Chicago (CBS) – What started as graffiti under railroad tracks turned into a blossoming career for a Chicago man.
He truly turned adversity into victory and now he is helping others do the same.
Graffiti can evoke a variety of reactions, from fascination to frustration to fear. Epifanio Monares feels that his childlike freedom guided his future.
“It's going to take me to another realm,” Monares said. “At that moment, I felt completely disconnected from what was going on in my life.”
He started life in Little Village, where he became fascinated with the art of comics, and it seemed like there was only one way out for kids who wanted to create like him.
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“I couldn't take art classes at that age, but graffiti was a free artistic outlet, so that was the path I chose,” he said.
Monares said he first picked up a can of spray paint when he was 10 years old. He followed the big kids who encouraged him. He spent his school days immersed in making his name.
reporter: “Does everyone have any trouble?”
Monares: “Many times.”
Therefore, his parents urged him to find another hobby.
“One day I got in trouble and the next day my parents found all the spray cans and they were all gone,” he said. “So my brother, my friends and I searched all the trash cans in the neighborhood and couldn't find anything.”
As time passed and Monares matured a little more, he began to realize that his talent could go beyond what started on the streets of Little Village.
“Then I started to understand that digital design was what would make my career possible,” he said.
He studied illustration at Columbia University Chicago, and immediately after graduation was able to land a job where his creative vision could be seen and heard. At least, that's what he was promised. He almost didn't think it was true.
“I often hit glass ceilings as I bounced around from agency to agency, and I was very uncomfortable with some of my clients and people because of how they perceived me just because I was a person of color.” We sometimes had some deep conversations,” Monares said. .
His “street style” was what set him apart, and he knew it. So he started his own company and sought design and promotion work in the neighborhood that knew him best.
In his work at Little Village's iconic Los Comares restaurant, he found a way to combine marketing smarts with art.
“He's a visionary,” said Los Comares co-owner Cristina Gonzalez, adding, “When you talk to him, you can see the wheels turning.”
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And other brands are taking notice. He has worked with Rolex and Tacori. He has been featured on stages across the country, showcasing his art on everything from advertisements to cups, skateboards, and even furniture. He showed his CBS 2 one of the chairs he designed for the NCAA.
For Monales, it's easy to stay focused on the fruitful projects at hand, but he's also reflecting on his origins. He aims to use his company to support artists in his neighborhood who are building their careers in the same way his former self did.
“I want to create the same opportunities that I have for other graffiti artists and artists who have the skill set but don’t have an agency to back them up to do a big project. ” he said.
From spray painting alleyways to owning his own agency, Monares' childhood dreams continue to shape his career.
reporter: “What do you think 7-year-old Epi thinks of you now?”
Monares: “I think my 7-year-old self would be very proud of how far I've come, because I faced a lot of hardship as a child, so I feel really blessed. Because I am.”
Years after throwing away all the spray paint cans, Monares' mother said she now understands what her son is doing and is very proud of him.
