Artist Feature: Breeze

Over a decade ago, I had the fine opportunity to meet a future friend: Thomas Marcus. He was interested in the graffiti street arts scene and went by the name Breeze. I preferred to call him Thomas Marcus (it had a ring to it). One night, I barely met him, but he was cool, and I hopped into his van (LOL) after a Heard Indian Market, and we, along with his buddy Hendrix (yes, related), went off to hit up some art parties. OH THE GOOD OL' DAYS.

‎Concealed Weapons

‎'Concealed Weapons' custom body art by Thomas 'Breeze' Marcus.

To read more about Marcus and his work, click here or here or here.

Breeze: Reclaiming Sacred Knowledge with Streetwear

Thomas Marcus, aka Breeze, is one of my favorite street artists. He is Tohono O’odham from the Gila River and Salt River communities located near Phoenix. Breeze is a quiet storm, producing colorful graphic art that radiates out like a beautiful explosion.

Inspired by traditional O’odham basketry, Breeze’s two-dimensional art references the intricate patterns made by his ancestors.

But Breeze also translates his distinctive style to the world of streetwear, and his latest t-shirt design is based on the idea of taking back and taking over sacred symbols, geometry, and knowledge. Yes, he is badass like that.

GON 2011 G Jewelry, Mea Bfly, and Dre Lynn Design

At the annual Gathering of Nations Powwow, I always get to catch up with some great artists/fashionarias. Check out these three super fly ndn chicks and their badass earrings!:

G Jewelry
Tina Ootsukaeliza has been creating affordable, fun to wear accessories ("handmade with love"!) since 2005.

If you missed her at GON, you can check out her selection on Etsy, or email her for more information at gjewelry@hotmail.com

She was reppin' a huge selection at GON (see left), and even spotted me some dope black and white earrings featuring the badass artwork of one of my favorite artists, Thomas Marcus (aka Breeze).

Heard Indian Market 2011 - Indian Ink II

Indian Ink II

Thomas "Breeze" Marcus and Douglas Miles opened their co-curated show, Indian Ink II, during the Heard Indian Market weekend.

Indian Ink II was held at Pravus Gallery in downtown Phoenix and highlighted a number of emerging Native artists whose works "push out and ascend above the boundaries of stereotypical, traditional, and 'contemporary' Native American art." Almost every piece included in the show stuck with the black-and-white graphic palette, but there were a few well-placed punches of color (in particular, Melissa Cody's awesome Navajo weavings).

Artist Profile | Breeze and Un3ek

The Heard Museum Indian Art Market is always a fantastic event - I've gone every year since 2005 (that's 6 years in a row!) and I have no intentions of stopping - I love it! It's the second largest Indian Art Market (next to the SWAIA market in Santa Fe in August), but, I think, it's the most creative.

I hope to post some post-Heard Market artist profiles on this thing in the near future, and my first is a profile of my friend Thomas Marcus, aka Breeze.

Along with several other Native/Indigenous artists, Breeze shared some of his artwork at the Protect Ya Neck art show at Barsmith in Phoenix this past weekend.

I snapped a pic of this collaboration, and he explained it on his blog :

This month Tyson Powless of Un3ek Sy5tems and I have worked together to create this new image of Geronimo holding an Ak-47, with a sunburst halo around Geronimo and the assault rifle. The title of the image is "Sacred Soldiers". It symbolizes the intensity that so many people possess deep down in their soul and bones. It also is a tribute to those who have gone on, who at one point in their lives, were fighting for their land and people. As Indigenous peoples (all over the world), we are all proud of where we come from, and at the same time we still defend and fight for our people, and cultural identity, and right to exist in so many forms. -"Our Existence is our Resistance"

Silk screen prints. Hand printed black ink on white Stonehenge archival paper. 22" x 30". Series of 24. Each one is signed and numbered by both artists. $60 each unframed. ***For additional pricing info on framing and out of state shipping please email housebroken285@yahoo.com*** A limited number of black ink on white T's are available also. $20 each. $5 for shipping and handling.