ryan shulz may be my favorite living artist
because of

his ability to depict what one may think are

hideous and disgusting acts

beautifully.

blows my mind

smoking cigs shooting up slouching sideways all strung out

is still somehow simply so

beautiful.

the first time i saw ryan's work was on a post card elena gave me

the painting on it was the last one above of the kid laying on the oriental with 

the beginning of a shiner smoking a cigarette

there was no name or contact info on it

everyone who saw the postcard on my fridge thought it was a photo of me

i wanted terribly to have the painting but had no way of reaching the artist

then years later walking around in wicker park on a sunday

there it was in this completely random pop up shop

i asked this girl working there if i could buy it 

she told me they couldn't sell the paintings that they were there on loan or something

and that i couldn't afford it anyway

rude.

well, i found ryan and with time Jakub Smoking will be mine 

it only took like three years