The subject of my field report was graffiti, and my informant was a local graffiti artist to whom I held a working relationship, although not an artistic one, a few years ago.  Although he told me that his current focus in his art wasn't to proliferate his name through tagging, as it once was, since he does not consider himself retired, he chose to remain anonymous, under his long-held tag name "JET-ONE."  Since I was acquainted with JET-ONE, but not closely, I knew his tagging symbol, the aptly named "Ghostchild," and his tag name JET-ONE.  When I sat down to interview him, I could say nothing of his beginnings with graffiti, his motivations, influences, or anything else that could help me understand his relationship with the spray can.  Besides giving me a lengthy, informative, articulate, and seemingly self-realized interview, he showed me that the strength of his work was developed through his own need for a colorful personal expression as well as his relationship with his father, not simply the emulation of an urban magazine or video.

I used a tape recorder, and I settled the date with him beforehand so that I could come and interview him while he was at work.  I had a typed list of questions, but often times, his answers overlapped with my questions.

Graffiti, in its bond with hip-hop, is generally believed to have started in the early 1970.s.  At this time, in a sense of tradition, it is probably reaching its third generation.  Nobody specifically taught JET-ONE graffiti art.  However his art is infused with tradition of comic book art, music from the 1960s and artists work that he saw in books and magazines.  JET-ONE acknowledges his influence by hip-hop city art, but refuses to be categorized by following any one principle or influence in his art. 
 
"Whereas I recognized what I was doing was an emulation of hip-hop and hip-hop culture, I also pursued it solely as an artistic expression of my own, with no ties to one particular group of people or system of beliefs other than my own."

JET decided to name himself after the childhood nickname his father often called him, referring to a certain Beatles song that he liked.  The symbol of the Ghostchild came from a comic book that JET-ONE liked to read when he was younger.  He began tagging when he was twelve years old, influenced only as he says, by a half full spray can and an urge to change the nature of a surface.  His first work was "nonsensical," an experimentation of what he could do with the spray can.  When he was fifteen, he began tagging in a style similar to what he had seen in images of New York style graffiti, through magazines and books.  His desire to start came not simply the thrill of law violation or self-promotion, but since he was an artist by nature, he wanted to experiment with a more uncontrolled medium of art, as opposed to the precision of pens and brushes.

"I think I liked in a sense, the sheer chaotic nature of spray paint in general and large markers and the fact it was a very hard medium to master... I liked being able to anonymously state things, do things, that can truly be viewed by the public, interpreted as they may, and you get an honest feedback... before they ever know who did it, so it. s somewhat of an unbiased critique of your artistic work& that drew me to it."

"The influences that had a large effect on JET-ONE. s work came predominantly from an "underground tone;" he identified with the precision and cleanliness of the Pop Art movement of the sixties and seventies, especially the balance of commercialism and subversive nature resonated throughout that period.  He stressed the influence of comic books and the ability that graffiti gave him to create a six-foot tall comic book character for the public eye to admire or hate, but still observe.  
  
While he readily admits the character style of hip hop graffiti is a heavy influence in his art, JET-ONE says that he does not consider himself a hip-hop artist now, although at one time he might've.  His basis for change is desire for expansion into different realms of art, coupled with the belief that in stagnation, a "scene ultimately destroys itself."
  
His motivation to tag or piece the town has diminished greatly from his earlier days.  (JET is now in his early twenties)  The basis for the change is simple and understandable.  Responsibilities that he didn't have before, as well as being at a higher level of punishment for "vandalizing" the town with his art, have created a more cautious JET-ONE.

"I've told a lot of the younger kids that come into where I work that I've retired, that I threw in the towel.  I don't think I've necessarily quit, in all honesty I don't think you can, once you have it in your system."

He believes that his crew of graffiti artists, who have been painting since the early nineties, were responsible for a portion of the younger generation getting involved in graffiti.  Before JET and his crew started writing, JET says that graffiti in Bloomington came solely from outsiders traveling through the town. 
  
What may surprise people, since it is from self-proclaimed well-rounded artist, is JET-ONE's assertion that hand-styles are just as important and sometimes harder to master than piecework.  An integral part of graffiti is the ability to spray a tag quickly and cleanly, since it is, of course, illegal.  He claims he spent twice as much time perfecting his hand-style than his piecework.

"The purpose of tagging is almost like bands "flyering" for a show.  You go out there and get your name up ... you say 'why don't you go sneak around some darker alleyways, bridges, and you might see the real deal.'  That's where the show is.  Without tagging, you might never make it to the bridge."

JET criticizes and disengages himself from the feuds between competing graffiti crews, clarifying that his experience in Bloomington is vastly removed from the city landscape.  He believes that any artist that begins to show his skill and gain notoriety will also have a few envious detractors.

"I've never crossed anyone's work out, ever.  I. ve never gone to war with someone, graffiti-wise.  People cross my stuff out a whole lot ... I've never had anyone had the balls to actually sign the X that they put through my (work)."

The maturity he shows for artwork in general is evident in his belief that retaliating with slandering scribbles will only lessen the art and contribute more smudges.  He does, however, believe in painting a much better piece next to the perpetrator and letting the public decide.  Amusingly, JET-ONE will address an artist with a note of apology only when covering a piece that has already been defaced.  This method of mutual respect is something that separates an established artist from a kid with a tag. 
  
JET believes that there are ethics and codes that should be followed in graffiti that young artists should respect, something that is usually enforced in cities.

"If you have a big blank wall& there's a chain of greatness of tags & you can cover markers with spray paint, cover one color bomb with a two-color bomb, pieces go over bombs, and burners (big pieces) go over pieces."

Respect for the community and local businesses are exemplified in JET-ONE. s policies of where and how to tag.  He declares to never to write on the business fronts of locally owned businesses.  He feels that is a blow to the local community, however he will tag alleyways between shops.  JET-ONE shows a great respect for places of faith, vowing that he will never deface a place of worship.  He also will never paint on personal property, no matter how affluent the person is, or how they might be perceived.  He did admit a penchant for tagging electrical boxes.

JET believes that the popularity of graffiti is largely due to the subversive nature and the thrill that comes with distributing personal expression publicly, all the while being pursued by the police.  He describes the thrill as partially from the lawlessness of the art but mainly because of the immense satisfaction of bettering yourself as an artist and honing your skills.

"It's cinematic in a sense, running through alleyways in dark clothing ... coveting spots that you'd always hit if your balls were a little bit bigger."

As our conversation came to a close, JET told me another way that the spray can has been his communication tool.  When he was younger, his father lived in Terre Haute, loading trains.  A young JET would write notes to his father on trains, hoping that the message would be read miles away in a different train yard.

I think JET-ONE had similar philosophies and probably would have connected with city artists even though he came from a small town.  The similarities with his graffiti and that of a city bomber are that they both used their art to send a message or to fight back against something they disagree with in the community.  JET doesn't appreciate corporate pressure on family owned businesses in Bloomington and he won't hesitate to address that in the placement or content of his art.  He also followed codes and ethics that structure the respect within the graffiti community at large.

The interview that I recorded went flawlessly, at least to the critique of an amateur.  JET-ONE was open and candid about his relationship with graffiti and needed no urging to talk more thoroughly.  I think that the fact we were acquaintances had a hugely positive effect on the amount of information given, without the tribulations of knowing the person too well.  I think that the balance we achieved and the trust that was there helped my interview flourish.