next Upfest, I hope to get brave and apply for a real wall to showcase my more detailed work. It’s a great atmosphere at the Tobacco Factory, and I look forward to seeing who my board buddy is and what tunes the DJs will play. I plan to get my background sorted with some of the grey primed surface showing through, using pink house paint from my “Right Side of Chaos” painting. Grey and pink is such a wonderful combo!
After that, I'll get a cold drink while the paint dries. Knowing Ralph, my dog, is home alone will be tough, but he will have company from noon with his dog walker, giving them a chance to bond further.
I’ll start by outlining in spray paint, then slowly build up the layers, starting with the eyes. If they look 3D and full of life compared to the rough outline, I’ll know I’m on the right track. I plan to keep some of those lines untouched because I love when hyperrealism has half the outline. I want the ripples to have a sweeping motion with glazes and layers, possibly done with a brush, but layered spray paint can have a charm too. I’ll use transparent green for the cheese plant leaves and transparent yellow for the eyeballs.
Looking Forward
I have a clear idea of what I want to achieve and am excited to see how it goes. I chose the last week to paint because friends and family who wanted to see me will be away, but now I’m eagerly anticipating my painting day and meeting the other artists. It’s amazing to be among such skilled artists in a lovely community.
Upfest has inspired me to keep practicing and improving with spray paint to better translate my art from brush to spray when painting big. It’s a lot quicker and means fewer brushes to wash. Being watched can make it easy to freeze or overperform, but I aim to flow with the experience without letting it dictate how I work.
I hope to apply for other street art festivals in the future. I use my real name because I can't get my head around choosing and answering to another name. While I can't paint anywhere because of this, I can paint commissioned walls and festival walls. I still need to be cautious about where I paint, as not all walls are accepted as having graffiti.
My confidence, or lack thereof, means the only time I get to practice spray paint is at the festival itself. At home, the fumes can be too much, and I don’t want Ralph to breathe them in. I don't have an outside space, and when I do paint outside, I often get disturbed by neighbors asking about my art, which is lovely but means no painting time. Plus, with all the flats around, I feel self-conscious.
I’ll have to wait and see how this year’s Upfest turns out and how long it takes me—hopefully more on the four-hour side than 14!
