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Ricky is a Phoenix native who has been in the aerosol community for six years. He’s created large murals in Phoenix, New Mexico, and Illinois. He dabbles in the art battle scene, and loves to talk to new people and artists. He is in the process of turning his family home into an art sanctuary for other muralists in the Phoenix area. His work can be found on his Instagram page: Ark9one.

So, when did you start making art?

Ever since I was a little kid, I’ve always been involved in art. If I was able to do art club at school, I would do it. When I was in eighth grade, I met some dude whose garage I was cleaning out. He said any art supplies I found, I could keep. I found a box; it had the alphabet in graph letters, and I started doing that. 

But, after I graduated school in 2010, I worked for a little bit, and I got fired. I just really wanted to make quick cash, and I called up one of my friends whose dad has been an artist since the eighties. He kind of started the involvement of graffiti in Arizona and the west coast. I asked him for some tips and pointers on how to sell art. He showed me a little bit, some tricks and techniques. And, I just started running with it. That was about 2013, so I’ve been doing it for six years now. 

Last year, I painted this dude’s house. His neighbor, ironically, she worked for the news, and they did a story on me. They shared all my information, and that’s how I was able to get those trampoline parks, too. That was a really cool blessing.

So, you’ve always been from the Phoenix area?

Yeah, actually I was born and raised in this house. I grew up over here. I was born in Phoenix Children’s Hospital. 

Does the city have any influence on the art you make?

I think some of my better projects that I’ve done have been for the city. Growing up, I wasn’t really influenced. I think I get minor influences from the city. A lot of the influencers that I’ve been drawn to are basically other international artists that I’ve grown to appreciate just because of their techniques and their style. They’re all aerosol artists too. 

It’s hard. For somebody to say they aren’t influenced by anybody, it’s kind of hard because you’ve got to get your roots somewhere, from somebody’s technique. I think I’ve been able to pick up on a few artists that I’ve painted with in Arizona. By watching other artists and growing up in a Mexican family, seeing the cartoons we’ve watched, the dolls and trophies, it’s all stuck with me. 

So, do you ever create art that isn’t solicited?

If I have free time on the weekdays, I’ll drive down Broadway and the Avenues. I’ll stop at a tire shop and ask if they want a mural. It’d be nice to get paid, and it’d be nice to support my family off my art, but that’s not what I want my art to do. I feel like if I do that, I’m not going to enjoy it. It’s going to become a job. I did this so I can escape from my responsibilities and my realities. I do this just so I can put my name out there and show my abilities even if it’s going to be up for a couple years. It doesn’t matter to me as long as people enjoy it. 

I remember when I first started, a lot of people were going to say it’s hard getting spots. It is, but once you get it, you forget about all of that. 

It’s cool because you don’t need any permits to paint. You ask the owner of the property, and they say can yes. Apparently they’re trying to pass something where that’s not allowed. But, I’ve been seeing a lot of people I follow and have respect for, and they’re at the start of all this and kind of defending all the artists. 

How did you come up with the idea of making this an art sanctuary? How did that all get started?

I just want the ability to give people walls. All three sides of this wall are people I’ve collaborated with. Two of them, I’m really good friends with. The other guy, I met him at an art battle. It was a twenty-minute battle, and we just got to paint. We didn’t advance because it was a pretty tough competition. So, we just traded information. We ended up getting that mural, the one that has a bird and all the calligraphy. 

Hopefully, I’m going to move all of this junk out of here. I kind of want to throw that truck in the middle of the property and let people paint on it. We’re going to close off this side of the fence, and we’re going to put pieces of plywood up, so it’s one long mural. The backyard is going to be painted, too, so that people can drive by and see it. I want a huge storage container and plop it on this property. 

How do you and other artists get together?

Social media. Word of mouth. Some of the people I’ve been introduced to, it’s because they’re friends with the painters I’ve painted with. One of the best things is the painters I know out here, and I messaged one of the guys out here about walls and stuff. And, they had me meet up with this dude named Evan Garcia, and he goes by Troubles. Because we’re associated with the same people, he invited me over. I went to his house, and we went through the neighborhood to a spot he was always able to paint. So, we hit that spot. It was pretty cool because I wasn’t expecting to go out there and paint. I only wanted to see if there were any spots I could check out and take photos of, and they ended up just giving me a spot.

Do you think art helps you stay more centered or concentrate more in your daily life?

Definitely. A few years ago, when I was just going through stuff, I would take some time out of the house and paint. Now, I do it because I enjoy it and if I don’t do it, I feel like I’m wasting time for some reason. It’s different now, but I still feel like I have a purpose for what I want to accomplish.