Five questions for five flicks 

Featured artist - ADEOS

ADEOS is a graffiti writer from Sydney. He started painting in the late 90's and during the early 2000's he was was an active member of US Crew painting panels and tracksides. After taking a break from graffiti he has picked up the cans again and is flexing his style improving and pushing it with every new piece. We caught up to find out a bit more about him and asked for his favourite five flicks.

1. How and where did you get into graffiti?

I grew up on Sydney's green line. My first memories of graffiti was through my older brother. He's 10 years older than me and knew the local writers. He would take me on bike rides to look at pieces. I remember watching his mates paint boards in their backyard when I was around 6 or 7 as soon as i saw the colours up close i was instantly hooked.

2. How would you describe your style and who were your influences?

Forever changing! Maybe new oldschool? Haha My style is influenced by the writers and pieces I grew up idolising. It's my personal interpretation of the graffiti you don't see to much of anymore. Its my nod to the pioneers of Australian graffiti.
It's a mixture of sharp points and powerful curves. No fancy flairs or tricks, just letters and meaningful connections. Influences are old school crews like PLS, TPR, KOA, RBS, ML, DMA, WCA, RDC. Writers like Dems, Dis, Dmote, Puzle, Prowla, Sach, Scram, Dvise, Paris, Unique, Ranks, Tame and current writers like Nives and Bones.

3. You were getting busy in the early/mid 2000's then took a break from painting, why did you stop & what pushed you to take it back up again?

Being an active writer in Sydney in the early 2000s was an interesting time. The scene was a violent vacuum that could suck you in without even knowing. I was getting over all of the bullshit and drama.
When my close friend Bingo passed something changed in me. I wasn't happy with living the graffiti lifestyle and decided to take some time away to get my life together.
What brought me back was a pure love for the artform. If you truely love it, it never fully leaves you. I had spent my whole youth figuring it out for myself. My brother had moved out early and I was the only one of my mates who was into graffiti so I had to learn everything through trial and mainly error. This was before I had the internet so there was no YouTube tutorials. There was only one way to learn which meant getting out there, stealing caps off every aerosol at home, cleaning clogged caps you find at walls and picking up empties so you knew what paint to use.
Having invested so much time into it I couldn't let it go. I also wanted to try and create pieces that would hopefully make people feel the same way i did as a kid looking through old hype mags.

4. Do you have a good chase story?

Nothing to hetick. Being a runner and rock climber you best believe when i hit the legs no fence or person is stopping me! I generally enjoyed painting illegally solo and always did my due diligence. I learnt quickly that more people meant more drama. Looking back a funny story was being chased just before wolli creek. A factory night worker spotted me and gave chase in his car. I decided to hop the fence and leg it down the tracks to Turella and catch the train home. Once there i see two guys with a torches looking for me. To my joy i also saw the last train pull up and leave. After waiting a reasonable amount of time I decided to make the long walk back to Kingsgrove.
The most direct way home was on the lines so i emptied every can i had. By the time I got home the sun was coming up, I was exhausted, covered in farmers friends and I couldn't feel my feet after walking on rocks for 5hrs straight.

5. What motivates you to keep painting?

My motivation has changed over time. I used to be motivated by seeing my name up, now my motivation lies in the progression of my letters and pieces.
Getting my letters to flow how I want them to, finding new connections and colour schemes. The never ending possibilities of manipulating a letter and also never being satisfied with my last piece.
Painting with people who are light years ahead of me and realising i have so much to learn. Some of my favorite pieces are with friends I should have no business sharing a wall with and inturn pushed me to do my best.
Being a part of PLS motivates me live up to the level and the history they created. Seeing their old pieces and productions has definitely inspires me to. Shout out to the whole PLAYERS family!

P.S
Stock caps are for toys and flair outlines are as lame as rollerbladers in skateparks.