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A Tribute to Chris Mendoza / EDEC

Posted by KikiValdes | Views: 169

Christian Mendoza aka EDEC, Founder of INK HEADS, great artist and great friend to many.

I met Chris when I was about 17 years old in downtown Miami. He walked into Pucci’s pizza looking for me during my high school lunch break. I didn’t know who he was, but I was freaked out/ intimated of him because here’s this huge New York looking guy who is older than me by 9 or 10 years / He was holding my zine - OpenZine - and he appeared to be aggressively looking for me. He was trying to find me because he wanted to give me pictures of graffiti that his crew did.

We were publishing 2 page spreads of some graffiti for the last several issues of OpenZine. But, we really did not have a real plug in until that moment. It was a dream because Ink Heads was my favorite graffiti crew. I was a fan, I myself never did graffiti but was an admirer of it. That’s pretty much how our friendship started.

Every other month I would meet up with him and he would give me graffiti photos and we would publish them in our zine. This was before the Internet stuff and it was just mind blowing the sort of photos and access he was giving to us.

christian mendoza, edec, edec ink heads, ink heads, art, graffiti, graffiti murals, Alec heggen, openzine, ink heads crew, edec standing in front of his mural at art farm Iowa, art farm Iowa,

Christian Aaron Mendoza aka EDEC, Founder of INK HEADS, great artist and great friend to many.

Photo by Alec Heggen

Edec ink heads, Chris mendoza piece, art farm Iowa, photo by Alex Heggen, art piece near corn field in Northwood, Iowa

Above photos by Alec Heggen

Chris Mendoza and Kiki Valdes, art farm Iowa, edec ink heads, ink heads

Continued Below

I was studying painting in high school at New World School of the Arts and I would find him at the Miami Dade Public library looking over ancient religious texts and books on Egyptian hieroglyphics. He was very talkative and friendly. He always had stories to share if you were ready to listen.

Overtime I would run into him at central moments of life. He would always show support when I would have an exhibit in places like New York or other big cities. He was a champion of so many creative people. There was no one like him. I’m truly blessed and thankful I was able to spend time with him last Sept in Iowa at Art Farm Iowa where I had an exhibit and he was about to paint a beautiful piece in a mural garden surrounded by corn fields.

One of my last beautiful memories of him was when we were throwing a ball around in Northwood, Iowa and talking about baseball and there was an absolutely stunning rainbow behind us and he said we were in the “field of dreams.” It was a simple and radiant moment in time - a moment I like to call heaven on earth.

Chris is truly in heaven now and he is living better than any of us. He will be missed in this life and he will remain in our hearts forever because forever is heaven my friend. Rest and Live Forever Chris AKA EDEC !

Words by Kiki Valdes

Photo by Dalluge Photography

Rest in Peace Christian Aaron Mendoza - EDEC

Posted by KikiValdes | Views: 99

Christian Aaron Mendoza

1972 - 2026

Please join us as we come together to celebrate the life of our dear friend, Christian Aaron Mendoza. (Edec)

On Thursday, June 18, 2026, at 3:00 PM

we will gather at:

Graceland Funeral Home

13900 SW 117th Avenue Miami, Fl. 33186

Christian was more than a friend-he was a gifted artist, a creative soul, and someone who left a lasting impression on everyone fortunate enough to know him. His passion, talent, and love for life touched so many, and his memory will continue to inspire us.

As we share stories, memories, laughter, and tears, we invite you to join us in honoring the beautiful life he lived and the legacy he leaves behind.

Though he is no longer with us, he will forever remain in our hearts. Rest easy, EDEC. Until we meet again.

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Chris Mendoza in front of his mural

"Cosmic Dragon" at Art Farm Iowa

Installation views of Deeper Terrain at Art Farm Iowa

Posted by KikiValdes Views: 2,356

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Artist Kiki Valdes standing with Steve Hanson, founder of Art Farm Iowa. Northwood Iowa, solo show, artist, Miami artist, midwest art exhibit, Kiki Valdes show deeper terrain, paintings, contemporary art, painting, art collection, artworks, artwork

GETTING DEEPER/ Here are some installation shots of my solo show "Deeper Terrrain" at Art Farm Iowa and my time there in Sept. The show has about one more week to go to see it before November 15th. This is my first real show in the Midwest, hope you can see it if your in the area.

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Kiki Valdes - Deeper Terrain opens Sept 6th at Art Farm Iowa

Posted by KikiValdes Views: 13,128

Repost from Art Farm Iowa: We're excited to be hosting Kiki Valdes from September 6th-November 15th as he presents "DEEPER TERRAIN: Kiki Valdes". This exhibition features new landscape paintings alongside a curated collection of works from recent years. Based in Florida, this marks Valdes's inaugural exhibition in Iowa.

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Opening reception with the artist on September 6th. Exhibition will be on view until November 15th, 2025.

Bright Yellow Flowers

Posted by Humby Views: 14,684

FLOWERS ON FILM

Fujufilm 400

Bright yellow flowers kissed in sunlight.

backlit by the sun

What's it like driving in Miami?

Posted by Humby Views: 14,605

Lunatics driving in Miami. Palmetto expressway (826) southbound.

Gridlock, bumper to bumper Miami traffic on the Palmetto expressway (826).

Miami Traffic has two speeds

Lunatic / gridlock

SpaceX on April 21 2025

Posted by Humby Views: 14,558

Bandwagon-3 Mission

SpaceX launch: Bandwagon-3 Mission

Mark 16:19

Posted by Humby Views: 14,212

So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. - Mark 16:19

the light of the world

Posted by Humby Views: 14,506

Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

-John 8:12

Glass Window Glare On Neon

Posted by Humby Views: 14,340

Fire escape glare on a SPROCKETS window neon sign.

Glare On Neon

Drink & Ink OPEN

Fire escape glare SPROCKETS

TACOS Open

Caution things are about to change

Posted by Humby Views: 14,977

things are about to change

Yellow : Caution

Magenta Flowers

Posted by Humby Views: 14,362

FLOWERS ON FILM

Kodak Ektar 100

Magenta colored flowers

Tiny white petals in the center

Snake or garden hose?

Posted by Humby Views: 14,661

Snake or

Do snakes get confused and think garden hoses are snakes?

garden hose

Celebration Pointe

Posted by Humby Views: 14,335

Celebration Pointe - Florida

Round Neon Diptych

Posted by Humby Views: 14,249

Yellow round neon on Kodak Vision3 250D movie color film.

Neon Diptych

Black and White vs Color

Yellow and Round

Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D lens

Cheap but probably the best overall lens I own. Light weight, fast aperture and sharp.

Nikon AF Nikkor 35mm f/2D lens

Like the 50mm, but heavier. It’s more perfect sometimes, but sometimes it's way too wide.

Flowers: B/W vs Color

Posted by Humby Views: 14,732

FLOWERS: B/W vs COLOR ON FILM

Kodak TRI-X 400 & Kodak Vision3 250D

Back and white Red, yellow and purple flowers on Kodak Tri-X 400 film.

Red, yellow and purple color flowers on Kodak Vision3 250D movie film.

Take heed therefore how ye hear:

Posted by Humby Views: 11,433

Take heed therefore how ye hear: for whosoever hath, to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have. - Luke 8:18

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