II DEVON ALMARINEZ is not your traditional artist. Undoubtedly, his artwork has been seen by millions as it moves through the streets of San Francisco and elsewhere. This is because rather than oil on canvas, Almarinez’s paint is digital, and can be seen on the clothing of many people from the Bay Area. And while the ethos of his art is to help articulate the identity of many communities, the end result is bridging gaps rather than widening them. The appeal is in the details. His artwork is immensely complex, often taking many viewings to fully take in. It isn’t unheard of for him to spend weeks on a single piece. “Its not finished until I feel like it is. It might just be a pixel that’s missing,” says Almarinez. His career began at age fifteen, when he began seriously designing. From there, he worked for major Bay Area production companies and served as chief designer for the bay area’s largest hip hop radio station. Since then, his work has been seen in US Weekly, Entertainment Tonight, and myriad national media outlets. Yet it is an empire built upon handshakes and connections—a personal route almost lost in today’s business world. When speaking of YaBoy, a prominent Bay born rapper whom Almarinez designs for, Almarinez begins by pointing out “I met him in the streets one night in San Francisco.” While Almarinez’s business strategy and artistic focus are unconventional, it’s hard to argue with the results. His thrust to maintain the untainted identity of the communities he works in has been tantamount to his meteoric rise.