DINKC takes storytelling to KC streets, opens studio in Strawberry Hill

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Artist Laedan Galicia, aka DINKC, has spent his whole life creating. With a love for cartoons like Spy vs. Spy and Steamboat Willie and growing up in Strawberry Hill with frequent visits to Mexico to visit family, he found himself surrounded by art. 

“I’ve been drawing basically my whole life since as long as I can remember, like many artists do,” says DINKC. “My parents always encouraged us to try everything once, but one thing that was always consistent was my artwork, so they would always bring me new supplies. We both just knew that that was something I love to do.”

As a child of immigrant parents, his art represents the Mexican culture in which he grew up. As he got older, his method of sharing his art shifted to tagging and graffiti, developing a “street style” with his own cartoons and characters. Graffiti became a method of storytelling and began the early DINKC brand. 

“I kind of dug deeper into my cultural background and upbringing and sort of played off of Mexican culture. One thing that was always permanent was Día de los Muertos. A huge part of that is the sugar skulls, and I decided I wanted to use that to make my own character—a Calavera.”

Over time, DINKC’s Calavera character became more than just a cartoon; it became a self-portrait of his life and experiences. In 2012, while enrolled at Kansas City Art Institute, he began developing the DINKC brand into something more. 

“While in school, we had a project where we had to brand ourselves. We made business cards, websites, and social media to learn how to create an image of ourselves and what we wanted our clients to see. I kind of took that as not necessarily just the school project, but a way for me to start launching myself out there.”

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He began going to First Fridays in the Crossroads and visiting galleries, networking with other local creatives and artists in the area, and learning from them. Through these events, he began to gain clients and share his own work with a wider audience. 

Right out of school, DINKC secured a job with a company that did illustration and designed toys, packaging, and clothing. 

“They did everything that I love. I was at an all-time high. I thought I was like on top of the world and that I had made it,” says DINKC.

Just a few months into the job, the company fell under hardships, and he was let go from his position. 

“Right then and there, I decided that no matter how good I think I have it, this sort of scenario could happen again. I decided to put all this energy into creating my own company, my own brand, my own sort of studio that offers everything that I love to do within my style, and just move forward and create my own path. So I did that,” he says. 

DINKC took the loss as a way to find new surroundings and opportunities to expand art. What started as a week-long visit to New York City became a three-and-a-half-year stay. 

“I really enjoyed going out there to the birthplace of graffiti and being able to see all the amazing muralists that are out there. The OG graphheads, the beautiful galleries, and the underground scene as well, I thought it was absolutely amazing,” he says.

He began hosting his own showcases, wearing his own clothing line, and introducing himself as DINKC.

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He continued to expand his travels and visit more art scenes around the country. During this time, he found himself in Denver with an opportunity to settle and get a change of scenery. He created murals for restaurants and the city, making himself a permanent name on the wall.

“Denver was absolutely amazing,” says DINKC. “They had a huge booming scene. They were just pumping so much money into the city and the creatives. There were so many events, festivals, and opportunities. It was kind of like what was happening in New York, but this one was a little bit more curated in a way. The art community was so supportive and welcoming and together.”

He moved to Denver in March, and by April, he was hosting shows and quickly began having weekly galleries and showcases. He started his home studio and began seriously expanding his clothing brand and online presence. 

“It was just constant back-to-back. I just grew in the city and rode that wave of amazing curated events there. I just absolutely loved it,” he says.

After another three and a half years in Denver, DINKC made his way back to KC. 

“It was always in the back of my head to come back; my family is still here, and I just have a lot of love for the city,” he says. 

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In July 2023, DINKC opened up his own studio in the Strawberry Hill neighborhood, a place to share his creations and host events to teach his community about art and his culture. He recently completed a series of workshops leading up to Día de los Muertos, titled “Calaveritas,” as a way to teach his community about what the Day of the Dead is and allow them to paint sugar skulls of their own.

“I always was very proud of my Mexican heritage and always love to kind of share it and showcase it,” says DINKC. “I figured out that this stuff isn’t being offered—I’m filling that sort of niche need to educate people on culture, leaving them with a better understanding of what this means, and hopefully they are able to look at life and death differently—teaching them to celebrate it and not forget those ancestors that made all of this possible, that made all of us, be here.”

Even his name, DINKC, stands for Death Is Not Known Certainty and celebrates the cultural idea that when we pass, it’s not the end. 

DINKC’s art can be seen throughout the KC metro, including a street car stop in Power and Light, murals in the West Bottoms and at Mean Mule Distillery, and a featured installation in the Parade of Hearts.

“It’s a way of life,” DINKC says. “It’s a way for me to make a living and make a career, but also now being able just to give it all back and hope that this somewhat impacts somebody out there—they’re gonna get inspired by what I do. That’s more than enough.”

Follow DINKC and DINKCStudios on Instagram, and check out DINKC.com for apparel, prints, and more.