NationInspiration caught up with SOULER. A Graffiti Artist from Gautemala. When he is not being a Doctor you will find him sharing his passion with the world through a spray can.
1. Hi Souler, please tell us more about yourself.
Hello, I am Emanuel Orozco AKA Souler, Christian graffiti artist from Guatemala. I was born in a little town called San Pedro Sacatepéquez. I am the 3rd of 4 brothers and live in Guatemala City. About my talent? Mmmm....well when I was a kid I used to see my older brother drawing, he was really good at it! He drew a lot of cartoons which I was really inspired by and I wanted to do the same. I also started to sketch cartoons, pretty much in an anime style. The years passed by and I had to move to the city, you know...to start university. Besides my love for cartoons I wanted to be a Doctor.
Here in the city I met a friend (named An3 from the church) he looked at my sketchbook then he took his phone and showed me some graffiti photos, it was here that I fell in love (lol) the first thing I did when I got home...guess what?… yeah, I got to work on my brother’s computer to search some graffiti photos on the internet.
I started to copy some graffiti letters onto my sketchbook, (some pieces from PoseOne, Kent, Cant2), I was doing it for about 2 years before getting any paint on a wall.
Here in the city I met a friend (named An3 from the church) he looked at my sketchbook then he took his phone and showed me some graffiti photos, it was here that I fell in love (lol) the first thing I did when I got home...guess what?… yeah, I got to work on my brother’s computer to search some graffiti photos on the internet.
I started to copy some graffiti letters onto my sketchbook, (some pieces from PoseOne, Kent, Cant2), I was doing it for about 2 years before getting any paint on a wall.
I’ve been painting for 6 years already, I am part of Iron Sharpens Iron Crew based in LA and a local Crew called AMEN. I am a Doctor, and now I can say I am doing the two things I love the most!
Thank God, because of this, I have traveled to different parts of Guatemala. Last year I traveled to LA, and last month was Denmark, Belgium and the Netherlands to share the gospel through Graffiti art.
2. What inspires your Graffiti Art?
What inspires me most is the knowledge that the highest creator, God, made me in his own image and likeness (Gen. 1:26), He put in me part of Him, and that I can not only praise Him through art, but also share hope, faith and love with the others who are in the graffiti scene and the society in general (John 3:16)...In a world where the good is bad and the bad good.
3. Do you have a special story to share on how using your talent has impacted someone else and caused them to think differently about life?
Yes I have, in fact a couple of weeks ago a young man spoke to me on Instagram. We had never talked, he just let me know how my work inspired him and motivated him not to give up. He was going through a difficult time, besides God using my work, I had the opportunity to give words of hope and encouragement. It is awesome to know how God can use the work you do to be helpful to others who are in need of love, hope and forgiveness and to share how God helps me and that He can do the same for him (Isaiah 61: 1).
Well, the most common thing in graffiti is the ego of every artist. You want everyone to see your name on the streets so that everyone respects you. The zeal for your artworks above the others. A lot of fights break out, fighting over a wall and who painted where... When someone paints on your piece and the artworks cover each other; the rules will tell you that if they cover your work, you should go and do the same, (there are some rules), but the common thing is IF YOU PAINT OVER MY PIECE I WILL DO THE SAME, that's where a Love that breaks the rules has sense for me, because as a Christian God commands you to love your enemies, love those who do not love you, where graffiti tells you to get on my piece I'll get over on yours, but God says Pray and bless the one who paints over yours (Matthew 4:44) that is what it means to me (Matthew 22:39).
5. What are some of your favorite Graffiti Artworks and why?
Wall 1: Jesus Saves (Guatemala City) - What I love about this piece is the message of salvation, hope, no matter what we´ve done or where we have been, God gives us salvation, cleanses us, forgives us through his son JESUS (John 3:16).
Wall 2: Be Free (Roskilde, Denmark) - This one is my favorite cause is one of the biggest pieces I've ever painted and it was in Europe, besides that the message is about being free and courageous in Jesus Christ.
Wall 3: Jesus’s Sacrifice (San Marcos, Guatemala) - This one I like for how each letter is incorporated into the next, at the center the cross that represent the sacrifice of Christ and within it a heart representing the love of God for us the sinners.
Wall 4: Tro / Danish translation of Faith (Bornholm, Denmark) - Everything is possible for those who believe!
Wall 5: Jesus Saves (Venice Beach, LA.) - I like the structure of the letters, the colors and also because it was my first piece on the beach (lol) (John 3:16)
6. What else are you passionate about?
1- Share about Jesus, his grace, his love, his mercy (John 3:16).
2- being a Doctor, the care of my patients.
7. What would your advice be to a dreamer who has lost hope and motivation?
Well, sometimes we can lose the way, forget who we really are or focus so much on what we need to the point that we forget what we have, so my advice would be to remember where you come from (Gen. 1:26). Every dream, all creativity or inspiration comes from Him (Exodus 35: 30-35). It is just about giving a little more attention to what is around us, nature, birds, flowers, our own hands, every part of our body was created with such care and detail (Psalm 139: 13-16). So, remember who you are and remember where you come from.
8. Favorite verse or quote you are inspired by at this time?
"You may never know Jesus is all you need, until Jesus is all you have" -
Corrie Ten Boom
6. What else are you passionate about?
1- Share about Jesus, his grace, his love, his mercy (John 3:16).
2- being a Doctor, the care of my patients.
7. What would your advice be to a dreamer who has lost hope and motivation?
Well, sometimes we can lose the way, forget who we really are or focus so much on what we need to the point that we forget what we have, so my advice would be to remember where you come from (Gen. 1:26). Every dream, all creativity or inspiration comes from Him (Exodus 35: 30-35). It is just about giving a little more attention to what is around us, nature, birds, flowers, our own hands, every part of our body was created with such care and detail (Psalm 139: 13-16). So, remember who you are and remember where you come from.
8. Favorite verse or quote you are inspired by at this time?
"You may never know Jesus is all you need, until Jesus is all you have" -
Corrie Ten Boom
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life - John 3:16
The Writing on the wall …Daniel 5:5
The Writing on the wall …Daniel 5:5
(The first piece on a wall was painted by God)
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