RISK- Alphabet Print

Gordon Wayne Roberts created the tag Stay High 149, combined it with a smoking, halo-adorned stick man he borrowed from The Saint television show and changed the face of graffiti.  It's hard to imagine a trip through the subway system in early 70's without seeing his name a dozen times. Changing to his secondary alias, voice of the ghetto, around 1974 , ,he introduced the world to two and three toned markers that spewed rainbows of psychedelic cool. After a 25 year disappearance , a time during which many assumed him dead, he reappeared at a graff show in 2000 and soon launched a comeback that gave a new generation a chance to know and love his work. His tags had the rarest combination of style and meaning I've ever witnessed . High Maintenance is about paying back one of the most inspirational , yet humble cats to ever wield a marker. His spirit and legacy has touched every era of a culture that's blown up world wide. The artists who so generously donated their work for this benefit are giving their collective thanks to a man who transcended graffiti culture and in time be remembered as an American Folk Hero. All net proceeds from this sale will go to Stayhigh's Family.

Kelly Graval aka Risk boasts one of the most complete resumes in the graffiti world. His name has been synonymous with LA graffiti since the early 80'swhen he  helped pioneer painting "heavens" (highway overpasses) and freights when few in California were so inclined. He formed WCA(West Coast Artists) crew with fellow artist Rival and the crew saturated LA with murals throw-ups and tags. Risk's artistic evolution won him a scholarship to Pasadena Art Institute as a high school student and he went on to study fine art at USC. He co-founded Third Rail one of the first graffiti-inspired  clothing lines  , becoming an award winning fashion designer . Risk's work characterized by super clean lettering often paired with tattoo imagery and LA references continues to influence LA's new generation of talented artists. He is part of MSK/AWR/ 7th Letter crew, one of the most active creative group of artists in the world. Risk's present collaborators include Abel, Rime, Revok, Pose, Sever , Saber and Tyke/Witnes.

   A veteran of numerous solo gallery shows his canvases regularly sell for prices in the five figure range. Sell out? Hardly. Graval gives back to the community by teaching  free workshops he calls "Blackbook Sessions" in schools throughout California. "Risky" business has never interfered with his painting for the love of the game on the streets.