tobealiveisbeautiful

He just got into a place to live a few weeks ago! Although, he didn't mind living under the tunnel either. He likes to live freely, and no rent or job means he gets to paint all day.

He is not currently part of an art collective but is interested in it! He just got offered his first show which will happen at the end of October. I'm also working on getting his art submitted to a few studios!

His inspiration to paint mostly comes from living on the streets, cultural icons, and requests from other people. He told me he never runs out of ideas, he always has something in his head he wants to create :)

Hey Wisgood! Really great and insightful question. Firstly, Reggie gave the money to the other gentleman because the other guy was older and unable to work, so he feels since he was the star of the portrait, he deserved the money.

Additionally, he doesn't always give away the money from his paintings. That's how he sustains himself (he just bought a, and I quote, 'ghetto pizza' for lunch right now with some paintings he sold last night)! It's not enough to necessarily get him off the streets, but it is enough to keep him fed and clean.

Lastly, he is pretty content with where he is in life. Being homeless wasn't entirely his choice, but he's made peace with where he is and he enjoys the freedom it gives him to paint.

Much love!

Hi! I have considered doing more homeless advocacy. I currently work for the fire department as a crisis response EMT, so I do get to interact with that population a lot. Next fall I'll start a Masters program in Clinical Mental Health Counseling to become a LPC, and after that I'll be applying to medical school! I want to be a therapist before becoming a doctor because I feel that primary care medicine (and medicine in general) needs a radical shift in it's ability to treat mental health. My end goal is to work in medicine, specifically with homeless and inmate populations, to help with this.

He's happy people like his stuff. He hopes people enjoy looking at it as much as he enjoys making it! His end goal is to get a studio for himself, so exposure could potentially help with that. He was recently donated a trailer to get out from under the freeway.

And hey, I went to school in Tucson! I spent many a days having pizza parties with y'all at the park on Stone and Speedway. Take care of yourself out there! Let me know if you need anything.

He told me that the man he did the portrait of was an older homeless gentleman who is unable to work. He figured he was older and since he is the direct reason he was able to make a profit (without him, the inspiration for the art wouldn't have existed), he deserved the money.

We are doing this AMA in order to post his new website, because all funds are going to support him and hopefully secure him a studio! Also, because who doesn't love to hear about a rad dude named Reggie who paints in ketchup?

Hahaha apparently one with bologna and leftover sausage? I don't know. Some cheap meat lover's pizza!