KNEF

I’m a Southern California born artist residing in Los Angeles. My work ranges from fine detail acrylic paintings to large scale murals. My intent is to engage with the viewer and visually communicate a narrative that is rooted in the environment in which I was raised. Los Angeles is both rough and beautiful simultaneously. My time growing up here mirrors that reality.

Graffiti is my first big art influence, and is always woven into what I do. My expansion beyond graffiti into acrylic based painting has been a long journey. It is a function of my fascination with a more finely detailed process of rendering an image utilizing the basic building blocks of lighting, color theory, and composition. Discovery of the shapes within the basic shapes of the initial paint strokes is a very satisfying experience. One that allows me to stay in the current moment. My mind is forced to stay focused in that moment in order to realize the full potential of the painting, and that allows me to actively live in the present. Art-wise, that is the greatest reward for me.

My art lives in many places in Los Angeles. From out of the way hidden street corners to heavy foot traffic thoroughfares. I've had the privilege of showing my pieces in multiple galleries across Southern California including La Luz De Jesus, Las Laguna, and Overspray Art Gallery. Formal art education-wise I have a BFA from the U.C. Santa Barbara department of fine art. Lastly, I’m very lucky to have a beautiful wife and daughter who constantly motivate me to keep pushing.