Chubs 217

Ben\"chubs 217\" Barnes was born in Springfield, Illinois. At seventeen, he moved to Los Angeles and immersed himself in the Graffiti Art scene where his nickname, “Chubs 217” became synonymous with style, and timelessness. In a predominately Latina/o dominated graffiti community, Chubs quickly stood-out, as there are only a handful of African Americans in the scene. Ben also was exceptional because prior to his arrival in Los Angeles, he had no experience with artistic formats. Chubs is self-taught and has developed his gift of expression. Chubs has also influenced other genres of artistic development. In 2013, at just twenty-one he became the youngest Art Director for Los Angeles based clothing company S.O.TERIK. He further utilized his skills in creating large-scale murals for internationally acclaimed music festivals such as Lollapolooza and South-by-South West. Ben has collaborated with various artists to create concept murals throughout Los Angeles. Most recently the Ritz Carlton Hotel commissioned Chubs to paint a mural for Martin Luther King Elementary School. Chubs is also a skillful graphics designer and developed websites and projects for clients such as Nike and Asics. Additionally, his artwork was featured in actor and filmmaker Vin Diesel’s television series, “The Ropes.” Ben works predominantly with graphite, aerosol and digital media. He now resides in the Historic Core of Downtown Los Angeles above The Grand Central Market on Broadway. He is currently pursuing his degree in fine arts.