The Toto Theory

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United States
Houston, TX
The Toto Theory

It started with doodling, but as timed passed I got a bit more serious about painting, creating + putting more time into pieces. I'm a very visual person. TOTO

Some of my biggest influences include Roy Lichtenstein, Mr. Warhol + Harrington. I pull their overall style, choices+ colors + then implement their boldness into many of my pieces. I'm not just into the Pop Art scene though. I enjoy street artists like Wrdsmth, D*Face + Bansky due to their intelligent + often clever way of interacting with people. I'm an observer. Studying the way people interact

with my paintings + overall creating something that will invoke a reaction is what I live for. Art is my way of connecting.

10/30/2025

“Why Lee? (Cool Out)”
Acrylic on canvas

This piece, along with other new works, will be on display this Saturday at Sabine Street Studios. I hope to see you there 🍊

10/24/2025

“Since I Fell”
Acrylic on Canvas

I will be showcasing new works next weekend at Sabine Street Studios #147 as part of our Till Death Do Us Art event! ✨

Come enjoy some drinks, food, entertainment, and, of course, art from 6 PM to 10 PM!

09/29/2025

Excited to be showing alongside a talented group of artists!

See you this weekend 📍

Saturday, October 4th 12 pm - 6 pm
X Atrium at POST Houston
401 Franklin Street, Houston, TX 77201

02/08/2025

Firenz

11/16/2024

New mural up at ✨ It was a pleasure to be part of the Segundo Barrio Block Party

10/28/2024

New works up ☠️ Come check it out and celebrate Día de los Mu***os November 2nd at Sabine and Spring Street Studios!

02/21/2022

Why the elephant?

Generally: The artist uses an alter ego – Toto the Elephant – to remove himself from the narrative. Removal of oneself allows for more vulnerability, more objectivity, more room for the artist’s subjects to speak on their own.

Specifically: Elephants captured as babies for entertainment are tied with ropes and chains to prevent them from escaping. As they grow larger and are able to physically break free, they do not attempt to escape; they have become accustomed to their captivity, mentally tied though no longer physically tied. They were programmed from birth to believe they could not escape—to believe they were confined to a life within certain limits. The artist uses the elephant as a means to express himself without limits, to inhabit the work beyond his own physical body’s constraints. And like an elephant, the work of the artist is large-scale and difficult to ignore.

Full statement in my bio.

Written by:
Photo by:

06/01/2020

“America the Great”
Today, I am angry. You will never study this piece of art or see this painting in your textbooks because it is too confrontational and blunt.

Jasper Johns made “Flag” in 1954. He had the privilege to create an American flag and was celebrated for it. Yet, black artists were also creating flags with a more powerful story behind it and were arrested for desecrating the American flag. Johns included newspaper scraps but steered clear of headlines, national or political news. Jasper Johns made “Flag” in 1954 and got it WRONG. His flag represented the abstract idea of patriotism and the most sterile potent symbol in American history.
I used his same technique and redesigned the flag that is better suited for the nation that it represents - White Supremacy, Racism, Hate, American Privileged.

I salute the thousands of protesters taking on the streets of this country and other parts of the world. Your blood, voice, tears, and sweat are your weapons. Do not let looters take away your attention from what we are trying to accomplish. If you are more upset about the skies being filled with smoke and walls with paint and not enraged on how and why we got here, then YOU ARE EXPOSING YOURSELF.

If you are not protesting, I encourage you to have a conversation discussing the ongoing problems affecting our society by calling or texting your friends, to donate, sign petitions, and more importantly to Vote!

I’m not a teacher, a police officer, a politician, but I am a citizen of this country and an artist. As an artist, it is my job to expose, accuse, and demand change.To further ask questions, challenge principals and in that aspect I have failed. But I’ll do better. We all need to do better. Even when it’s not trending. Today, I’m angry. But tomorrow there’s hope. @ United States

05/22/2020

“Livor Mortis” // Oil on panel

05/19/2020

I’m gonna miss watching these every Sunday, but as soon as they’re up on Netflix I’m back! What are we thinking, prints? 🐘 🐐

05/06/2020

Work in progress 🐘

02/01/2020

Mourning/paying my respects the only way I know how. It went beyond the game with you. LA will never be the same. RIP 2♾24 🐘💜💛

Address

1907 Sabine St
Houston, TX
77007-4045

Website

https://www.thetototheory.com/contact

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