7 Line Art Studio: DUEL RIS

Make the streets your gallery. -Duel

Duel is a Chinese American abstract artist that has taken traditional forms of street art and developed it into his own style. He served as a marine honorably for 23 years and while staying abroad during his service he took up painting as a form of therapy. 

"I took a break from art and street art to do graffiti. Yes, going backwards. SMH. But you got to do what makes you happy. Thats the most important thing."
 -Duel

We asked Duel a couple of questions about his processes: 

1. Was there art in your life before graffiti and street art?

"Yes. I was exposed to art long before graffiti and street art through my mother who was a painter, a sculptor and a high school art teacher."

2. Favorite piece of feedback?

"The most positive feedback that I've received from anything I've done has been my Wu Tang W with my glyphs. I also get positive comments for my hearts with the calligraphy work as well."

3. What got you into street art and graffiti?

"I got into graffiti with a good friend in 8th grade, I was peer pressured into it. Street art came years later as I was trying to transition into fine art, murals and commercial work. I felt the need to put my work in public spaces for exposure."

4. Is there a story behind your name?

"I chose the name Duel because I needed a fresh start for the first tag I had: Serk (84-86). I had lot of issues with the name, and it wasn't versatile or easy to stylize. I also made toy mistakes that got me into hot water early on, so I had to rebuild from ground zero. It took a while to come up with the name, but I needed a tag that had letters that worked well with each other on all levels. I think its coincidental that the name chosen would match my personality as teen, but I ran with it and that was that."

5. Motivation on bad days?

"I don't really have bad days when it comes to graffiti because I mix it up. I'll do pieces, throws, whole cars, monikers or whatever I'm in the mood for. I just go put up numbers and that's what drives me. Not the clout, not the money. With art, I'm up and down and all over the place. I need to surround myself with positive likeminded people to stay on track sometimes or I may visit a museum to hype myself up. I also watch Richard Hambleton (Shadowman) and Stanislaw Szuklaski documentaries repeatedly because there's so many take aways from these films."

6. Advice?

"I'd like to say do what makes you happy. Keyword YOU happy. DO not worry about what others are doing, their opinions, comparing yourself etc. That nonsense will derail you from any goal. Be humble, be patient."

@7LineARTstudio  

To purchase work or to collaborate check out Duels studio and shop:

 Home | 7lineartstudio (bigcartel.com)

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