RIP Teen Angel. By far, thee most iconic artist in Chicano Art, Teen Angel is no longer with us. Known for the magazine he created, Teen Angels, and who had much to do with kick starting Low Rider Magazine, Low Rider Arte Magazine, as well as many off shoots, murals, car show flyers, LP Cover Art and the list goes on. The man himself is a pioneer of the Low-rider Renaissance, a time when the model and bluprint to what Chicanismo, Low-riding, and the Cholo style became what it is today, as a culture and an industry. Teen Angel can only be compared to Diego Rivera, capturing people, places and moments of history in his arte, often depicted as cartoons, yet expressing real life in the varrio. He didn't just draw cholos y cholas, but captured the settings and moments of Chicano life. Welcoming a new baby in the world, weddings, love, cruising, and the evolution of the Chicanada. Every Chicano y Chicana he drew, was captured in detail from head to toe, spit shined calcos y Mary Janes, startched 501's y Baby Cuffs, Baby Doll Shirts y Pendletons, Initial Stretch Belts, Feathers, Pompodours y duck tails, varrio jackets y felt letter iron shirts. The man always insured to include everyone in the magazine, North and South, Black and Brown. He gave a voice to the voiceless, the young marginalized varrio Chicano and hard timing torcidos. Not only did he capture the stilo of the time, but created how-to instructions on how to put on Chola Bands, How to feather your hair, put your hair up in a pompadour, countless typography of classic scripts, and the infamous "secret signals". His books may arguably be the first Tattoo Flash Magazines, as his work as well the submissions of artists were often used as patterns for Chicano Black N Grey. He created books for our Raza serving in the military. What else can be said about this legendary man, Teen Angel is now with the Angels. Our cora goes out to his family! Teen Angel Vive!
-THE HOME BOY MADS SOULEROS BALL
FOLLOW: @TEENANGELSARTE @RICHWESTKOAST @SOULEROSBALL @OFFICIALTEENANGEL
