My name is Kat. I'm just a homo sapien who made a website for a homeless artist named Reggie. Reggie is the real hero. He taught himself to paint with ketchup. He lost everything in a hurricane. He recently sold a painting for $5000 and gave all t...

Is he currently housed? Ever thought of joining an art collective? How does he decide what to paint?

He just got into a place to live a few weeks ago! Although, he didn't mind living under the tunnel either. He likes to live freely, and no rent or job means he gets to paint all day.

He is not currently part of an art collective but is interested in it! He just got offered his first show which will happen at the end of October. I'm also working on getting his art submitted to a few studios!

His inspiration to paint mostly comes from living on the streets, cultural icons, and requests from other people. He told me he never runs out of ideas, he always has something in his head he wants to create :)

Reggie -- Why would you giveaway your profit from the art work you made, instead of using that money to get back on your feet first? Do you not trust yourself with that money, did you not wonder if it could've helped you more than who you gave it to? Or are you genuinely content where you are in life so to feel like you don't need money?

Your generosity sounds unwarranted, totally inspiring to give everything to others, but I hope you are taking care of yourself too!

Much love, Wisgood

Hey Wisgood! Really great and insightful question. Firstly, Reggie gave the money to the other gentleman because the other guy was older and unable to work, so he feels since he was the star of the portrait, he deserved the money.

Additionally, he doesn't always give away the money from his paintings. That's how he sustains himself (he just bought a, and I quote, 'ghetto pizza' for lunch right now with some paintings he sold last night)! It's not enough to necessarily get him off the streets, but it is enough to keep him fed and clean.

Lastly, he is pretty content with where he is in life. Being homeless wasn't entirely his choice, but he's made peace with where he is and he enjoys the freedom it gives him to paint.

Much love!

What is a ghetto pizza?

Hahaha apparently one with bologna and leftover sausage? I don't know. Some cheap meat lover's pizza!

Hi, Kat. Have you ever considered doing more homeless advocacy? What exactly about Reggie's story drew you to his plight?

Reggie: you have great artistic skills! How do you feel about the potential exposure from all this?

I gotta say, as a homeless guy just down the road in Tucson, your friendship is certainly inspiring!

Hi! I have considered doing more homeless advocacy. I currently work for the fire department as a crisis response EMT, so I do get to interact with that population a lot. Next fall I'll start a Masters program in Clinical Mental Health Counseling to become a LPC, and after that I'll be applying to medical school! I want to be a therapist before becoming a doctor because I feel that primary care medicine (and medicine in general) needs a radical shift in it's ability to treat mental health. My end goal is to work in medicine, specifically with homeless and inmate populations, to help with this.

He's happy people like his stuff. He hopes people enjoy looking at it as much as he enjoys making it! His end goal is to get a studio for himself, so exposure could potentially help with that. He was recently donated a trailer to get out from under the freeway.

And hey, I went to school in Tucson! I spent many a days having pizza parties with y'all at the park on Stone and Speedway. Take care of yourself out there! Let me know if you need anything.

Yo, resident PCP with similar interests in the west coast, it sounds like you don’t need much assistance or guidance already, but feel free to shoot me any q’s regarding medical school and medicine. Keep it up! You’ll go far in medicine and help a lot of people with this background. The system certainly needs more people like you.

I will reach out to you if I think of any. Luckily my husbands in medical school so I have a bit of an inside perspective too. Thanks so much :)

A true Tucson-an knows this exact park.

Yessss!

Does he need supplies? I'm of the area and would be happy to contribute supplies.

You're awesome! He always needs supplies. You can message me or on the website under 'donate' there is an address to send donations!

Why would a homeless person give away $5,000 to another homeless person instead of getting out of that dire situation? Why are you doing this AMA?

He told me that the man he did the portrait of was an older homeless gentleman who is unable to work. He figured he was older and since he is the direct reason he was able to make a profit (without him, the inspiration for the art wouldn't have existed), he deserved the money.

We are doing this AMA in order to post his new website, because all funds are going to support him and hopefully secure him a studio! Also, because who doesn't love to hear about a rad dude named Reggie who paints in ketchup?

First of all, you're awesome for providing a legitimately helpful and concrete service to a total fucking stranger. You should be proud of yourself. "Make tiny changes".

Secondly, Reggie is dope af and a lot of these paintings are pretty awesome. Are these all available for purchase? And if so, how much? I'd like to purchase but I dunno if I got that fine art $5000 type of money.

The one's in his portfolio are just now available as merchandise! So the originals have been sold but we can make stickers and such. As he makes new paintings, I'll post them for sale. All paintings and commissions are donations based! No need for $5000 :-)

To Reggie, what brand of ketchup did you start of with?

Ketchup from Wendy's! It was free, so he used to fill up a water bottle with Wendy's ketchup every day and paint with it.

If it isn't the Shrek green Heinz I will be dissapointed

Shrek is love.

Three questions:

1. What kind of commissions do you do, Reggie?
2. What's your favourite Jeff Goldblum film? (That one is for both Kat and Reggie :) )
3. Where did the name "Macmoons" come from?

1. He'll do any commission with a Reggie spin, but he'll never paint the same thing twice!

2. Holy Man for Reggie. Cats & Dogs for me ;-)

3. When he was younger living in Ohio, he wanted to do graffiti. He didn't want to get involved with any gangs or anything, but there was this older group of kids (from China and Australia) who hung out and did graffiti. He used to follow them around on his bike and learn. They always told him to go home, but he loved hanging around them. They started calling him Macmoons. They taught him graffiti - that's where the vibrant colors in his art today comes from. On his first ever graffiti piece, he signed Macmoons and it just stuck.

Hi Reggie from the UK!

I hope the people you deal with regularly are kind!

General question you may not get asked that often; how are you, are you alright?

Hi from AZ! He said that he hasn't been alright in the head since he was born. Hahaha.

Great work with the website Kat!

And Reggie is definitely a great artist. What a passion. It really shows in the work.

Also, the compassion of both of you guys is amazing. Don't change that because that is precious. The world would be a better place with more people like you.

As for questions, who bought the $5000 painting? And was it donated to someone, you guys knew?

Thanks so much! Modern day technology makes me feel like a real-life web developer but really I just know how to click buttons.

I love his art because you can really see his whole story in every painting!

The $5000 painting was purchased by a stranger in Scottsdale! They hung it in their home as far as we know.

What makes Reggie someone that really stood out to you? You mention you spend time with other homeless individuals, so what about Reggie, outside of the donation, told you to put this extra effort in?

Good question! If I could help every homeless person, I totally would. I think that often people who are the 'easiest' to help are the ones who are also working to help themselves. He's out there creating art in and for the community and he has a desire to make his dreams a reality. Not every person who is homeless has a desire to get off the streets or have a passion project, and that's okay. They still deserve the same support and kindness. I think what made Reggie stand out to me specifically is he has a dream and he just needs some extra support to make it possible. I have connections and resources that he doesn't, so it only makes sense to share those with him. He's talented, and sometimes you just get a gut feeling and this website was a gut feeling for me! Worst case it only cost me a few hundred and some time, and I made a new friend. Best case he gets a studio and will help more people in the future.

I would put the painting with the koala woman in my living room in a heartbeat.

Are any of the paintings for sale?

I love that one! I can make a canvas print or poster, etc. of that specific painting if you are interested and post it for sale on the site. Just message me if you are!

All of the current paintings were sold out in the last few hours on the site. We will be posting more though in the next few days and of course after that. Commissions are also always available! And we have a Society6 store with merch.

How can we be sure that these questions are actually going to him, and you're not just making up these responses? Your proof doesn't actually show us anything. This whole thing feels really shady.

Good question. I'd like to think someone wouldn't pretend to be a homeless dude, spend hours of their free time making a website, spend more hours selling the art, spend money on gas driving 30 miles each way to take pictures of the art, and then post it all on the Internet for some karma and money...BUT that sounds exactly like the thing someone might do! I am not, however if you let me know what kind of proof you're looking for, I'd be happy to provide! I could go take a picture with Reggie this evening? Or what did you have in mind?

To Reggie - What got you interested in painting?

He always did sketches, since he was younger. When he moved to AZ and was living under the freeway, people saw his stuff and started bringing him different supplies. They brought him acrylic paint and canvases so he just started to try it out and ended up loving it!

ketchup or catsup?

ketsup

Phoenix is supposed to have several monsoon storms over the next few days. Reggie, what are you doing to protect yourself and your art?

He recently was donated a trailer to at least get out of the tunnel so he is currently there with his art! Also, on the website I added a donate section where people can donate items such as waterproof tarps and bins to keep his work safe. A few people have already purchased those so that should help! The tunnel keeps a lot safe until it floods, but moving forward we're hoping he can get a studio to eliminate this problem.

Side note, as someone in AZ - yay monsoons!

(For Reggie) Despite losing everything twice, it sounds like you've been doing much better than most people in your situation. Why don't you try to cash in on one of your art pieces so you can have a spot to live? It would be much more beneficial to have a creative space- not to mention a bed and a roof over your head.

He would like a studio but he also doesn't want to sacrifice his freedom so it can be a tough act to juggle!

Reggie, what do you wish more people knew about what it’s like to be homeless?

Kat, I just want you to know how appreciative I am of your outreach. I know not everyone understands or is willing to try and give help. I’ve been friends with a homeless woman for about three years now and have seen her through a lot, and it breaks my heart when people are cruel about her struggles. It is so hard to pull yourself out of poverty. Not everyone is actually trying, which makes it even harder for the folks who are. Keep fighting the good fight — both of you!

He said he wish that more people knew that being homeless is fine. What he means by that is people assume it's this terrible life, but a lot of people are homeless by choice and they don't necessarily dislike it. People have this expectation of what life is supposed to look like: a car, a house, a job. It's not for everyone. He wishes more people knew that he likes what he does.

I appreciate your comment! That's awesome that you've befriended her. I always tell others, the homeless are just people without a house! Society definitely makes it difficult to get yourself out of that situation.

What’s a Homo sapien ?

It's a me

And ...... what’s a me ? .....

A you

How often are commissioned/requested paintings able to be made? I really love his Stephen King related paintings (all of his paintings really but specifically the King ones) and would like something similar. Nothing specific just whatever he came up with.

He does all the requests he can! If you email us at [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) we can talk further :)

Why is it gone? Is there a link to the original post?

Mods deleted it for lack of proof. Here's a video from Reggie though!
https://streamable.com/7jq61

Where did he learn to be so kind? Was it his family or surroundings?

He said he checked out a book at the library called 'How to Be Kind for Dummies.'

Does Reggie have a drug or alcohol problem? Is Reggie physically or mentally disabled?

He does not and is not!

His go fund me page is not available. Any idea why?

Plus, you are an amazing person for accepting the responsibility for all of this. You are a national treasure.

The GoFundMe was created by someone else after reading the news story. It didn't gain any money and they eventually shut it down. I like the idea of a website better than Go Fund Me, because it gives a purpose to the dollar. People can have art in their home rather than just blindly contributing to a cause. It's commerce.

Thank you. :)

Can I buy the paintings online?

There's currently only one painting left on the site after today! We will be posting more though in the next few days and of course after that. Additionally, we have a site on Society6 to sell merchandise like stickers and posters! If you have a specific piece you like that you would want to purchase in sticker or other merchandise form, let me know and I can add it to the shop :-)

What made you want to say homo sapien in your opening line? Did you consult Reggie?

Hahaha to be honest, I thought it would make people give the title a second look! Looking back, I would change it to just human. Whoops :)

Do you personally know any other intelligent species besides homo sapiens?

Uhhhh...phone a friend!

Totally off-topic question to you Kat: why is that proof picture nsfw rated? And another one: Would it be possible to buy a painting and get it send to Germany?

What do you mean by NSFW rated?

And very likely! Message me and let’s talk a little more. I need to research a bit on international customs.

How does reggie get paid? Does he have an account set up somewhere (and if so, who manages it) or are people essentially giving him cash? Is his goal to become self sustainable or to give large amounts of money away to other people?

Good question! People on the streets pay for his art in cash which he automatically uses to sustain himself (food, hygiene, etc). He also has a PayPal which is the way he will be paid from the site. Again, that money is currently used to sustain himself and his art at the most basic levels: purchasing canvases, supplies, food, shelter when needed. But the idea of getting off the street is a bit more complex and more expensive than just selling some paintings here and there. He is more interested in getting a studio before a home because he really loves to paint as often as possible and enjoys the freedom he currently has! He also loves giving to others.

What do you use as a shaving lubricant?

Some yummy Ethiopian food from this place called Gojo.

This is awesome, well done! Have you considered telling your therapist to fuck off? I really don’t get how he/she can judge you for being nice to a poor man.

Oops! My therapist was totally joking. Should have added a /s (am I reddit-ing right?)

But yeah, she knows me well and everyone in my life knows I hang out with homeless people and do other 'weird' things so it's not unexpected around here :-)

does reggie have plans for the next hurricane?

Luckily we live in Arizona so no hurricanes here! Just haboobs and monsoons and endless heat.

How long have you had the dental fixers? Do you find your speech being affected by the homeless?

2 months! But I had them as a kid actually and this is my 2nd round because I didn't wear my retainer in college.

Hello and thanks for this AMA! Is there a way to get on a list notifying me of when/where his show is?

Hi! Hope you are well. :) I'm going to add an 'Events' column to the website within the next few days, as we've gotten a few offers from studios. I'm also going to create an email list! If you want, message me and I can add you.

Love the Stephen King one and would love to see that on some stickers or something, like the society6 stuff you’ve got. May be purchasing some small stuff like that for my husband and his brother.

Do you have a mailing list for when you add more things to purchase, either directly on the site or on society6? I’d be totally interested in being added to it.

I can add some stickers and other products with that Stephen King artwork to Society6! Just give me a few hours and then check back :)

Also, don't have a mailing list yet but feel free to message me your email and I'll get one set up! Cheers.

Does he ever go to first Friday's on Roosevelt? I have a few friends that are part of an art collective n have galleries. Lmk if he wants to hook up with them for Oct

He's in the Glendale area right now so I don't think he does! But that would be awesome. Let me just double check that would be something he is definitely interested in and I will message you :)

What's the deal with the dumb fuck title you wrote up?

Please help me come up with a better one! It's my first Reddit post ever.