Quentin “Shplinton” Thomas: Ultra Violet, City Street
From Downtown Los Angeles to Santa Monica and just about any given block within any given neighborhood in between, you’ll have no trouble in this city finding art out in the wild of the concrete jungle. Splashed against walls and windows from the hands of the talented artists that inhabit the city, there is one of these artists in particular that we’ve seen more and more of in the last few years, and his unmistakable style and artistic habit of taking subjects of everyday value and recognition and turning them into a technicolor extravaganza is bound to set both your soul and your mind on fire. Yes, like most artists, he wants you to make you feel something, but above all, he just wants you to feel happy.
Los Angeles-based artist Shplinton’s larger than life murals speak for themselves: intense, yet harmonious color palettes, perfectly imperfect ultra-poised brushstrokes, and a vibe that does more than just speaking volumes, it shouts. And, even if upon first glance you don’t know what exactly it’s shouting, you will, and in the meantime—it sure feels good to gaze at. Shplinton specializes in abstract and expressionist art, as well as pointillism, and while the guy’s no stranger to a good, ol’ fashioned line drawing, most of his signature work is done with watercolor and acrylic paints.
Living in the heart of Downtown, Quentin “Shplinton” Thomas found himself at the center of the recent civil rights protests. Since then, awareness of the issue has expanded tenfold, and with chaos unfolding all around him and a literal call for justice on the tongues of the many outraged protesters and activists on the ground below, he realized that now more than ever, how important it is to breed positivity without taking away or straying from the seriousness of the matter—in this case being the current challenges faced by people of color and the black community as a whole. It’s hugely important to Shplinton to stay on narrative with his work while remaining ever-present in the mindset of happiness and hopefulness.
“We’re talking about a lot of black issues and I want to bring black faces to it. Art has been a part of every movement,” he says, “and yes, there is a lot of art that will continue to be created, but I feel like for me, I want to do my best to create a place for people to feel joy and love even when they’re thinking about serious issues.” By bringing the discussion to a place of levity, Shplinton hopes to promote a feeling of uplifting power to begin to overcome the recent tragedies and injustices faced. “I want to do strong, but joyful,” he says.
While he works partially in his home studio, much of Shplinton’s work is splayed out on display right out in the open. His larger-scale work includes a portrait of James Baldwin as well as a quote of the famous black writer/activist himself, layered atop huge strokes of color residing at the Pershing Square Building. With a mural on Abbot Kinney in the works and his busy hands currently working away to promote the cause with several different foundations and campaigns at his side, keep an eye out open for more of his captivating work tucked within our beloved city’s streets.
Written by Dakota Nate | Photography by Robiee Ziegler
