Graffiti art has come a long way from its association with delinquent teens. In fact, it's helped a young street artist to keep kids out of trouble. The 21-year-old turned his life around after a challenging upbringing and is hoping his art workshops will inspire 'at risk youth' to see a brighter future.
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00:00Byron Christensen got into graffiti aged 13 when his father went to prison.
00:07It started pretty much as soon as he went away to distract myself.
00:10But a brush with police over illegal graffiti was a wake up call for him.
00:14I was really scared because I thought I was going away to jail.
00:16He now holds graffiti art classes at the local skate rink for youth, adults and people with disabilities.
00:22You're going to black out that for me, black out that.
00:25I can either keep going down that path or I can make a difference and stop kids from going down that same path.
00:31Byron has been mentored by artist Damon Moroney.
00:34I got him involved so he could work with kids, get them into the mural process,
00:37help them get off the street and give them something to do,
00:40keep them a bit more busy and show them the opportunities that we have as mural artists.
00:44Damon encouraged him to create legal spaces to run youth workshops.
00:48A dedicated wall means that while it might be painted over and over and over again,
00:52it's a large area where you can feel comfortable to go nuts, learn those skills and not get in trouble.
00:58I'll do you guys up a sketch.
01:00This led to workshops for at risk youth.
01:03My main goal is to work with kids that have an upbringing like I did
01:07and be able to skip the bad part and at least set them on a good path.
01:11And I just think graffiti is a good way to do it.
01:14So your 3D is going to come out to about here.
01:17He recently held a workshop on a demolition derby car for students in Taree.
01:21Art is a way to express yourself.
01:24It's your handwriting, your work, it's your mindset.
01:28Yeah, I felt inspired because he's changed, like, decided to make good with doing graffiti
01:34instead of doing it illegally and getting in trouble, going to jail.
01:38Now he's turned it into an actual job, helping out youth with problems that need help.
01:45The levelling of engagement was crazy. I couldn't get them to put a can down.
01:49No one can tell you how to do your own 3D.
01:51No one can tell you how to do your own letters.
01:54Giving them a purpose to help reshape their futures.
01:58Wiri Asante, ABC News, Port Macquarie.