Justin Bua

Groundbreaking Urban Artist, Writer, Entrepreneur & Teacher

Justin Bua

Groundbreaking Urban Artist, Writer, Entrepreneur & Teacher

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Biography

Justin BUA is an award-winning artist, author, speaker, and entrepreneur. Groundbreaking in his field, BUA is internationally known for his best-selling collection of fine art posters—The DJ being one of the most popular prints of all time.

Born in 1968 in NYC's untamed Upper West Side and raised between Manhattan and East Flatbush, Brooklyn, BUA was fascinated by the raw, visceral street life of the city. He attended the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music and Performing Arts and complemented his education on the streets by writing graffiti and performing worldwide with breakdancing crews. BUA went on to the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California where he earned a B.F.A. and taught figure drawing at the University of Southern California for ten years.

Starting in the world of commercial art, BUA designed and illustrated myriad projects, from skateboards and CD covers to advertising campaigns. He developed the look and feel of the opening sequence for MTV's Lyricist Lounge Show, EA Sports video games NBA Street and NFL Street, and the world of Slum Village's award-winning music video “Tainted.”

BUA's line of apparel and a limited edition shoe line with PF Flyers sold out completely. BUA went on to create his own animated series Urbania and was the host of the Ovation TV series American Revolutionaries, later directing his own Ovation documentary on the legendary DMC, entitled Walk This Way. In 2012, BUA accepted an NAACP Image Award and a Telly Award for his art direction in Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s documentary film On the Shoulders of Giants.

As a longtime vegan and health-advocate, BUA recently created The BUA Bar, a raw, organic chocolate bar for people with “old-school tastes and new-school sensibilities.” The BUA Bar tastes so good, it should be bad!

In June 2013, BUA became the first artist to launch an online school with ArtistWorks, allowing beginning and advanced students around the world to study his curriculum and interact one-on-one through video exchange.

BUA Live takes BUA worldwide as he lends his art expertise, teaching skills, talent, and wild personality to TV, film, commercials, workshops, animation projects, and more.

BUA exhibits throughout the United States and internationally—including recent shows at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and Pop International Gallery, New York. His energetic and vocal worldwide fan base ranges from former presidents, actors, musicians, professional athletes and dancers, to street kids and art connoisseurs.

Speaker Videos

Speaking Trailer

Speech Topics

The Beat of Urban Art

Urban artist Justin BUA inspires and motivates his audience with a discussion on overcoming obstacles, jumping hurdles, and the power of persistence and determination. Through his visual art, BUA shares his personal, yet universal, struggle to “make it big” in the face of an absent father, discouraging teachers, imposed racial categories, industry nay-sayers, and consistent encounters with the word “no.”

Anyone Can Draw: The Bottom Line on The Straight Line

Maybe you don’t consider yourself an artist. Maybe you believe that you have no talent for drawing and could never learn. This is the talk for you. Even if you can’t draw a stick figure, BUA will show you that absolutely anyone can draw. Get ready to unleash your inner artist and learn why the benefits of drawing can make you happy, productive and more proactive in all aspects of your life.

Unlocking Your Innate Creativity

In this transformational talk, urban artist Justin BUA reveals the keys to unlocking and empowering your innate creativity. Sharing techniques that will challenge and unite both hemispheres of the brain, you’ll learn how to delve into your mind to make your thoughts visible. You’ll also learn how to experience your daily personal and work routines with more wonder and imagination.

Art Rhymes with Life: Achieving Balance & Happiness

By taking audiences through a lifetime of discoveries and his own personal journey, BUA reveals the secrets of achieving balance and happiness through the lens of art. Sharing the epic and inspirational moments that have kept him going as an artist, this talk shows how anyone can live a better and more fulfilling life.

Creativity & Innovation

Deadlines. Physical and financial limitations. Chaos and complexity. Impact and value. Are you trained to handle all of these elements? BUA lays out simple and practical exercises that can help audiences manifest and foster creativity and bring added value to any project.

Achieving Bliss: This is Your Brain on Art

Can drawing slow the mind and heart rate to achieve a blissful alternative state of consciousness and wellness? Artist Justin Bua is able to accomplish the difficult left to right.

Testimonials

"Our event with Justin Bua was a huge success. It was a joy having him at the University of Michigan."

- University of Michigan

"I changed my plane ticket to see this event and I’m so glad I did. Listening to BUA is listening to hip hop royalty. America has to see this."

- Michael Bearden, Musical Director for Michael Jackson

"BUA uses a candid blend of insightful style, humor and stories to connect with and inspire everyone in the audience."

- Gillian Mandich, PhD

"BUA’s Legends of Hip Hop is an elegant and eloquent work of art that captures the creativity and humanity of towering figures in contemporary culture."

- Dr. Cornel West, Professor at Harvard and Princeton

"BUA’s unique presentation style is transformational. He brings a fresh approach to motivation by taking his audience on an entertaining, creative journey with a spontaneity that showcases the depth of his knowledge and expertise. BUA Talks is innovative, informative and healing and a powerful resource for students of any age."

- Lizy Dastin, UCLA Professor of Art History

"BUA was a keynote speaker at our annual Diversity Days event and he was phenomenal!  Our students immediately connected to his story and left his presentation inspired and motivated.  I highly recommend BUA and we hope to bring him back to campus again in the near future."

- Dean for Student Services, Butte College

"BUA jumps right at you, hits you between the eyes with his energy, with key elements caricatured, blown up, to focus on the essence of funk. If BUA came any closer to what’s going on, you’d hear the jive working."

- Elmore Leonard , Author of Jackie Brown and Get Shorty

"BUA achieves broad appeal without any loss of cultural power and authenticity. For those of us raised on Hip-Hop, he has no peer. When we see BUA we see his love for us."

- Aaron McGruder, creator of The Boondocks