Hawaii's Slap Queen MuffinJones aka DAME is a women with authority and is ready to concur any challenge she comes across. She is covering the islands with her artwork, melting the cities with her ice cold icecream slaps.
This DAME works day and night making hundreds of slaps that she decorates Honolulu with. What's even cooler about her is she shares. She works so hard on her artwork and then sends it out across the U.S so everyone can get a chance to enjoy it. Now her slaps are spreading across the country hitting the streets and making an impression in the graffiti world.
Working alongside Hawaii's slap King HASH, MuffinJones (DAME) is developing her work off the canvas and on the streets. Allowing her work to be viewed by thousands she can enjoy sharing her style with everyone and help decorate the world around her.
I first saw MuffinJones' (DAME) work online and I've watched as she has developed her style, and has continuously move to be the best she can be in her craft and in the graffiti world while also humbly sharing this hard work with others. Working as a team (ESK, eat/sleep/kill) she is inspired by artwork she finds from others or around her and by her island Honolulu, Hawaii. You can see the influence graffiti has on her paintings. My favorite would be the paintings with the ladies with the drips. These drips are a classic motif in the graffiti art world and are celebrated in MuffinJones' (Dame) work. Using these inspirations and motifs she brings her art to the next step that helps complete what visions she sees her work developing to.
Since I have had the opportunity to get to know MuffinJones her determination has only made me want to work as hard as her which is pretty tough since this Lady works pretty damn hard. Day and night she sleeps, breaths, even eats slaps for breakfast. Keep an eye out for DAME (MuffinJones), she's melting her way across the country, soon across the world. The Slap Queen.
A.I've always been an artist, mostly brush on canvas. But my graff career started when I came up on rolls and rolls of packing labels. I knew right away how I'd waste 'em and DAME was born. I made a few colorful ice cream cones and they've become my symbol. People collect my slaps off the streets.
Q.How would you describe your work?
A.I'm a slap queen.
Q.Have you ever been hassled by police?
A.Fuck the police.
Q.Where are you from?
A.Originally the Bay Area, California. 510.
Q.Did you attend an art school or are you self taught?
A.Self taught.
Photo taken by MuffinJones
Photo taken by MuffinJones
Photo taken by MuffinJones
Q.What is your goal with your artwork, where do you see it taking you in the future?
A.I want everyone to know ESK. That we mob. I want my cones on EVERY street corner, and I want the old ladies to love it. Anything else would be a blessing.
Q.What is your favorite "canvas"?
A.Canvas
Q.What's yours favorite medium?
A.Acrylics
Q.How has your work developed?
A.Graff has helped me explore and develop my style. My pieces have become deeper and have more body.
Q.What is your inspiration?
A.Other artists. Most of the time I'm picking one thing from everyone I wana do doper, harder, more of. Its a competition, me or you.
Q.Whose your favorite graffiti artists?
A. Herakut. Invader. Retna & El Mac. Bucket TKO. ...
Q. Highlights of being a Graffiti Artist?
A.One is meeting and working with other artists who WANT to work and DO. People who have dirty finger nails and don't get off on name dropping and elbow rubbing. Creative people without daytimer boundaries.
Q.I have seen some fantastic women artist taking to the streets to show there work. In your experience do you know of many women graffiti artists? Do you think women Streetartist/Graffiti artists have a bigger influence in the graffiti world now versus 5 years ago?
A.I know a handful. I believe they do influence more and more woman artists' contributions to the scene. I think the graffiti world is much more accepting of women these days, so we have to stay active, own the best spots, then we can call some shots.
Q.Do you think more women will enter into the graffiti world?
A.Absolutely. The question is will they stay? Everybody wishes they can be a graffiti artist, male or female. It's cute. But that means putting in work, STAYING up, and most people don't want it enough. There's not enough women with steady determination in this game.
Q.What are your favorite places to tag?
A.Virgin walls.
Q. If given the opportunity would you show your work at an artshow? Have you already?
A.Yes and yes.
Q.How does living in Hawaii influence your work?
A.Hawaii is my work. I started out here, so these streets keep me inspired. The graff scene out here is still evolving and finding itself. There's a very strong, lively art community, with local and international influences. It's very easy to find inspiration.
Q.I noticed you work alongside with graffiti artist HASH, how did you meet? What's your influence on one another?
A.We met while each of us were showing a few paintings at a local art show. He's an amazing artist and has since become my partner in crime and best friend.
Q.How has social media helped/influence your work?
A.It's been an awesome tool to get my work out there, to share and meet other artists. Its becoming an interesting part of the graffiti art community, so I'm looking forward to graffs evolution because of it.
