This Street Artist Makes Art from Old Spray-Paint Cans

Based in Los Angeles, Florida native DJ Neff makes art that examines various shapes and the relative arrangement of different elements, occasionally with a cast of anthropomorphized goggle-wearing underground moles hell-bent on wreaking havoc on humanity. Neff's approach often moves beyond mere two-dimensional representation and into examining the very tools of the trade, which means he's also been cutting open empty spray-paint cans to use them to create works of art.

Neff started making graffiti in high school at the age of 15, when he says it took over his life and quickly bordered on obsession. It was then that Neff began experimenting with styles and slowly growing accustomed to the feeling of brandishing a spray-paint can. Back then, his canvases were mostly abandoned buildings. He continued to explore his growing love for graffiti, moving on to decorating trains while devoting himself to becoming the best street artist he could be.

Soon, Neff became so preoccupied with cans of spray paint that he found himself reluctant to throw empty ones away. While a senior at the University of Florida where he studied graphic design and art history, he resolved to open one up. The result of that experience is a project called CANLOVE that repurposes used spray-paint cans into new works of art.

After college, Neff began working in advertising but ended up moving to LA to pursue art full time. By focusing on characters like his "Mole Patrol," Neff believes his painting improved. Instead of worrying about the subject of his art, he was able to take his existing subjects and develop their stories. The level of response to his work increased as well. Meanwhile, Neff would still gather the empty cans he'd used to paint the walls of Venice Beach and make even more art out of them. To date, he says he's cut open at least 25,000 cans, producing countless artworks and installations with the CANLOVE collective.

Neff's advertising work history and his reputation for non-traditional projects have combined to create a perfect storm of creative opportunities. His technique is bold and dynamic, with an eye-catching color palette and what he describes as "non-traditional compositions." His fast-paced painting style often gives his images a gestural quality, and he's found that it's easy to switch between radically different painting styles. For murals, he moves between using exterior flat paint and spray paint. Bucket paint is ideal for bigger walls because it's brighter, while spray paint is good for details. For his installations, he supplements his empty spray-paint cans with a combination of steel, reclaimed wood, concrete, and steel wire that he cuts, welds, and constructs with his team. He says, "I love working with recycled materials because I feel as though my love for them translates through the work and into the viewer."

Neff says street art helps him express himself because it's instantly gratifying, and wielding a spray-paint can gives him a certain kind of power, simply because it's a medium that can be so challenging to master. "I think street art is important for society because it gives anyone a chance to have a public voice, if they want," he says. "It creates a dialogue between an artist and his surroundings. It can beautify a neighborhood as well, which in the case of many places [where] street art exists, the buildings, many times, could use a facelift.”

Follow DJ Neff on Instagram and visit his website here. Follow CANLOVE on Instagram and visit the website here.

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