For young people in the Roslyn area who like to create art, an opportunity is here to do just that—and all for the benefit of the local landscape.
Efren Andaluz, a Huntington resident also known as Andaluz the Artist, is set to organize an event in early March to create what he calls a “tasteful mural” on the side of the Roslyn Eye Centre. Andaluz is currently the proprietor of his own studio in Huntington, where he specializes in T-shirt productions. He has organized such murals as the Pokemon mural outside of his graphic design studio and a Robin Williams mural near that studio.
Andaluz said that he has contacted the Roslyn High School art department with the hopes of recruiting students for the project. He also hopes that local community groups will pitch in.
“[We want] to make it a fun experience for everyone, and to include the community into a beautiful piece of art they can admire for generations to come,” he said. “I have done murals such as the Pokemon mural outside of my graphic design studio, [those for] businesses in Long Island City, my most recently Riebi’s Art Supply. Now I’d love to spread it to Roslyn as well. We would like to include iconic celebrities appealing to both a younger crowd while still pleasing everyone living within the town. Some celebrities will include John Lennon, Dwayne Johnson, Michael Jackson, Taylor Swift, Drake and others.”
A native of Queens County, Andaluz is a graduate of Walt Whitman High School in Huntington and both SUNY-Old Westbury and the Fashion Institute of Technology. While doing intern work, he discovered a talent for the mass production of T-shirts. In time, he opened his own business and gained clients in both the hip-hop community and among private businesses. He produces his artwork in various mediums from custom printing, apparel, banners, to murals and portraits.
Andaluz has made plenty of fans along the way. “Efrin has done logos for my company and created first-class T-shirts to represent what we are doing,” wrote a client, Mike, on the Facebook page. “The great thing about Erin is that he is not a one-dimensional artist. His involvement in music, art, marketing and a caring for humanity makes him a special individual. He has a understanding of his environment and wants to see it progress. You can feel his passion on moving this world forward in a positive direction.”
Andaluz wants to bring that creativity to Roslyn and is certain that this highly creative community will respond with a memorial piece of art.
The Roslyn Eye Centre is at 360 Willis Ave. There will be more information on the project in future issues of The Roslyn News.
