There is a visual conversation that takes place on the streets of urban environments. This conversation is dominated primarily by advertising and utilitarian signage and assumes passive participation. Whether invited or not I am going to participate in this conversation. Public spaces were never intended to be coated from top to bottom with photos of consumer products. These spaces should, in some manner, reflect the culture that thrives in that space.
Some people view what I do as vandalism. I assume that their objection is that I alter the landscape without permission. Advertising perpetually alters our environment without the permission of it’s inhabitants. The only difference is that advertisers pay for the privilege to do so and I don’t. So if you’re going to call me anything, it is more accurate to call me a thief.
Eddie 
it’s art and it’s vandalism.
I’m interested in clothing you have. I got this forwarded from 5733 where i bought a sweatshirt and love it! Thank you for your art.
Its more like amazing
Hey.
Your art is amazing.
And i wanted to get your input on the t(8) pic you produced.
Im a student at the university of rochester as a poli sci major. I have to write a huge paper on how photography and art has an affect on politics.
im writing my thesis paper on the most recent activity on the gay rights movt and your art is amazing and wanted to see if you had any info that could help me.
if not i understand.
thanks for taking a voice
I’d love to talk about it with you.
You are guys are awesome! I love you! I paint in AZ, but have never done anything like what you are doing although I would love to. I do have a question though…. would the work that you do be considered mixed media with a print work base? I personally have a lot of ideas for pieces with large human forms the same way you use them, but I would like use printwork instead of just painting by hand… that takes a while. Anyway let me know if you have any tips.
Great Stencil work Great Message
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Hi Eddie
I’d like to buy a print of your work “If you want to achieve greatness, stop asking for permission” to hang in my studio. Cheers
Zina
Sydney, Australia
You can get a print of it here:
http://store.fiftyseven-thirtythree.com/category/posters
Cheers
Eddie
Hello Eddie,
I am a big fan of your work and your message.
Would like to contact you directly to ask you a question.
I can be reached at 323-944-0966 or tc@westcoastcoaching.com
Hope to speak with you soon,
T.C. Conroy
Hey Eddie, I love your artwork which is amazing!
I found you on FlickR!
Join our Group StreetLove.fr and check out our website 🙂
Have a great week & keep up the great work!
hello eddie,
your art and spirit are wonderful. i just blogged about it on my website.
http://www.madeinslant.com
keep it up,
eyeswoon
Eyeswoon, Mad thanks for the kind words and write up.
Cheers
Eddie
Hey Eddie
My name is Maio Alvear, I’m a student at the Academy of Arts and Sciences High School in San Francisco. I’m starting a research project about laws that prohibit graffiti or any type of urban intervention in the state, specifically in San Francisco. I am starting to do street art and i really like your work. I would like to know if you could help me by answering a few questions of your work around the Bay Area? I could either email the questions to you, we could do it over the phone, or in person, whichever you prefer. Let me know if you are available.
Thanks for you time
Maio,
Ya sure just hit me @ abettertomorrow@sbcglobal.net
went to white walls group show and fell in love with your “this ain’t no smash & grab” piece…thank you!
eddie your art is amazing…as a fellow artist and graphic designer i gotta say ive been so inspired by your stuff…love the freedom and expression in it…come to paterson nj and do some murals!!! we need it.
Angel,
haha I’ve been to Paterson. Last time I was there a 14 year old kid tried to sell me a .22 pistol in a wendy’s parking lot. That was a long time ago though.
Eddie you are one dumb monkey. The democratic party is taking you for a ride. Read some political science and history books and realize what a patsy you are.
I intern at a gallery in Los Angeles that features your art and I am literally in the middle of writing a piece about you for our artist cards. I came here to read about you and felt inclined to respond to the poor excuse for a human above me – it’s not about politics at this point. It’s about the negligence of human decency. People are fine with being spoon-fed by corporations (who also fund our lovely two-party system). These poor people watch Fox news and take everything that’s being put in front of them as truth without doing any research themselves. Hence, we are slowly become one lazy-ass nation. Without Eddie Colla’s art and the messages he portrays, people won’t realize they’re the ones being “taken for a ride” by the media.
Eddie, thank you and keep on keeping on, brother. We need it!
– N
I am interest to your art. We will have a art show in Chinese full moon festival. I want show your work in my gallery.
you can contact me in 408-905-3938 or just leave a message to my email kiri.rong@gmail.com.
Thanks
I’ve recently started a blog about street art. I’m a journalism student at San Francisco State and would love to interview you. I think that what you had to say here is probably the most honest thing I have read in a long time.
Let me know if your down. email me at modisho@gmail.com
Thanks.
Hi there,
I was at the “Warhol Reimagined” show at Project One and your piece caught my eye. I am opening an art gallery next month in Oakland and I’m really interested in seeing more of your work and talking to you about a potential show. Do you have any time next week to come by the space and have a sit down? We can have a chat over the phone first if you like. Let me know
Melisa
Eddie
I know Anjan at Dosa and have always loved your work there. He referred me to you when I enquired about it. We would like a piece comissioned for our home in SF. How best do we get in touch
Regards
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Eddie,
Great work!..def inspire me to elevate and be more creative with my photography!! Checkout photo of my son inspired by the movie “Exit Through the Gift Shop” as well as your Art!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/42169885@N03/5778307188/in/photostream
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Eddie:
Was driving to SF from LA and saw one of your wheat pastes on a huge billboard trailer. I liked it enough to convince the farmer owner to sell it to me…in fact I had him literally cut out the entire side of the trailer. The entire piece aluminum and all is now hanging in my living room. This would not be a normal day for me but I found the image that provacative. Glad I could find some information about you online to put a name with the piece. In any regard I wish you continued success.
I love your work, looking forward to collecting some of your prints. Hit me up if ya wanna do a show sometime with us around Oakland. We are on facebook but you can also check us out at oaktownindiemayhem.com
-s2
Cool. Just connected with ya on facebook. I’ve been seein that logo around for a while now. Good to meet ya.
E
Hey Eddie,
Nite Owl mentioned you might have a good lead on some warehouse spaces to rent. Working on a show I think you might be interested in that still needs a new venue…any ideas?
OIM: Diaries of a Scapegoat Feb 25TH 2012
In this show we will be highlighting the different struggles that has brought us to the point that we are at now as a society and with our government. Also, analyzing how we have consistently taken the blame for the conditions we live under, regardless of the fact that those same conditions were created by the structure to control us. This is an interdisciplinary art show that features locally made films, musicians, dancers, visual artists doing live painting, & screen printing, spoken word and more.
Promotional material will be going to print around the 7th or 8th.
We are looking to fill 2-3 more visual artists (ones open to doing live art is great!).
We are also looking for a few more films still, 20min or less.
We will be featuring artists such as Turf Feinz Dance Crew, Yak Films, Poet Jonathan Merchant, ErnestDotyArt.com and many more.
-s2
Glad to see people are taking notice. Gotta get goin on another round before it gets to wet out there! nice to connect 🙂
s2
I’ve seen your work all around New York, specifically Brooklyn, and I honestly had no idea it was you until the recent Daily Dot article you were in. Now, realizing that you’ve done all of this great work, and taking a look at some of your other stuff, dude, you’re ridiculous. I don’t know how you do all of this but keep on doing what you’re doing. I was actually curious if you could possibly send me some of those Guy Fawkes/Occupy Wall Street 99-1 stickers? I would be honored to help spread your artwork around my neighborhood.
E-mail me if you can.
j03d1rt@live.com
(0 is a zero, it’s hard to notice if there isn’t a slash through it)
All over brooklyn? Huh that’s weird, I haven’t been to brooklyn in bout 10 years. Anyway, if you shoot your address to WTF@57-33.com a they’ll send you a sticker pack. Thanks for the kind words.
Cheers
Eddie
Eddie – Wanted to talk to you about a large scale project (10 x 40) in SF. Please send us an email and we can kick around more.
Thanks
Alex and Courtney
Hey, I am an LA based artist (the little fuckers) and do you have a preferred form of contact? I wanted to ask for your advise artist to artist on something, I really look up to your work
Hit me up here
abettertomorrow@sbcglobal.net
E
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