Oakland Artist, Darla, aka Alrad , aka Dimebag Darla

Darla, AKA street tag 'Alrad' (Darla spelled backward), was born and raised in Deep East Oakland. Darla's love for Oakland runs strong.

The Oakland Stroll Tee, which she named after one of her many urban strolls in The Town features characters with winged eyeliner, which are commonly seen in Oakland, wearing jackets and hats.

The characters on the shirt include a sister cutting up another sister's fishnets, a girl with a spray can, and a girl with a boom box. The tee shirt is animated, allowing you to choose the character you want to be in this world while honoring this town's many characters.

Darla describes her inspiration for this tee beautifully . . .

Oakland is a place where artistic expression is like breathing. The Town is my playground, challenging my inner spirit to take risks. Traveling up and down the streets of Oakland, always surrounded by graffiti-covered walls, inspired my lifelong interest in the art world, making me feel animated.

As a Chicana graffiti artist, I follow a set of self-imposed directives. First, I strive to be original in my art. Secondly, I pay homage to the OG's who came before me and those who are no longer with us. Lastly, I believe that it's only vandalism if one gets caught.

I find great satisfaction in my work when I return home after a long night of painting and reviewing the photos I took. At this point, I am my own best and worst critic. I take note of areas that could be improved upon and pay attention to the details in the spray paint mixtures. This allows me to reflect on my artistic growth and is a beautiful thing to look back on.

I am empowered by the ability to express my feelings and thoughts through my art on Oakland's walls. These walls serve as my canvas and transform the alleys and streets into a breathtaking gallery that showcases my work to the public. I hope my art has the potential to inspire those who pass by and give my community the same sense of acceptance and influence that I have received.

In the end, everything is temporary and an illusion being recreated. Destroying is a means of creating something beautiful.

Shop the collection: New Arrivals

Follow the artist on IG : @dimebagdarla