Welcome to Secret Schematic! Before I go any further, if you’re a subscriber of one of my previous newsletters (Archival Recordings, PROCSSS, True Topographics)  and receiving this, please know that I appreciate you and the support! And if you are a new subscriber, thank you for taking the time to read this. I hope to make it worth your time.

So…what exactly is Secret Schematic? 

In the architectural or design context, a schematic is a drawing or diagram that uses abstract symbols and lines to show how a system works. I’ve applied that framework to my creative practice as a method to portray the structural and societal systems that shape neighborhoods and their residents through abstraction.

The “secret” is my lived experience. When I first moved here at the age of two, my family lived in a rented house near the corner of Slauson and Van Ness. From there, we spent time in Hollywood and Mid-City before landing in Koreatown/East Hollywood. Each of these vibrant, diverse neighborhoods played a crucial role in shaping me as a person and an artist. The Secret Schematic newsletter is the result of these experiences and influences.

The past seven years have had a transformative effect on all aspects of my creative practice. The volatility of the traditional media, the photography market, technology, and the society at large required a wholesale reexamination of everything I thought I knew. The creative landscape transformed overnight and I tried many different approaches (some successful, others…not so much) to stay afloat as things shifted around me. Last year (2025) I focused on incorporating my documentary photography work into the abstract compositions I’d been refining for years, coming together for the first time in my “Redacted Topographies” series of collage paintings.

Stepping back from the documentary photography work that I had become known for and deciding to refocus on art was both a necessary step and a leap of faith. I found a way to balance my need to document the physical world around me and interpret it in a way that felt true to my own experiences living in Los Angeles. The end result, and all of the steps I’ve taken and will take next, form the core of what this newsletter is about. Secret Schematic explores art, expression, and staying human in this technological age. 

Wildstyle

Any way you look at it, my relationship with art begins with a fascination with graffiti. Me being me, I dived into it in the nerdiest way possible, by finding books on the matter. "Subway Art" by Henry Chalfant and Martha Cooper introduced me to the history behind what I saw on the walls. Its place as a pillar of Hip-Hop culture further cemented my connection to the craft. I was always drawn to wild style lettering, especially work by Kase 2. That man was incredible, covering whole cars with borderline incomprehensible styles that blew my mind. As I got deeper into the craft, I found other artists whose work spoke to me like Futura 2000, Phase 2, Stash, and Ramelzee. Simultaneously, I was putting in work with my friends on the ground. This was around the time in East Hollywood/Koreatown that the older kids I used to skateboard with got into graffiti art, with the scene exploding all over mid 1990’s Los Angeles. I was fortunate to have people around me that took the time to show me the ropes. Legends like Serch (RIP), Rate (RIP), Jiah, Eder, and others were close friends and I spent a lot of time just absorbing what they did. This was a really important part of my artistic evolution and it’s directly connected to the work I produce today.

My interpretation of abstraction is closely related to the concept of graffiti wild style. Lettering was my specialty back then and many of the forms, shapes, and compositional elements that are prominent features in my current practice originate from those early days. 

Current Events

Neighborhood Studies
The Werk Gallery

My debut solo exhibition, Neighborhood Studies, was on display at The Werk Gallery in St. Petersburg. This show featured 7 collage paintings that explored my connection to specific neighborhoods in Los Angeles and ran from July 3rd to August 2nd 2026.

I also participated in the “Dear Artists: Los Angeles Streets, Structures, and Stories” exhibition at Band of Vices. My piece, “Encrypted Memory” was on display alongside many other artists in this powerful group show about the city we all love. 

Future Happenings

This has already been a pivotal year for Nonstndrd Creative Projects and it’s not done yet! I have several big things in the pipeline to share so keep an eye out for Secret Schematic 02 in the near future.

Speaking of this newsletter, the schedule is that there is no schedule. Basically, it’ll be published when I have something significant to say as opposed to being forced into an arbitrary deadline.

And also, don’t forget my photo only visual newsletter, True Topographics is still going! I’m still out here documenting Los Angeles daily, capturing these spaces before they disappear forever.