Graffiti Vandal’s Art Goes Unappreciated

“If you hear a voice within you say ‘you cannot paint,’ then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced.” — Vincent Van Gogh

SANTA BARBARA, CA

Cheyne Watkins / Courtesy: SB County Jail Booking

Apparently taking that oft-quoted advice to heart, Cheyne Aaron Watkins, 23, is well on the way to establishing himself as something of a free-range creative spirit throughout the City of Santa Barbara.

According to Santa Barbara Police Department Public Information Officer Sgt. Riley Harwood, Watkins has for some time been on probation for his work as a graffiti vandal, and is well-known to law enforcement throughout the county.

Watkins’ notoriety appears to continue unabated following his arrest just after midnight Saturday June 15.   It was approximately 2:30 a.m. when SBPD Officers Scott Klacking and Michael Chung—on regular patrol through Santa Barbara’s downtown commercial streets—were alerted by a motorist to nearby “tagging” activity in progress.

Klacking and Chung, following the directions given them by the citizen-motorist, turned a corner and “saw Watkins near the southeast corner of an intersection spray painting graffiti on a green tarp-covered fence,” Harwood reported to the media.  But when Watkins saw the police black-and-white approaching, Harwood said, “he fled, discarding his spray paint can as he ran.”

An artist at heart but apparently without athletic skills to match, Watkins was quickly dogged down “after a short foot chase,” Harwood said.  Watkins was subdued without further incident and taken into custody, arrested on charges of felony vandalism and misdemeanor resisting or delaying an officer.  Pursuant to his arrest, Watkins was booked into Santa Barbara County Jail with bail set at $20,000.

Read more:

Noozhawk: Suspect Jailed on Felony Vandalism Charge in Santa Barbara

Edhat Santa Barbara: Graffiti Vandal Arrested