The story of
theo arraj
Born in Te Upoko-o-te-Ika-a-Māui Wellington Aotearoa New Zealand of Māori, Phoenician, Scottish and Scandinavian decent.
Art has been a part of Theo’s life for as long as he can remember. His passion for public art was sparked in high school when he discovered graffiti. At the time, graffiti wasn’t widely accepted as a legitimate art form, which made things challenging, especially since it was the medium he was most drawn to. Much to the dismay of his parents and teachers, he pursued it anyway. He got himself into a fair bit of trouble, but those early experiences laid the foundation for the thriving mural career he has today.
Wellington City NZ 2008
Graffiti was the name of the game for several years. Theo had a deep passion for lettering, constantly exploring different styles and ways to mould the alphabet into new and dynamic forms.
Kāpiti Coast NZ 2010
By 2012, Theo’s public works began to shift focus, moving away from writing an alias and becoming more centred around spreading positive messages. He started exploring large-scale portraiture and often incorporated words like Peace and One Love into his pieces.
Tawa NZ 2012
By 2015, Theo was ten years into practising his craft when he was invited to run several youth workshops. He taught young people about the history of graffiti, the basics of spray painting, and how to create their own graffiti art pieces.
Youth Graffiti Workshops Kāpiti Coast NZ 2015
By then, Theo had returned to signing his work with his childhood initials, TAS.
TAS later evolved into an acronym for The Art Saves, a philosophy based on the belief that art holds immense power and plays a pivotal role in spreading positivity, creativity, and inspiration to the world. In this way, art becomes a force for healing and transformation.
In 2016, Theo hosted his first solo exhibition, TAS ART, where he took on the persona of an interdimensional time traveller who had returned to a post-apocalyptic Earth to save the world through art.
TAS ART Exhibition Poster and News Paper Article 2016
In November 2017, the Kāpiti Coast District Council put out a call for mural submissions at the local mall. Theo applied and was honoured to be selected. This marked a pivotal moment, he decided to leave his full-time job as a screen printer in Auckland, officially beginning his journey as a full-time artist.
The transition came with its ups and downs, but Theo was fortunate to be surrounded by unwavering support from his whānau, friends, and community.
Seven Sharp Interview 2022
In 2023, Theo was given the opportunity to paint a 200-square-metre water tower perched at the top of Montgomery Avenue in Karori, Wellington. This project marked a significant stepping stone in his career, expanding his experience into the realm of extra-large-scale murals.