WESTUP- Air Ballin, that's whats up! whats good homie? hows the town treating you?

DeAndre- The Town is lovely! Its my home base. I get nothing but the utmost love here.

WESTUP - So let them know, how long you been airbrushin? Tell us how u git started, when and were you first picked up a airbrush?

DeAndre- I have been airbrushing since about late 2003, early 2004. I was already doing pencil portraits for a living, and I just wanted a way to expand my hustle.

WESTUP - Do you do any other kinds of art?

DeAndre- Yeah, I'm pretty proficient in all mediums except for oil painting. Never tried it, I'm sure if i ever did, i would love it and probably do a good job. My main thing is graphite pencil work, as you already know airbrushing, charcol, pastels, a lil tattooing.

WESTUP -How would you describe the art scene in oakland, and where do you see it headed?

DeAndre- I read somewhere, that Oakland has the highest ratio of artist per capita. That's hard for me to believe, I dont know that many artist here. But that might have a lot to do with, tho I am an artist, I'm probably more involved with the Hip Hop scene than than the art scene. But Oakland throughout history has always been a forerunner in new and inovative things, so all I can see is the art scene here going up. Plus, now we have a whole generation of younger cats who come up in an era where its cool to be an artist. That wasn't so prevalent when I was younger.


WESTUP - Are there other artist your style that you colaborate with?

DeAndre- I havent done many collaborations with other artist. I have been lucky to work recently along side of a few talented and creative artist, who inspired me to up my game, but at the same time I picked up minor and major tricks of the trade that helped me to become better.

WESTUP - www.Airballin.com , whats that all about?

DeAndre- Airballin comes from the term "ballin" long before Jim Jones was throwing it out there. But it was just a play on words, that I was ballin with my airbrush work, or if you had one of my pieces you then were "ballin" Airballin strictly for the ballers....lol

WESTUP - I noticed lots of your work is of portraits, is that your specialty?

DeAndre- Yeah portraits are my specialty,but I can do anything About what 90% of my customer base request portraits from me. In the airbrush game there are not many artist that can do a portrait as good and as fast as I can. Not saying there are not better portrait artist than me, cause I have seen many. But I can get a good quality portrait done on a Tshirt in about less than an hour. Some people it would take them days to even get the tshirt quality I get on portraits. I'm not that great of a conceptual artist tho, meaning just coming up with things outta my head, I'm more of a realistic type artist. Its probably due to the fact I started as an artist so late in the game.

WESTUP -How can some one intersted in learning this form of art get started?

DeAndre- Like Nike say, "Just do it" there isnt a handbook, there isnt any secret paints, or special guns that are gonna make a person better. All it is, is trial and error, added with a whole lot of practice. Theres no right or wrong way, art is art, it comes from the artist, so he supposed to do it however his inner self tells him/her to do it. Theres no such thing as bad art. The best tool for me learning was, I didn't have anybody really to turn to to ask questions, so I was forced to figure it out, with patience, time, energy, money, blood, sweat and tears. So I think that's the best way for any artist to get it.


WESTUP - Out of all your pworks of art which would you say in your favorite or one most proud of?
DeAndre- I dont have a favorite. I have different pieces I like different parts about. like " wow, look how real that nose look" or "wow i cant believe i made it look like real chrome" or whatever. I think because I'm still a baby in this, I'm still amazed and in awe whenever I finish anything.

WESTUP - What kind of projects are you working on now?

DeAndre- Knocking out a few canvas pieces for an art show I am planning sometime in the near future. Upping my tattoo came, cause I think I'm about ready to make the transistion to full time tattoo artist. Other than that, I just stay hustling at The Ave.

WESTUP - Where 4 do see the urban art scene of northern cali 5 years ? and where do you see your self with regard to the scene/industry?

DeAndre- I cant really predict it. I see the market changing. You dont have to be an artist to create artwork for the urban market now. You can just throw paint on a shirt and the kids are loving it. makes no sense to me, but you know what, i respect the hell out of it. get your hustle on. I think because of my backround and history, no matter what kind of art I am doing, I will always be tied to the urban art scene in some major way.
Digital is taking over, and that's making it real easy for everybody to become creative with everything. Hell I wish I had the digital know how, I would be killin em!! lol..

WESTUP -What would you say is one of your biggest influences when doing your art?

DeAndre- Art is how I live, its how I eat, how I pay my bills, I dont play with this or half step with it. So for me survival is my biggest influence I would have to say. I love what I do very much , but would I do it if i didn't get paid? Honestly, I dont think so. I'm a hustler, I was just blessed to find something I love very much that I could make money at.

WESTUP - Do you believe in a god and does that have any influence on your art?

DeAndre- To me art is a talent, not something your born with, its something you learn. Micheal Jordan wasn't born knowing how to play basketball, he practiced to get to where he was.SO, I believe in doing right. What you put out is what you gonna get back. At the same time I believe in whatever a person puts their faith in and it works for them, than that's what they should be doing. whether its god, allah, the sun, a rock, or whatever. Me realistically I try to put my faith in me, not to say there isnt a higher power than me, but in this real world, i feel like i'm the only one that can control the outcome of my life.

WESTUP. Any last words or shout outs?

DeAndre- Man, just do you! shout out to The Ave.
www.airballin.com
myspace.com/airballinattheave &
myspace.com/immortal_images.

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