Morten Andersen found canvas when he dumped walls. It wasn’t a nasty breakup — their relationship had been long, experimental, and by anyone’s standards, a complete success — but for whatever reason, after almost 15 years of writing, the Danish artist dropped his spray can, picked up some acrylics, and got to work.

It’s a common story these days; a graf artist trades (with varying amounts of resolution) his sketchbook for a Macbook, his backpack for a studio, and his play for work. However, the commonality of this scenario is not what some people seem to find odd, but rather the commonality of success among those who make the transition. It is rarely easy to make a name in the art world, and it should be even harder if your genre of art is just beginning to be taken seriously, yet something about today’s post-writer transition makes for a more graceful process than one might expect. Maybe it’s that their work is so accessible, and maybe they’re just that talented, but in any case, they’re doing it, and they’re doing it well. Read on to see how one man is dealing with his own transition, his own development, and the current state of street art.

Joshspear.com: You haven’t been painting your whole life – when did you first begin, and what did you do before you started?

Morten Andersen: It wasn’t until ‘89, when I was in my early teens, that hip hop culture influenced me to find an outlet in writing graffiti to create and communicate things in a visual way. I started tagging for that specific cause (hip hop) I guess, because I didn’t actually know much about graffiti. I’m from the country — and that’s not where tags are found by the loads in Denmark — so inspiration from other writers was not there to make me start. I just needed something to keep my mind flowing with ideas and a tool to release them with.

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When we heard that Red Heat was opening in Los Angeles, our first reaction was one of utter confusion since we thought it meant a re-release of the horrendous 1988 action flick, starring the Governator and that According to Jim loser guy. You can imagine our relief when we found out that Red Heat was actually the name of a groundbreaking, futuristic playground of a heat transfer shop, opening on Beverly Boulevard.

Inside you’ll find a 70’s inspired interior along with four Mac stations, where you can choose from a visual library of over 1700 dynamic images ranging from original artwork to rock band logos to emblazon on a wide variety of tanks, hoodies, t-shirts, and even book bags. While waiting for your finished product may be the hardest part, patrons can pass the time picking at pieces of Japanese and Chinese candy, in the outdoor party room, or posing for pics in Red Heat’s very own photo booth, offering an experience that might make the Governator himself say, “I’ll Be Back.”

Whelp, it’s the time of year when we all seem to be thinking the same thought… How the hell is it almost December twenty-&%@#$%!-fifth?

We’re thinking that just because it’s the season for sharing and all — and just in case someone put off their shopping until the last second possible — that it could be pretty interesting to hear what some of you will be sneaking under the tree tree this year. Did you carve a bust out of a huge chunk of fruitcake? Is his/her face going to look like the last five seconds of a DeBeers commercial? Were you already blessed with the worst present ever? Whether it’s sweet, funny, or totally effed up (Yes, I am cussing a lot today — I’m not done wrapping — I’m stressed out), we want to hear about it, so let ‘er rip - and then keep the person you’re giving the gift to completely away from JoshSpear.com. Our lips are sealed!

Chicago/Minneapolis design studio Synthetic Infatuation just launched their new online shop, UNDONE, from which they are selling some of the things they do in their downtime. Currently offering posters and Synthetic Infatuation’s first issue of Morning (an 86-paged, screenprinted, arty masterpiece), UNDONE will hopefully grow to incorporate things like their Oh Aid cards (fingers crossed) and everything else that design studios with online stores like to sell. So, you know, t-shirts. And maybe a sticker or so. In the meantime, the posters that are currently filling UNDONE’s virtual shelves are pretty pretty — and Morning mostly knocks my socks off — so click here for the goods.

ADM Skateboards is a new skate company bringing art, sport and philanthropy together. Founded when Ben Myers decided to reproduce some of his late brother’s painted skatedecks to raise money for a memorial fund, ADM quickly grew to a full product line of tees, decks and hoodies represented on both the East and West Coast. Using a business model that includes donating a portion of profits to drug awareness programs, skateboard park developments, and other positive non profits, the team at ADM plans to use their company to help expose young artists as well as make a difference. The team is also internally composed of young designers and artists, a characteristic that is already evident in their beautiful selection of maple decks. ADM is also hunting down new artists and riders to further represent the company, so if you want get on board, head here for the details.

Argentine designer Tomas Garcia must be a jokester. His packed online portfolio says the work displayed within is by him and his dog, a white, furry little thing that looks like it yaps a lot. We don’t know who does the leading, but it’s a great collaboration anyway. The funny creatures they’ve invented to be the stuff of concepts should be used somewhere because they’re too good to waste, but a few smart clients like MTV and Dodge have at the very least tapped them to help strengthen their identities with his color-friendly designs, and there was a month specially given to the duo for Shift’s 2007 calendar. On a grander scale, Garcia is one of the directors of Buenos Aires motion graphics studio Pepper Melon, which as far I can tell, his four-legged best friend is not a part of — he’s probably out fetching his own clients.