Hello My Name Is: Poison

Name: Poison
Country: The Netherlands
When did you start writing? Early ‘06

What’s graffiti for you? Forming letters with spray paint on every surface possible. Lettering based on general principles, such as consistency, rhythm, balance and variation.
Influences? Comics, friends, brand labels, music, nature and everyday life.
Tell us about your city, how is life and graffiti there? I live in the Netherlands for the last couple of years. The major cities are Amsterdam, Rotterdam and The Hague. As in every big city, in every country, one can find ignorant, extremes and closed mind people, but in general the Netherlands have a tolerant and open society. Considering the fact that everyday life is structured down to the smallest detail, little is left to the unexpected. Therefore, spending money on cleaning up graffiti is part of everyday life.
What keeps you still writing? Graffiti has become my escape hatch from stress & the difficulties of modern life back into the raw passion of my youth. Those years may have past, but the divine beauty of graffiti is that you are continually exploring and learning new things with the same passion.
What first made you interested in graffiti and how did you end up on that track? I remember myself as a kid being interested in graffiti, looking and taking pictures of pieces, doodling on my school notebooks, tagging once in a while, etc. As the years passed by, early 2006, I decided to try my hand at graffiti, that was the moment i said to myself “This feels good!”.
What trends are you seeing now in the graffiti world that you don’t like? As almost everyone uses social media of some variety, and for some it’s easier to express their thoughts through it, I really can’t stand the blind hating. Let’s all chill out people..
What do you do when you’re not painting? Thinking about painting.
How would you describe your style? Pimped-out classic graff letters.
Can you remember the first piece you did? Of course, it was inside an abandoned factory. I had everything ridiculously planed out, the spot, filling, colours, 3D, outlines & highlights. I did my best to follow each step but the result was kind of a letdown. Despite the disappointment , I was at the same spot some days later trying a new piece.
Future plans? A desire to care less about things and to live in the moment!
Do you adapt your pieces and tags to the spot/surface? Most of the times I do. I usually build on two things, the spot & the sketch. For example, if the spot has a raw concrete surface i may use a roller for the filling and adapt my sketch to take full advantage of the texture and strains of the wall.
What do you think about the new generation of writers in your city? Can’t really answer this one as I’m a newcomer in the Netherlands.
What are the best and worst aspects of graffiti? Meeting cool people, seeing new places, escaping stress from daily life while painting and enjoying the never-ending learning process. As far as the worst aspect, the health issues, hands down!
Who do you paint for? For the smile I will have on my face when recalling nostalgic memories of the past.
What writers have inspired you? The ones I paint with, and the ones I looked up to when I was young, like Ioye, Can2 & Heroes.
Can you ever feel tired of graffiti? I hope that moment never comes…
What do you hope people will think and feel when they see your stuff? “It’s that guy again!”

Website: Flickr.com/coversall
Instagram: @coversall