Wes Abarca
Paint It Back - Our Mission
Co-created by Gabi Torres and Chris Shannon in 2023, Paint it Back is a 501c3. Our mission is to harness the power of public art to bring new life to spaces, energize communities, and spur economic development and growth.
Gabi Torres
Artist
Gabi Torres is an abstract artist and creative placemaker from Clinton, Iowa. She specializes in creating public art projects that reactivate spaces and revitalize communities.
Wes is a muralist also known as “Wes77” with over 20+ years of experience using spray paint/aerosol mediums to create works that are inspired by old-time stained glass/mosaics. Wes seeks to paint eye-catching and thought provoking murals that are representative to a destined landscape and its native wildlife. His art partakes in the enrichment and revitalization of an area that embraces appreciation for the natural all the while fostering engagement and community. Wes has had gallery shows throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico. He has 30 years of mural experience painting interior and large scale exterior work. Also, he is the author of three books: There’s an Octopus Under My Bed , The Scribble Squad and The Resound Fields.
Won Kim (Revise)
A Chicago street artist with a long history of amazing works and a restaurant business.
Donald Ross (Scribe)
Scribe specializes in large format projects and is especially equipped with a diverse skill set from brain storming to installation. Scribe is adept at self management during independent projects, as well as collaborate as a part of a productive team. He desires to create art that authentically reaches people of varied ages with messages that uplift and inspire.
Brandon Price
A local artist; Brandon completed his first mural last year. But he is a respected artist with exhibits throughout the country. He owns his own graphic design business.
Chris Shannon
Artist
Chris Shannon is a painter, street artist, and muralist from Clinton, Iowa. He utilizes a variety of styles to create large and small-scale pieces that incorporate elements of realism and abstraction.
Louie Solano
Louie “Hippieone” Solano is a highly motivated and passionate artist currently residing in San Bernardino County. With over 24 years of experience in visual arts, Solano has established himself as a skilled illustrator, painter, muralist, and designer. With his distinct style Solano uses a combination of acrylics and spray paint to create pieces that captivate and inspire viewers.
James Foster (East)
A true underground artist with an illustrious street art career. You won’t find much about him online though.
Charles Krausz (Emit)
Painting since the late 1980s, Emit’s journey was profoundly shaped by the vibrant graffiti culture and historical tapestry of New York City. Absorbing these influences, he carried his newfound wisdom to Connecticut, where he meticulously honed his craft along the expansive canvas of highways and railway lines. Within a brief span, Emit, in collaboration with fellow artist Sub, blazed a trail by establishing the pioneering DF crew. Their groundbreaking artistic expressions and ambitious styles garnered widespread acclaim and attention, both as individual artists and as a crew. In 1995, Emit embarked on a new chapter, relocating to the Midwest and joining forces with the ATT crew. Here, he continued to refine his distinctive signature style, characterized by its immaculate precision and infused with intricate textures and captivating details. Emit’s artistic journey is also punctuated by his affiliations with other esteemed crews such as IMOK, RTD, and TITS, showcasing the breadth of his impact on the graffiti art landscape.