Mon  is a Japanese street artist that explores and combines different dimensions of sound and color. His paintings are of abstract dragons and rainbows composed by strokes of different shapes with no pre-determined pattern. The result is an inviting, warm, and vivid art experiment aesthetically pleasing to the eye and the ambience. In Japan, he is usually invited to paint at nightclubs and galleries. Not only does he work on the walls, but also the ceiling and the floors—making his work a living Mon-environment. Mon is widely recognized by the life his paintings take. His murals are lit by LED lights light which affect the perception of colors used and, in so doing, shaping their flow and movement through the figures. In essence, it makes the room feel enchanted by the colorful magical creatures of his paintings.

We met with him at We Love Colors, after the colorful company invited him down to leave his mark in their walls.

When was the first time you grabbed a paintbrush?

I was 14 years old. I was in junior high school. A teacher came in to teach us art, I fell in love with her.  I joined her classes and started painting.

What are your paintings about? What’s the meaning behind them?

I choose some shapes… my inspiration comes from graffiti and Asian history, Japanese natives, and Native Americans. I believe there’s a lot of similarity between those cultures. Those are the shapes.

 Your paintings are really colorful, have you always been infatuated by color?

Not really. There was a time I couldn’t do any color. It was all black and white. I was focusing in the shapes and no color at all.

 What changed?

My interest changed because I started noticing and being influenced by Asian temples. They are super colorful. The temples almost shine because of such vivid colors. I want to do the same.

 As our name implies, “wasabi,” we love Tokyo, Japan,! We dream of going there one day. What are some of your favorite things about your country?

I love the diversity of cultures. Before the 500BC a lot of foreigners came down from Russia, Turkey, China, Europe. A lot of mixed cultures. And that’s something I’m fascinated with.

 What are some of your favorite artists of all time?

Delta from Europe. Kami from Japan, and of course old Native American and Japanese artists.

Describe your art in three words only…

History, composition of color, street art.

Your paintings have some sort of special effects. When you paint a whole room (that includes floor, walls and ceilings) and the room is lit, your colors and shapes seem to move and transform through colors. How did that come about?

It just happened. My friend is a light artist - he does lights in clubs. He came to my exhibit and lit up the place with LEDs, and it just happened. We didn’t plan it at all!

Last Saturday, fifth of May, when some had thick black mustaches and Mexican hats, some other were howling at the full moon, and some of us were experiencing the first home game of the first ever Miami Roller Derby team, Miami Vice City Rollers. 

 A sport? Yeah, but most likely, a family. If there’s something watching a bunch of girls decked in hot pink, fish nets and mini skirts, mobbing around in circles, yelling, pushing, and racing with their lives makes you wanna do, is be part of something. The sisterhood, the comrade, the support, and the fun perceive but all of us is priceless.

Do not underestimate this sport. It’s rough, but is real.

We spoke with Olga “La Bandida” Montealegre #1337 after the game vs. Bradentucky Bombers. This is what she had to share with us….

When was the first time you wore a pair of roller skates? How long did it take you to learn to roller-skate?Olga: I was given a pair of roller skates when I was 9 but I outgrew them rather quickly and had to hand them down to my younger sister. I switched to skateboarding as that was something I couldn’t outgrow. I put on skates again in May of 2011 and I’d still say that I’m still learning how to skate.

Do you play other sports? How did you end up on Miami’s Vice City Rollers? Olga: Nope. I skateboard (long board) recreationally and used to swim competitively but MVCR is where my heart is at. I googled Roller Derby in Miami and found your magazine and a New Times article stating that Miami had started a team and that the open house was the very next day! I immediately went out and bought the first pair of skates I found and headed to the open house. The rest is derby history.

For someone that has no idea what goes on in roller derby, how can you explain this sport? Olga: Roller derby is an awesome, action packed, full contact, fast-paced sport played by strong women of various shapes, sizes, backgrounds and talents! Here’s a great video about the basics of flat track roller derby:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=P2W2b1WBmm4

 Is Roller Derby really a sport, or should we call it something different? Olga: Yes, of course it’s a sport. It’s just as fierce as roller hockey, but with less padding, harder hits and the puck is a woman!

What is required to be a part of a team of such physical contact, high speeds and short skirts? Olga: A strong will, a desire to succeed and skates are required to be a part of Miami’s Vice City Rollers. No skating skills necessary as we teach you all you need to know. When I started, I couldn’t skate and now I’m hip-whipping and hip-checking like a Bandida!

What’s your 9-5 like? Olga: I’m a graduate student by day, roller Bandida by night.

Miami’s Vice City Rollers is the first roller derby team in Miami. What closed doors did your team encounter to make this happen, how tough was it to be the official Miami Roller Derby team? Olga: We are the first and only roller derby league in Miami. We were founded by De La Ruthless #13 and Tallygator #305. Luckily, Miami has been really supportive of the league and everyone we encounter is incredibly enthusiastic to support us. The most difficult part of starting the league was probably finding skaters, but Tallygator and De La Ruthless trained each and every one of us and we’re now officially Miami’s Vice City Rollers and PROUD!

Besides the activity, what else does your team provide you with on a personal or spiritual level? Olga: Roller derby has provided me with a family that I never thought I’d have. I have developed friendships here that I know will endure for a lifetime.

 —

Girl Power Quiz

Miami tastes like? Spices of the hottest variety all seasoning one very delicious steak.

Romanticism is necessary for … Making it in this world requires romanticism. You have to appreciate all the little things so that when you don’t have them, you can look fondly upon them and move onward and upward.

I am proud of my … Unwavering loyalty to my teammates, my coaches, and to my fans. 

I can’t live without … My best friend, my husband, Kevin.  When I think I can’t go anymore, he’s right there encouraging me to go further harder and faster.

What is Wasabi? Wasabi is a lot like Miami, it’s colorful, spicy, and the right amount of it can make anything awesome.

The best kiss is like … I don’t know how to answer this one without losing my bad ass derby reputation. Hah.

 Top 5 music wise:  I’ll list my top five favorite artists: Queen, Beastie Boys, Heart, Incubus, Rage Against the Machine. I’m currently hooked on Die Antwoord.

 A hidden quality: I play the piano, am multi-lingual, and enjoy repurposing electronics (aka hacking).

Favorite cartoon character… ? Brain from Pinky & The Brain! He was so small, yet so determined. I’m in no way tiny, but I can relate to his determination with regards to roller derby.

What do you wear to feel sexy? Why? I wear my glasses to feel sexy because with them, I can see just how sexy I am.

Freedom in your own words: Freedom is when I break through the pack to take lead jammer status and I feel the hot Miami summer winds whipping through my shirt and I look up and see the big Miami moon over the rink and I take a deep breath and skate harder. That’s freedom.

Nabedi –The State Of

By Pamela Wasabi

This city is full of surprises—it isn’t rare to find the most amazing and contagious beings, especially when it comes to those with good energies, great music, and faces caked with smiles. Lately, WFK has been interacting a lot with the girls and talent of drums and synths duo,The State Of. What did we discover? Not surprisingly, the most down to earth, pleasant-to-be-around, and humble musicians. Stef Taylor and Nabedi Osorio are the ladies meriting all these compliments and more.

 Nabedi will soon leave to LA to continue pursuing her musical career, but before her departure we wanted to have an intimate and heartfelt conversation… Check out our interview below + photos of her last Miami performance at The Vagabond this past Friday.

 WFK: What do you find in music that you can’t find any place else?

Nabedi: The feeling of complete fulfillment, a sense of healing. A really good song can make or break you. You can channel so many emotions through song. 

And in The State Of?

In The State Of, the term “less is more” comes to play. It’s where, as a musician, I feel that I’ve been able to really become challenged.  Splitting my brain into 5 parts, using all four limbs and voice is not easy, especially when singing in key to harmonize. Because there is only two of us, it lends itself to having a lot more gaps that we as a duo need to fill up.

As a piano/synth player, Steph is extremely percussive. As a drummer, this allows me to be a more melodic player. Something that isn’t too common in the drumming world. Not only am I playing my heart out on what I know best [Drums], but I’m able to voice my emotions. It’s also the first band I’ve been in that I can bust out my singing skills. As the State Of, we are equals, we share the stage, the experience, and the love for what we do. The sounds we produce, the reactions we have, the experiences we share with others, are truly magical.

And in Miami?
Miami is a melting pot of culture and music. Contrary to popular belief, we have a lot more to offer in this town than just Latin Music and/or Hip-hop. So many talented folks out here pouring their hearts and souls into what they do. The genres that we have to offer here are anywhere from A-Z. I’m proud of Miami. 305 all the way! I don’t think we’ve received the proper credit for what we as locals are building. Within the past 5 years alone, this city has blown up, in the best of ways. Also, though Miami may seem small, I find myself discovering at least 1 new band every day. It’s pretty sweet to see how musicians have built a sort of comrade and we all try supporting each other as much as possible. It’s not an easy task, seeing that we are all usually playing a gig on the similar nights, but it’s refreshing to see your fellow musicians out in the crowd enjoying the experience from a different view! Keep your eyes peeled people, we have substance in Miami and I believe that in the right amount of time, we WILL be on themap.

Having a band, or a music project, one can say that it’s the same thing as being in a relationship, or having a love partner. How did you fall in love with The State Of, and when did it happen?
It is definitely a sort of marriage. You have to love and respect one another, consider each other in every way. The connection people can share when producing music is untouchable. It was during our very first gig, November of 2007, we were playing at Tobacco Road for Femme Fest, Steph and I looked at each other and as soon as that first note came out, we captured the crowd. I’ll never forget we received our very first compliment as a band that night. Someone walked up to us and said to us that they found us both to be in a sort of bubble, our auras were combined into one. It was magic. We knew it was the beginning of something special. It also became apparent to the both of us the first time we went on tour throughout the country. We have shared some wonderful experiences together and have had to be each other’s support system in every scenario—being that all we have is one another in those moments.

I’m sure you’ve heard this questions before —it caught us by surprise!— And even though you might answered it many times, we still want to know… Why have you decided to move to LA?
I find a lot of similarities between LA and Miami. The weather is definitely a big one, the fact that I’ll still be close to the ocean, and my brother is out there so I’ll have a chance to be close to him again. But mostly, I feel that there are so many possibilities for me to tackle out there.  An endless amount of challenges, and if you know me, you know I love a good challenge. It might just be the Scorpio in me. Not only do I want to take over the world of music, there are so many other fields that I have always been into, but didn’t really give myself the right chance to tap into them. So now is my chance. Plus, I think it’s a good starting point in furthering my career in the music industry.

What is the significance of this change in your life?
With age and experience, I feel that I need a massive change. Change is good! I’m a fan and constantly embrace it. With change comes growth and that’s where I currently find myself. I want to grow as tall as those trees in the Red Wood Forest.

What do you want to leave behind?
All the memories I’ve made, but I will also take them with me.

Stef and you have an amazing chemistry, it’s something that stands out when you guys play. If you can tell us three qualities of Stef what would those be?

Selfless, she cares for others and doesn’t think twice about helping others.

Talented, since the moment I met her when she was 17, she blew my mind. Such a talented musician, she’s a warrior. She’s got a beautiful style of writing songs and what she can do with 2 synths and a piano while singing is truly fascinating. I feel proud to share adventures with her. 

Generous, doesn’t even think twice about giving and sharing with others. She’ll make sure that people around her are taken care of.

 Are we gonna have the chance to listen to a new record of The State Of before you leave, any surprises you have for us?

Not before I leave, but it will be completed before this year is over. And it’s going to blow your face off!

 —

Girl Power quiz

 Miami tastes like? Delicious Latin Food

Romanticism is necessary for … My blood to run through my veins. i am a hopeless romantic, Love and romanticism feeds my fire. I’m a lover, not a fighter, but I can crack some teeth!

I am proud of my … Ability to connect to people through my talent.

I can’t live with out …  Music. It’s safe to say that not one day has gone by, as far as I can remember, that I’ve heard silence. Even if a physical song isn’t playing, I’m either tapping my toes or fingers or making something up in my head. Bjork once said, “everything makes music”, this is very true. There is music all around us… So without music, there is no world…Well, at least in my world.

What is Wasabi? When I think of Wasabi, I think of Bright Colors with a hint of spice.

The best kiss is like … Two rhythms in unison.A kiss can tell you a lot about a person, so if you move well together it’ll work.

Top 5 music wise:

Interpol, Bjork, Radiohead, The Police , Rush

A hidden quality: I make really good bird sounds

Favorite cartoon character…  Butters, I’m a south park lover.

What do you wear to feel sexy?

Short shorts, some really rockin’ Boots, a tank top or v-neck top and a feather earring…but just ONE.            

Freedom in your own words:

Take chances, explore the unknown, but do it for yourself. Make it happen. 

This Saturday the Product/81 Gallery will once again host two of our favorite artists in Miami, Viviana Molinares and Agnieszka Nowinska, for series 7 of the Fordistas Exhibition. After showcasing her deeply personal ”Locked Out” with us last month, Viviana will share the stage with Agnieszka - whose hugely popular work helped make our Rebuilding Japan fundraiser in March such a success.

We’ve heard from many people that the duo’s work is very un-Wynwood, and that’s why we love it. Somewhere along the line, the beauty of colors, refined technique, and simplicity got overshadowed by the ‘cool-factor’ of some of the other work you see around the neighborhood, which is fine. But if you’re interested in meeting two truly passionate and experienced artists with life stories that drive their creativity, come by the gallery this Saturday from 6-10pm @2311 NW 2 Ave.

Check out the photo gallery of Fordistas 6 on SFF Facebook.