A graffiti artist is teaching college students the fundamentals of street art.

Sien Ide has created a graffiti class at Bloomfield College.

He grew up learning right from the streets of New York City back in the 1980s.

“I actually started painting when I was 6 years old. When I got older, I saw graffiti all over the trains, and I wanted to do it,” he says.

Years later, Sien Ide says his passion to show others the expressive art form of graffiti grew, and he earned his master's in illustration.

“I honestly wouldn’t go to class to learn about it, I would go to class to watch how other teachers taught,” he says.  

In his own teachings, he wants students to find better ways to express themselves. He helps talented artists find a way to succeed in the evolving world of graffiti.

“This is important to me because I want to show students that they can do this. I know famous people who work in films who can come in and speak to the students,” he says.

 He says his struggles and life experiences have helped him learn the importance of also helping others.