Sam Flores was born in 1975, immersed in the stark beauty of the New Mexico desert. In 1995, he moved to San Francisco seeking life as working artist and the Bohemian lifestyle of the Bay Area.
Like most teens of the late 80's and early 90's, Sam was involved in street cultures of skateboarding and graffiti writing. From 1995-1998, these roots in urban expression helped him land freelance gigs doing graphics for Adrenalin skateboards and Civilian clothing. He's shown at Virgin 69, 5024, and Hotel Biron galleries, as well as traveling shows to New York, Canada,throughout Europe, Singapore, and Tokyo
His focal medium is paint on maps, blue prints and canvas. These paintings touch classic themes of "natural beauty," which is in obvious contrast to his life in the urban landscape. He credits Michael Parkes and Derek Hess as influences. The rich flora of his recent work can be compared to the nouveau stylings of Alphonse Mucha. His figures tend to be somewhat anonymous, even masked in some instances, yet still full of personality and emotion.
He effortlessly combines broad fields of color and finely rendered detail, creating paintings that are engaged on many levels. This palette tends to lean toward earth tones, perhaps an homage to the colors of his youth in New Mexico.
In His Words:
Working on this project with Roland Sands was a great experience and very inspirational, He got artists from all styles and walks of life together creating thier own worlds where Sands bike designs live and breathe. My inspiratin for my mural was to create a new world and other reality, as well as my own racing team. What would the bike look like? What would the Toyota truck that transported it to and from the races Look like? Where questions I painted the answers to. I wanted my mural to embrace the feeling and excitement of a race and also create a world like no other where charcaters and fans live and love motorcycle racing. I look forward to working with this team and Toyota in the future on bigger and more amazing projects like this one. There is no limit to whats possible when you put such talented group of minds together in one room.....
Sam Flores
Acrylic Paint and Spray Paint on Plaster
2008
www.samflores.com