Stay High 149

Wayne Roberts (October 20, 1950 – June 11, 2012), known as Stay High 149, was an American graffiti artist.^[2][3]

Wayne Roberts
Born	(1950-10-20)October 20, 1950 Emporia, Virginia, United States[1]
Died	June 11, 2012(2012-06-11) (aged 61) Bronx, New York, United States
Nationality	American
Other names	Stay High 149, Superstar of Graffiti
Occupation	Graffiti artist
Years active	1960s – 1974
Website	stayhigh149.com

Career

Roberts was born in Emporia, Virginia, moving to the Bronx, New York at age six.^[1] He was called a "superstar" of the graffiti world in the late 1970s.^[4] Widely considered to use one of the most famous graffiti tags in the world, his trademark includes a smoking version of the stick figure from 1960s British television program The Saint.^[5]

Roberts collaborated with a number of well known brands during his career, including Huf, and the Burton Snowboards skate brand, Gravis.^[6][7]

Roberts was featured in the 2004 documentary Just to Get a Rep by Peter Gerard.

Death

Roberts died on June 11, 2012, from a liver disease at Calvary Hospital in The Bronx, New York.^[8]

References

1. Gonzales, David (June 12, 2012). "Wayne Roberts, 'Stay High 149' in Graffiti Circles, Is Dead at 61". The New York Times. Retrieved June 12, 2012.
2. Millor, Ivor (2002). Aerosol kingdom: subway painters of New York City. University Press of Mississippi. p. 41. ISBN 978-1-57806-465-6.
3. Pollitt, Katha (November 1982). "Rev. of Graffiti, Gays & A Dull Diary". Mother Jones Magazine. Retrieved June 2, 2010.
4. Snyder, Gregory J. (2009). Graffiti Lives: Beyond the Tag in New York's Urban Underground. NYU Press. ISBN 978-0-8147-4045-3.
5. History of Graf. daveyd.com. Retrieved April 15, 2011.
6. "HUF X STAYHIGH 149 COLLABORATION // NOW AVAILABLE". hufworldwide.com. Retrieved August 4, 2022.
7. "Gravis Black Box S/S 2007 Collection". SneakerFiles. January 24, 2007. Retrieved August 4, 2022.
8. Gonzalez, David (June 12, 2012). "Wayne Roberts, 'Stay High 149' in Graffiti Circles, Is Dead at 61". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved August 4, 2022.

External links

• Official Website
• 149st Biography