The Boomer generation is retiring and their children are now starting to have children. We are at a point in time where the world seems like it is consumed with chaos. There couldn’t be a more crucial point in time to start teaching this new generation about tolerance and presenting them with a broader view of the world at an earlier age in hopes they avoid making the same mistakes that are being handed down to them. Even Madonna has put down her burning crosses and started writing children’s books based on the teachings of the Kabbalah. With that being said, let me introduce you to Michael De Feo.

Chances are you may already be familiar with the work of De Feo, (aka The Flower Guy), you just didn’t know it. For ten years he has been adorning cities all over the world with his hand painted flowers. Manhattan alone has seen over 15,000 of his flowers in places ranging from abandoned buildings in SoHo to street signs on Park Avenue. His work has appeared in books such as The Art of Rebellion, I NY, Stick'em Up, Street Logos and Graffiti World. This December he publishes his first children’s book, Alphabet City – Out On The Streets, which introduces children to the ABC’s via street art.

“The concept for Alphabet City - Out On The Streets, to be completely honest, came to me in the shower one night,” says De Feo. “It’s interesting to find things when you’re not looking for them. The idea juxtaposes the old, traditional format of a child’s alphabet book with a very contemporary and illegal method of image producing.”

“For years I’ve been working on different ideas for children’s books. There have been so many instances when I’m doing work on the street and passing children notice what I’m doing," says Michael. “I’ve seen kids tug at their parent’s coat or shirt and point me out. They have this remarkable appreciation and sense of wonder for things that are out of the norm.”

After ten years of appealing to both children and grown-ups alike and the birth of his first child Marianna, the idea of presenting the alphabet in the context of Manhattan streets suddenly became more personal.

“A few months after I came up with the book concept, my wife became pregnant. The timing couldn’t have been more appropriate,” says De Feo. “My daughter turns one year old this December 4th and I’ve dedicated the book to her and my wife Kristen.”

Whether it’s the subject matter of his imagery or simply incorporating play and spontaneity of his work process, De Feo says there has always been connections between children and his work. “Coming from a big family as well as being a teacher has provided me with constant interaction with kids of all ages. I love kids and I feel like I’m one too when I’m running around the streets with paintings and glue.”

When I ask him what impression he hopes his book will leave on the children De Feo says, “I hope that children and everyone else that encounters my work on the streets leave with a renewed sense of wonder and joy for this incredible place we call the city. It’s about opening our eyes and minds.”

Michael De Feo has a BFA in Graphic Design from the School of Visual Arts and a MAT in Art Education from Manhattanville College. He currently teaches art at Westhill High School in Stamford, Connecticut. His art adorns the streets of New York, San Francisco, Seattle, Boston, Amsterdam, Utrecht, and Munich and his works have been exhibited in art shows around the world.

On The Web | www.mdefeo.com