SAME WALL. DIFFERENT WORLDS

SAME WALL. DIFFERENT WORLDS.

Exploring the techniques behind the artists of Elm82gallery

What do a chisel, a camera, a spray can, and a computer have in common?

Depending on the artist, they can all be the beginning of something pretty incredible.

Contemporary urban art has developed far beyond what many people traditionally associate with graffiti and street art.

Today, artists are combining techniques that might not seem to belong together.

Photography and architecture.

Technology and painting.

Ancient decorative patterns and contemporary street art.

And sometimes, instead of adding paint to a wall, an artist removes part of the wall itself.

That's where things get interesting.

At Elm82gallery, the connection between artists isn't necessarily how their work looks.

It's what they do with their techniques.

VHILS — CREATING BY DESTROYING

Most artists create an image by adding something to a surface.

Vhils often does the opposite.

The Portuguese artist, Alexandre Farto, has developed a distinctive approach to portraiture using a process of removing material.

Through carving, drilling, chiseling, and other techniques, he reveals portraits within the layers of walls and surfaces.

It's an interesting concept.

Rather than treating a wall as a blank canvas, the wall becomes part of the artwork itself.

Its age, texture, and history contribute to the finished image.

The result can feel almost archaeological, as though the portrait was always there waiting to be uncovered.

And that's what makes his technique so fascinating.

The destruction becomes the creation.

FELIPE PANTONE — WHEN TECHNOLOGY MEETS COLOR

Now take that approach and move in almost the complete opposite direction.

Felipe Pantone creates work that feels like it's moving, even when it's completely still.

His visual language draws from digital technology, optical effects, geometric forms, gradients, and the relationship between color and perception.

The precision is remarkable.

Sharp lines meet shifting colors. Patterns create the illusion of movement. Digital aesthetics become physical artworks.

Some pieces almost feel like they belong on a screen.

Except they don't.

They're paintings, prints, sculptures, and installations that bring those visual effects into the physical world.

Pantone's work raises an interesting question.

In a world increasingly shaped by digital images, what happens when those images become something you can physically experience?

It's one reason his work feels so connected to the present.

JR — THE CAMERA AS A TOOL FOR PUBLIC ART

A photograph is usually something we look at in a book, on a screen, or hanging on a wall.

JR takes photography somewhere else entirely.

The French artist is known for transforming large-scale photographic portraits into public installations.

Buildings, rooftops, streets, and architectural landmarks become part of the presentation.

But the technique is only part of the story.

JR's work frequently involves the people and communities being photographed, bringing attention to identity, visibility, and the relationship between individuals and public spaces.

A photograph that might be relatively small in another setting can become enormous.

Suddenly, the scale changes how we experience the image.

And the location becomes part of its meaning.

It's photography, but not necessarily as we're used to seeing it.

HOPARE — MOVEMENT THROUGH PORTRAITURE

Hopare approaches portraiture from another direction.

His work combines expressive linework, overlapping forms, vibrant colors, and influences from graffiti.

Faces appear through layers of movement.

Lines intersect.

Colors shift.

And the finished image can feel both carefully constructed and spontaneous.

There's a balance between control and energy.

What makes the technique interesting is how recognizable the portraits remain despite the complexity surrounding them.

The lines don't simply outline the face.

They become part of its identity.

It's an approach that brings the energy of the street into contemporary portraiture.

INSANE51 — TWO IMAGES, ONE SURFACE

This is where things get particularly fun.

Imagine looking at a piece of artwork and seeing one image.

Now imagine looking at that same piece through a different colored filter and discovering another.

That's part of the technique developed by Greek artist Insane51.

Known for his Double Exposure 3D approach, he creates overlapping images using contrasting colors, often red and cyan.

Viewed normally, the compositions can appear layered and complex.

But through corresponding colored filters, different elements become more visible.

The artwork changes depending on how it's viewed.

It's a clever combination of traditional artistic skill, color theory, and optical experimentation.

And it's a reminder that sometimes the viewer becomes part of the process.

ADD FUEL — REWORKING TRADITION

Portuguese artist Add Fuel takes inspiration from something deeply connected to his country's visual history.

Azulejos.

The decorative ceramic tiles found throughout Portugal.

These patterns have been part of Portuguese architecture and culture for centuries.

Add Fuel reinterprets that tradition through contemporary compositions influenced by illustration, graphic design, and street art.

At first glance, a piece might resemble traditional decorative tilework.

Look closer.

Patterns appear disrupted, layered, or peeled back to reveal something unexpected underneath.

There's a conversation happening between the old and the new.

Traditional craftsmanship meets contemporary visual culture.

And the result is something that feels connected to history without being trapped by it.

DIFFERENT TECHNIQUES. ONE CONVERSATION.

Put these six artists together and there isn't one obvious visual style.

And that's the point.

Vhils removes material.

Pantone explores color, technology, and perception.

JR transforms photography into public installations.

Hopare builds portraits through movement and line.

Insane51 experiments with how images are revealed.

Add Fuel reinterprets decorative traditions.

Different backgrounds.

Different materials.

Different processes.

But each artist has developed a recognizable visual language.

That's an important part of Elm82gallery's curatorial direction.

The gallery isn't built around the idea that contemporary urban art should look a certain way.

It's about recognizing artists who have developed their own approaches and continue exploring what their work can become.

Because sometimes the most interesting thing about a piece of art isn't simply what you're looking at.

It's discovering how it was made.

And realizing there might be more happening than you first noticed.

Elm82gallery
Travel. Discover. Connect.

October 2026

PARIS — BEYOND THE GALLERY WALLS

PARIS — BEYOND THE GALLERY WALLS

Paris was different this time.

I've always enjoyed traveling. The architecture, the history, the food, the neighborhoods, and sometimes just walking around without having anywhere in particular to be.

But this time, I found myself looking at the city differently.

Through Elm82gallery, traveling has taken on another purpose.

I wasn't just interested in the places I wanted to visit. I was paying more attention to the art around me.

The graffiti. The murals. The galleries. The artists.

Things I might have walked past before without giving them much thought.

And I found myself wanting to know more.

Not necessarily because I wanted to purchase something, but because I was becoming more interested in understanding the art, the people creating it, and how different cities and cultures influence what we see.

SEEING ART DIFFERENTLY

One thing I appreciate about street art is that you don't always have to go looking for it.

Sometimes you just come across it.

You can be walking down a street, turn a corner and find something completely unexpected.

A mural covering the side of a building.

A small piece of graffiti that most people probably walk past without noticing.

Something that makes you stop for a few minutes and wonder who created it, how they did it and what they were trying to express.

That's what interests me.

Not everything has to be hanging in a gallery to have artistic value.

And not everything you come across needs to be something you personally like.

Sometimes it's enough to appreciate the skill, creativity and perspective behind it.

PARIS AND ITS ARTISTS

Paris has a history of artists taking their work beyond traditional gallery spaces.

From graffiti and large-scale murals to photography, stencils and installations, there's an incredible amount of creativity throughout the city.

It's also home to artists and galleries that have influenced the direction of Elm82gallery.

Artists such as JR and Hopare represent different approaches to contemporary urban art, but both demonstrate how work originating in public spaces can develop into something much broader.

That connection between the street and the gallery is something I find particularly interesting.

The techniques may change.

The materials may change.

But the identity of the artist should still be there.

And seeing the environment surrounding that work gives you a different appreciation for it.

MORE THAN COLLECTING

Part of developing Elm82gallery has been researching artists, editions, galleries and the history behind individual works.

But there's only so much you can experience through a computer or a phone.

Visiting a city like Paris gives that research another dimension.

You get to experience the neighborhoods.

See the artwork in person.

Walk into galleries.

And discover things you might never have thought to search for online.

Some of those discoveries may eventually influence the artists represented by Elm82gallery.

Others might simply become experiences worth remembering.

And that's fine.

The purpose isn't to turn every trip into another opportunity to purchase artwork.

It's to continue learning and developing a better understanding of the art itself.

THE NEXT CHAPTER OF ELM82GALLERY

Travel has always been something I've enjoyed.

But now it has an additional purpose.

There's something exciting about visiting a city and knowing that, somewhere along the way, I might discover an artist, a mural or a gallery that changes how I look at art.

It might be something completely outside the styles I currently collect.

It might be an artist I've followed for years.

Or it might be something I wasn't expecting at all.

That's what I look forward to.

Paris is part of that experience, but I don't want it to end there.

There are other cities, different cultures, and countless artists whose work deserves to be seen and understood.

And I want those experiences to become part of Elm82gallery.

Not just through the artwork available on the website, but through the stories, places and discoveries that help shape the collection.

Because art doesn't exist only within gallery walls.

It's part of the cities we visit, the people we meet and the cultures we experience.

And sometimes the most interesting work is something you weren't even looking for.

Elm82gallery
Travel. Discover. Connect.
October 2026

One Week In

It’s been one week since Elm82gallery went live.

It’s kind of crazy because now it’s real.

I can pull up the website like anyone else and look through something that, not that long ago, only existed in my head.

And I’m proud of it.

I had no experience building a gallery website. I didn’t pay someone to build it for me or have a company managing everything behind the scenes. I built it. I figured things out as I went, changed things I didn’t like, probably changed some things too many times, and kept working until it felt like Elm82gallery.

Is it perfect? No.

But it’s legitimate.

And for right now, I’m proud of that.

THEN YOU START LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS

The first week also gave me something I didn’t have before.

Data.

I’ve been tracking what is happening on the website and Instagram. Visitors. Views. Where people are coming from. What they are looking at. What posts are getting attention.

I actually liked some of what I saw.

But I’d be lying if I said there wasn’t another number I was looking at.

Sales.

Right now that number is zero.

Strangely, I haven’t freaked out about it.

That doesn’t mean it doesn’t bother me. Of course I want the first sale. I have absolutely no idea whether it happens tomorrow, next month or months from now.

Until it happens, it’s another hurdle I haven’t crossed.

And even when it does happen, one sale isn’t going to mean Elm82gallery is successful.

It will just mean somebody saw enough value in what I’m doing to trust the gallery and buy a piece.

That will matter to me.

PASSION ISN’T ENOUGH

I believe in the artwork I have.

But believing in it doesn’t mean people are automatically going to find Elm82gallery.

That’s where the work starts.

I’m collecting information about what’s happening with the site. The data is there, and if I’m going to have access to it, I need to actually use it.

Record it.

Compare it.

Understand what’s working and what isn’t.

The same applies to everything else — keeping records, staying organized, learning the business side and continuing to research the artists represented in the gallery.

Starting something because you’re passionate about it is one thing.

Running it is different.

I’m starting to understand that now.

I DON’T NEED MORE ART

This might be one of the biggest changes for me.

For a long time, my instinct was to keep looking for the next piece.

Now I’m trying to do the opposite.

For now, I’ve committed myself to stepping away from constantly purchasing and chasing the next piece.

That doesn’t mean stepping away from art.

Actually, I think it gives me an opportunity to understand it better.

I can discover an artist without needing to buy something.

I can follow where their career goes.

I can research the artists I already have.

And I can see what time does to my own perspective.

Maybe artists I’m excited about today will still feel right for Elm82gallery two years from now.

Maybe they won’t.

There’s value in finding that out without having to own something first.

LET THE WORK SPEAK FOR ITSELF

Instead of constantly adding more inventory, I need to get better at showing people why the work already here matters.

Not just a picture and a price.

The artist.

The history.

The process.

Why a particular edition matters.

Why I chose it.

And why I believe some of these works and artists deserve more attention over time.

That doesn’t mean promising anyone that a piece of art is going to increase in value. Nobody can guarantee that.

It means doing the work to present the artist and the artwork properly. Give people the information and let them decide for themselves.

I believe in what I have.

Now I need to give other people the opportunity to understand why.

THE PART THAT DOESN’T SHOW UP IN THE DATA

The hardest part to measure is probably me.

I still have a career.

I still have responsibilities every day that have nothing to do with Elm82gallery.

More importantly, I have my family.

Trying to build this while making sure I’m actually present as a husband and a dad isn’t always easy.

I’ve already learned what happens when art takes up too much space in my head.

I don’t want to go back there.

The anxiety is strange because I don’t always know where it’s coming from.

Is it because there hasn’t been a sale?

Because of the money I’ve put into this?

Because I want proof that the idea works?

Probably some combination of all of it.

But I’m trying not to let that anxiety dictate what I do next.

I don’t need to panic and buy something.

I don’t need to completely change the gallery because nothing sold in seven days.

And I definitely don’t need to convince myself that success is guaranteed just because I worked hard.

It’s not.

ONE WEEK

A week isn’t enough time to know much.

That’s probably the lesson.

Elm82gallery exists.

People are seeing it.

I’m collecting the information.

I’m learning.

And nothing has sold yet.

All of those things can be true at the same time.

I still believe this can work.

The harder part might be staying mature enough to give it the time and work it needs to find out.

Keep doing the research.

Keep looking at the data.

Keep improving how I tell the story of the work.

Be a good husband.

Be a good dad.

And let the work speak for itself.

Elm82gallery
One week in — September 2026

TOMORROW, ELM82GALLERY OPENS

Tomorrow, Elm82gallery goes live.

I thought I would feel different the day before. Maybe more confident, or like I had finally reached the point where everything made sense.

Instead, I feel a little bit of everything.

I’m scared. I’m anxious. But I also feel good.

Most of that comes from not knowing what happens next.

For a long time, there was always something else I could work on. Another piece to research. Another photograph to take. Something on the website to change. Packaging to order. An artist to learn about.

Tomorrow that changes.

The site will be there for people to see, and at some point I have to stop building in private and see what happens.

I know I have to be patient. I’m not expecting to wake up tomorrow and suddenly have people buying artwork. That’s not how something like this gets built.

But I do hope I start seeing some seeds.

Part of that is financial. I’ve put a lot into Elm82gallery.

But there’s something bigger I want validation for—the time I spent learning and collecting these works.

I spent countless hours on my phone researching artists, editions, galleries and individual pieces. Sometimes too many hours.

Looking back, I realize there were times when collecting took time away from my family because I was always looking for the next piece.

I don’t necessarily regret that. At least not today.

It was part of how I learned.

But I’ve changed.

I’ve gotten much better about not buying artwork. I can discover an artist now without feeling like I need to own something immediately.

I can be curious. I can research them. I can ask whether they actually fit what Elm82 is becoming.

And if they do, there’s no rush.

That feels different.

Earlier today I worked out, which helped clear my head. Afterward, I found myself thinking about some of the works that will be available tomorrow.

There’s something strange about hoping they sell.

I’ve spent so much time finding them, researching them and owning them. Now I’m hoping somebody else sees something in one of those works, takes it home and hangs it on their wall.

Maybe that’s part of what a gallery is supposed to be.

And then there are the pieces sitting in my drawers right now.

Some haven’t been looked at in a while.

Eventually I’ll pull one out again, and maybe I’ll see it differently because time has passed.

Some might eventually go onto Elm82gallery.

Some might find another home.

And some might stay with me forever.

We’ll see.

Tomorrow is September 15, 2026.

Elm82gallery opens.

BUILDING ELM82GALLERY PART ONE — BEFORE THERE WAS A GALLERY

Elm82gallery didn't start with a business plan.

It didn't even start with the idea of opening a gallery.

It started with me collecting art.

At the beginning, I was simply looking for work that I connected with. I wasn't thinking about building inventory, creating a website, shipping artwork, developing relationships with galleries, or any of the things that eventually became part of Elm82gallery.

I was buying because I liked the work.

But the more I collected, the more I started paying attention to why certain artists stayed with me and others didn't.

FINDING THE CONNECTION

I've always been drawn to street and urban art, but I realized pretty quickly that graffiti or street art alone wasn't what I was looking for.

It was the skill behind it.

I became interested in artists who were taking something familiar and pushing it somewhere else.

Technology. Photography. Painting. Drawing. Light. Color. Stencils. Typography. Architecture. The physical process of actually making something.

The technique could be completely different from one artist to another, but there had to be something behind the work.

I wanted to look at a piece and wonder how it was made.

That became important.

I didn't know it at the time, but that idea would eventually become one of the foundations of Elm82gallery.

LEARNING TO COLLECT

Collecting also started teaching me things I wasn't expecting.

There is a big difference between liking an artist and understanding their work.

I started researching editions. Artist's proofs. Printer's proofs. Hand-finished works. Different printmaking techniques. Earlier releases. Galleries. Provenance. Condition. Signatures. Certificates of authenticity.

I started looking at where a work came from instead of only looking at the image.

And I started learning the artists themselves.

Why did they make this?

Where did their style come from?

What are they doing differently?

What work actually represents them?

Those questions slowly changed the way I bought art.

I definitely didn't get every decision right. I still don't.

There were pieces I chased because I wanted them. Artists I became excited about and later realized didn't belong with the direction I was heading. There were times I bought too quickly.

But those decisions were part of figuring it out.

The collection started becoming more focused.

SOMETHING WAS TAKING SHAPE

Eventually I could put works from completely different artists next to each other and still see a connection.

That was when things became interesting.

It wasn't about having everything look the same.

Actually, I wanted the opposite.

I wanted artists with their own identity.

An artist working with technology and color could exist next to someone carving portraits into walls. Photography could sit beside graffiti. Detailed stencil work could exist beside something raw and aggressive.

Different processes.

Different backgrounds.

Different ways of seeing things.

But there was still a common thread.

Skill. Process. Identity. And artists pushing their work beyond where it started.

I didn't have a name for that yet.

THE IDEA BEFORE ELM82GALLERY

At some point, I started thinking differently about what I was building.

I wasn't interested in owning hundreds of random pieces from hundreds of artists.

I wanted the collection to say something.

And eventually another thought started creeping in:

Maybe this shouldn't remain only a private collection.

I didn't know exactly what that meant.

I didn't know how to build a gallery.

I didn't have experience running one.

I didn't have connections throughout the art world waiting for me.

What I had was the collection, an increasing amount of knowledge, and a belief that there were other people who might respond to these artists for some of the same reasons I did.

Someone might want one great print for their home.

Someone else might already understand editions, proofs, provenance and the importance of a particular work.

I wanted there to be room for both.

That was probably the earliest version of Elm82gallery.

Not a traditional gallery.

Not simply an online store.

And not my personal collection with a price tag attached to everything.

Something in between was beginning to take shape.

BEFORE I KNEW HOW TO BUILD IT

Looking at Elm82gallery now, it's easy to connect everything.

The artists. The collection. The website. The packaging. The photography. The relationships. The private collection. Even the way a piece will eventually arrive at someone's door.

None of that existed in the beginning.

There wasn't some master plan sitting on my desk.

A lot of it was figured out one decision at a time.

And there were plenty of moments when I had absolutely no idea what the next decision was supposed to be.

That's part of why I wanted to write this.

Not only to talk about the artwork and artists represented by Elm82gallery, but to document what actually went into building it.

The good decisions.

The mistakes.

The people I met.

The pieces I probably shouldn't have bought.

The pieces I'm incredibly grateful I did.

The financial side of trying to build something from nothing.

And the point where collecting art became something much bigger than I originally intended.

Because before Elm82gallery became a gallery, it was just an idea I hadn't completely figured out yet.

And really, that's where the story starts.

Elm82gallery