About Brandon
Beginnings & Background
My name is Brandon Lazore. I am Snipe Clan from the Onondaga Nation, and my life has been shaped by both the city of Syracuse and the community of the Onondaga Nation. I was raised by my maternal grandmother in Syracuse and by my father on the Nation, moving between two worlds that deeply influenced who I am and the art I create.
Growing up, I attended public schools, made friends in my neighborhood, and spent my weekends and evenings at the Onondaga Nation, listening to elders speak about our ways. Those experiences grounded me in Haudenosaunee culture while exposing me to the energy and complexity of city life.
My Artistic Start
As a kid, I was captivated by the graffiti that covered Syracuse—massive names, bold lettering styles, and the mystery of the artists behind them. That curiosity led me to collect books and VHS tapes about graffiti, and eventually to meet a graffiti writer who became a mentor.
He taught me drawing techniques, mural design, and the discipline behind the art form. Together, we painted murals across several Northeast cities and on storefronts throughout Syracuse until the late 1990s.
Taking A Different Path
In 1999, I stepped away from art to pursue a career as a Concrete Construction Engineer in Washington, DC. Working with blueprints taught me precision, drafting, and the importance of structure—skills that would later reshape my artistic approach.
While in school, I studied classical painters and noticed how many used self‑portraitures to measure their skill. Inspired by that tradition, my first canvas painting was a self‑portrait. The moment I touched oil and acrylic to canvas; I rediscovered my passion for creating. Painting became a new way to express myself.
After graduating from Onondaga Community College, Magna Cum Laude. I began blending Haudenosaunee culture with the visual language of graffiti and the technical discipline of drafting. I call my style “Traditional Graffiti”—a fusion of mural layout, architectural precision, and traditional Haudenosaunee patterns and themes. Through this style, I share my culture in a contemporary form that honors the past while speaking to the present.
Today, I’m grateful to have my paintings, murals, and installations displayed across Turtle Island. My work is a reflection of where I come from, the people who shaped me, and the traditions I carry forward.