Free Humanity: An Exclusive Interview with A.I.M.O.

How did Audrey Hepburn influence your imagery?

Audrey Hepburn was the start to a series of portraits based on humanitarians. She worked with UNICEF and became their goodwill ambassador. She was very selfless for an actress which I feel is a rarity.

What is your favorite medium and color palette?

I don't really have a favorite medium, I get bored quickly so I have become very multi faceted in my approach to making art to keep myself entertained. So I use spray paint , oil paint, I make sculptures sometimes, and a lot of mixed media work recently. I go back and forth from figurative and abstract work. I go from stencil work to oil painting to just popping cans and using color. I think bright colors in general would be a favorite color palette.

Your hearts are so meticulously drawn/sprayed. How did the hearts come to be your signature style? The FH signature style is strictly spray paint and to create my signature thick to thin flare I've come to use a fat cap tip which took a few years to master. They have evolved and become more flared out over time. Kinda ghostly and transparent. Where in the beginning they were a bit more thin.

I started using the hearts in 2010 to create a contrast to my black and white stencils. At first I just kinda did color blobs from backgrounds kinda abstract but then started putting color hearts over it and it just evolved from there and I stuck with it.

Please tell us of your recent collaborations and who you would like to work with in the near future. I recently collaborated with amazing printmakers, House of Roulx ( pronounced Roo ), for my 1st official print and had a solo show in Massachusetts by the Boston area. They flew me out there and I did some originals and we had a show for the prints. It was based on a negative of Audrey Hepburn that was shot by famed photographer Milton H Greene that they offered up to me to do my thing on. That opened up a great friendship and and we just released my 2nd print that sold out and I am now getting ready for a 3rd print release. I am also about to do a signature hammock for the Hollenberg bros and am hyped to relax on one of those. As far as working with anyone in particular, I just let that happen organically.

Who is your mentor? Any artists in particular that you admire wholeheartedly?

The only mentor I think I would say I've had was the great writer and monk Thich Nhat Hanh. Artist I love wholeheartedly- Martin Creed, ahhh Martin no understands but him.

What is next for you?

No clue what is next. NY in June prolly to paint a few murals, I want to go to Italy to see Caravaggio paintings. That's my summer goal.

Where can our readers learn more about both you and your art?

As far as catching up with me, Instagram is the best place at FreeHumanity

To all readers: take advantage of every day and make the best of everything and life will be sweet and balanced.