RAE
Bright colors, free flowing lines and in some cases reminiscent of cubism. These are what a viewer might expect to find in the work of one of Waterloo’s most recent visiting street artists RAE. A Brooklyn native, RAE’s interest in street art was sparked from his interactions with hip-hop and graffiti in his neighborhood growing up. Always interested in drawing, he wanted to paint outside so that his work could be shared. He explained that art was something that should be out in the open and viewed by all. When talking about his Collinwood piece, RAE explains that, like all of his work, he likes to use the features of the wall and play off it. Many of the lines were done without ever picking up the brush or spray can, like drawing without ever lifting the pencil.
Repetitions and clutter are also part of what define the work. When looking at the mural, there are subtle 3-D elements almost like an expansion of the space. RAE said he was given new challenges working on this project. Usually when it comes to street art, brushes are his preferred tool but due to the sheer size of the wall and time constraints he was forced to use spray paint cans. RAE’s bright and loud mural ads a new flare to the formally bland wall that sits across a vacant lot from Chloe’s Home Cooking on East 156th street. Blending fine art with urban influences, RAE has created a mural that celebrates the Collinwood neighborhood as a crossroads of beauty and grit.