Nopa Podcast With Brian Barneclo

Nopa Podcast With Brian Barneclo • Comments »

Last Friday, I had the pleasure of interviewing Brian Barneclo. I’ve wanted this interview for sometime now as I’ve been a fan of his long before we ever met. Like many of you, my first introduction to his work was the vibrant mural he did for Nopa. And since half of my waking hours are in the presence of his work, this affinity is a good thing. It is such an essential part of the feeling of the restaurant, that an interview with Brian felt important to capture.

The coolest thing about this podcast is undoubtedly the timing. Though I am relatively new to San Francisco, I can sense that the demand for Brian’s work, and his profile as an artist has increased in recent years. In this interview, Brian was just one week removed from his most ambitious artistic endeavor to date, which culminated in the largest mural in San Francisco.

Brian’s story of finding inspiration in San Francisco after migrating from a mundane life in suburban Indianapolis is a familiar tale. San Francisco has brought it out of so many. You can tell the light bulbs have always been there, but it took the city to turn them on. And they are way on. His aura is so unmistakably artistic, he would never need an introduction as such--you can just tell. He is self-aware, honest and a generally cool dude. His tone in the interview is surprisingly optimistic and at times straight up motivational. Not neccesarily what I expected from the hip-hop/skateboarding muralist ilk, but it is completly authentic and endearding. It feels as if he is speaking directly to artists as he impassionately speaks about challenging yourself and pursuing greatness.

One of my favorite moments of the podcast is when he stresses the importance of always remaining an emerging artist. “As you become an established artist, it becomes dangerous.” From the carefree freestyle mural at Nopa, to the largest mural in San Francisco, it has been a good run for Brian. Catching him riding the wave of such a triumphant project was gratifying. Given his sneaky ambition and evolving catalog, my mind immediately travels 5 years down the road, wondering what projects he will be tackling then, and where this one fits in. We are excited to watch it unfold. We hope you enjoy the 2 part interview with Brian Barneclo.

PART 1: Listen Here

PART 2: Listen Here

Stephen Satterfield is a Manager at nopa
Posted September 23, 2011 • Filed under Podcast