Maxx Moses: The Art of Leaving Your Mark

Special Series: Stop & Talk in the Community 

We’re taking Stop & Talk out of the studio and into the community. In this new series, Grant Oliphant visits San Diegans in the places where they create, connect, and bring their ideas to life. Part conversation, part exploration, these shorter episodes offer a new way to experience our region through the people shaping it. 

This Episode

Everybody wants to leave their mark on the world. For Maxx Moses, that impulse became a life’s work. 

What began with painting his name on New York City subway trains grew into a lifelong artistic journey. A self-described Afro-transcendentalist, Maxx believes art is deeply human, connecting us to ourselves and each other, and feeding our hunger to be heard. 

Today, Maxx brings that philosophy to life at Graffiti Gardens, a vibrant creative space in southeast San Diego where art is meant to be experienced. In this special episode, we’re doing just that. 

Grant steps into the gardens to experience the world through Maxx’s eyes. As they wander through his studio and outdoor gallery, Maxx shares how graffiti helped him find his identity, why he chose San Diego as his creative home, and what it takes to build a life around art. Their conversation moves between rebellion and spirituality, the challenges artists face, and the power of having a place where people can express themselves freely. 

Maxx hands Grant a spray can and invites him to make his own mark. He reminds all of us the importance of experiencing firsthand the freedom, vulnerability, and joy of creativity. 

Key Moments 

• [4:17] How graffiti became a way for Maxx to create his own identity and leave his mark 
• [16:09] Why San Diego’s open horizons inspire Maxx and what makes the city a place for artists to grow 
• [19:35] Why artists must trust their creative vision and stand by their work 
• [23:42] Grant experiences the thrill of spray painting firsthand 
• [33:37] Why people are hungry to be seen and heard, and how art can create space for connection 

Credits:

This is a production of the Prebys Foundation

Hosted by Grant Oliphant

Co-Hosted by Crystal Page

Produced by Adam Greenfield, Tess Karesky, Edgar Ontiveros Medina, and Crystal Page

Engineered by Adam Greenfield

Production Coordination by Tess Karesky

Video Production by Edgar Ontiveros Medina

The Stop & Talk Theme song was created by San Diego’s own Mr. Lyrical Groove.

Download episodes at your favorite podcatcher or visit us at StopAndTalkPod​cast​.com

Special thanks to the Prebys Foundation Team

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