Born as graffiti written on the streets.
My art was born as graffiti written on the streets, designed on my computer, built with power tools, and painted inside Guadalupe Studio, a Local Color art space shared with six other artists. It’s our lab, a place to share ideas, philosophies, tools, skills, paint, and supplies. Painting alongside hyper-talented creators not only pushes me creatively and technically but also forms the foundation of my practice.
A connection to a broader mission was solidified during my largest project, “Threads Woven.” Executing this massive street mural showed me firsthand how public art can stitch diverse demographics together, impacting me in unanticipated ways. By deconstructing my graffiti into geometric shapes and organic forms and translating them into a shared public space, I witnessed the true power of the medium. That experience shifted my perspective and continues to inspire the art I create today.
One of the most important lessons that I’ve learned from graffiti on the streets is simple: without relentless practice and consistency, you will fall off. That’s why I’ll always be rooted in the street. The reason I make art today is the same as when I started writing graffiti: to say, “I exist, this is my experience, and this is what I can do!”
Artist Bio
Jim Fonseca, working professionally as Jimmy Paints, is a San Jose-based visual artist, muralist, and designer whose practice bridges street subculture and structured dimensional design. Rooted in the raw velocity of graffiti culture from his formative years, Paints has spent over two decades evolving his technical craftsmanship across both digital and analog mediums.
Fonseca's academic foundation includes an AA in Graphic Design from Platt College (2008), an AA in Studio Arts from Evergreen Valley College (2024), and a pending BA in Studio Practice from San Jose State University. This diverse training underpins his unique operational capacity to handle complex, large-scale commercial branding and public art commissions.
His career is anchored by significant community milestones, most notably serving as the lead designer and project manager for “Threads Woven” (2024). This monumental 70,000-square-foot street mural, executed in partnership with Adobe and the San Jose Downtown Association, successfully mobilized over 700 local volunteers. His public works and fine art fabrications have been exhibited widely across the Bay Area, including presentations at MACLA, Swim Gallery, and the SJSU Jo Farb Hernandez Gallery.
Currently, Fonseca operates out of Guadalupe Studio, a Local Color creative lab in San Jose, California, where he continues to fabricate high-impact public murals and 3D architectural wood installations.