You might say it’s in Melon’s nature to share his art. He went from the edges of the law in Chicago to painting murals commissioned by the city itself. He has been in connection with Hawaii’s graffiti and art scene since 2001, where he has also been living for well over 10 years and collaborating and writing graffiti in large murals. Decorating the streets of Hawaii and Chicago with lavish blues and turquoise, bold pinks and greens, the likes of which seem to be inspired by his life on the island.

Scrawling Rooftops and scaling billboards is a dangerous way for a graffiti writer to get noticed. Melon never minded; he liked to climb. He used to hop onto the train moving through his old Chicago neighborhood of Humboldt Park. Searching for something, adventure, maybe, Melon credits graffiti writing with saving him from gang life.

As he delves further into fine art, Melon draws inspiration from his relationships, both brief and proven with time. His most recent mural in Chicago’s Rogers Park neighborhood, is entitled Fullhearted—Share Your Love. The lithe figures seem to move both toward and away from each other, intertwined with hearts and ribbons of color. Large, expressive strokes from the spray can trace the walls like a hurried teenager tagging in the night. Painted with only a suggestion of a face, the figures are left open to the viewer’s interpretation. Deliberately, Melon declares “My work isn’t just about me; it’s a reflection of everyone around me.”

MelonJames
@olboy_melon