John Westbay: Homecoming

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“Spread love.”

It’s a simple phrase, but for Brooklyn-born artist John Westbay, it’s become both a message and a mission. A true New Yorker in spirit and practice, Westbay began his creative journey in the streets — painting walls and perfecting his craft through graffiti and public art long before stepping into galleries. His transition from street art to fine art is no small feat—bridging the gap between two worlds that often clash in approach and audience can be difficult, yet Westbay managed to do so while staying true to his original voice and message.

Today, Westbay’s signature design — the stacked LOVE motif, with the L over the O and the V over the E — has become a fixture of New York City’s visual language. You’ve likely seen it somewhere — on a mural, a tote, a storefront — quietly reminding passersby of the city’s enduring heartbeat: love, resilience, and community.

I recently attended Homecoming, Westbay’s latest exhibition, and had the pleasure of speaking with the artist himself. Through our conversation, I gained deeper insight into his creative process and the meaning behind his work. His responses were thoughtful and intentional—reflecting the same authenticity and emotional depth that define his art.

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“I noticed Biggie appears in several of your pieces. As a Brooklyn native, what does he mean to you personally, and how has his impact shaped your work?”

Westbay: “Growing up in the 90s in  Brooklyn, it was just so influential. And what I love is that hip-hop is very  rough around the edges. I don't listen to hip-hop all the time. But what I love about Biggie is that he made Brooklyn synonymous with “spread love.” And I feel like it's a thing now. I feel like it was because of him, maybe it was before him, but I give him credit for it. And I love that, and I love that energy, and I just try to carry it on.”

“Homecoming, it definitely, like, exudes a sense of nostalgia and youth. What personal experiences or emotions did you draw upon to shape this collection?”

Westbay: “So, this collection is a little bit off, it's like a few different things. I haven't done a show here in New York in three years. So, some of these pieces are the pieces that I've done a bunch of international shows since that last show here–like Taiwan, Montreal, Dubai. Some of these pieces are the staple pieces that I have been doing for the past three or four years. For example, Dreamcatcher and Daydream. And then there's some new ones, like the New York theme pieces, the Keith Haring, the Biggie, because this is like the homecoming, coming back home to New York. So, the Apple, obviously, is like the Big Apple. And then some of them are also a new series that I'm working on, where I'm, like, using some of my favorite artists' pieces: The Van Gogh Smoking Skeleton, the Angels, then Keith Haring.”

“The final question. Reflecting on your journey from graffiti to fine art, what has been the most significant lesson you've learned as an artist?” 

Westbay: “That is so hard to give one answer, because this journey has completely shaped my life, and I learn things every day. The one thing is where you put your energy is what thrives. And I have put a lot into this. It is the things that you're persistent with, because it's not always easy, there will almost always be resistance and barriers and walls to climb over and doubt. But when you push past that and you keep pushing, that is where you will really start to have success. And that is what I am grateful that I did that with the art, because  a lot of other things in my life, I did it for a while, and then I'm like, eh, I don't want to do this anymore. It was not always easy, especially to figure out how to do this for a living, and I don't do anything else. But it’s been almost 13 years now, and pushing through the barriers,  the times of doubt, and the down moments is where you will thrive.”