A little bit about Baylee:
Hey! My name’s Baylee! I was born in Chicago and raised in a small town north of the city along the lake. I attend the University of Oregon studying Advertising. I daydream about living in Hawaii way too much, driving back from a day at the beach, windows down, blasting “Crash My Car” by COIN. I enjoy the simple things in life and like knowing that I spend my money on experiences rather than materials. I reached the point in my life where I need to think about what I wanna be doing for the next ten years, but honestly, I just want to enjoy every second with the people I love most right now.
On the streets of Chicago, my mother taught me about street art. She explained how the names and styles of each artist appeared all over the city. The key to their craft was to have a presence while remaining anonymous. During those weekend adventures, I became more fascinated with this secret society. I wondered who these artists were and imagined how they spent their time in the city. It didn’t matter to me how old they were or how they looked. I mostly wondered how they managed to travel all over the city. I was most drawn to the presence they created. I realized that the names did not claim they lived in the city, but maybe they were visitors, like me.
Soon after, I started sketching characters and thinking of a street name of my own. This would eventually lead me to choose the tag, "JINK." I drew on mailing labels, known as label 228. The labels are free and available at the post office. An entire community draws on these labels. I spent countless hours working on my character. I watched YouTube videos, tested a variety of art supplies, learned how to trade with others by asking questions online, and followed artists I liked on social media. I quickly became immersed in the community and culture of street art. I had a following and felt like I finally fit in somewhere without anyone knowing how I look, my family structure, what financial bracket I belong to, and where I lived.
You can keep up with Baylee on Instagram at @baylee_xiong (personal) and
@jlnkz (art account)
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