University Star

Tyler Wallach, Texas State alumnus, moved to New York City and has created his own brand of graffiti.

One Texas State alumnus is happy to be living life up in the “CLOUDZ.” 

Tyler Wallach graduated from Texas State in 2010 with a B.F.A. in Musical Theatre, but it’s his artwork that is creating a buzz. Wallach took up street art in San Marcos but has since taken CLOUDZ, his unique graffiti brand, all the way to New York City and the surrounding area. 

Wallach looked for an outlet after being overwhelmed with theatre classes. He found solace in the art classes at Texas State available for non-majors. Brian Johnson’s screen printing class allowed him to indulge in creating colorful little creatures, which have become his trademark. 

“We had to come up with a theme for the semester, and it was sort of a representation of ourselves,” Wallach said. 

With that in mind, Wallach said he thought of himself as a cloud—unique and constantly evolving. Influenced by Andy Warhol and Keith Haring, Wallach started creating these CLOUDZ full of vibrant colors, which reflect his 1990s childhood. 

“I was always attracted to things like Lisa Frank and all the types of bright neon colors that our generation grew up with,” he said. “I’ve always been attracted to that kind of aesthetic.”

Growing up, Wallach had a passion for theatre, and while he attended Texas State, he could always be found around the theatre building. 

Kaitlin Hopkins, head of the musical theatre program, once cast him as two characters in “Bat Boy” and watched with pride as he grabbed the audience’s attention with his portrayal of “Mrs. Taylor.” 

Wallach’s hard work gained him the respect of other professors as well. Laura Lane, assistant professor in the department of theater and dance, became a mentor of his.

“He was an amazingly magnetic, energetic student who was definitely a class leader,” Lane said. 

Wallach soon became obsessed with art and started covering the streets of San Marcos with stickers that displayed his colorful creations. Hopkins described his art as “whimsical and liberating.” After graduating, Wallach worked for ZACH Theatre in Austin for about four months and then moved to New York. 

Shortly after settling into the city, Wallach was cast in a show but soon became tired of the familiar process. Wallach reverted back to his days in San Marcos and began posting “Hello My Name Is” and UPS stickers around New York where his art “took on life of its own,” he said. 

When he was still fairly new to the craft, he was caught by an undercover New York Police Department officer dressed as a homeless woman. The experience taught him to be more watchful, and he has since learned to be more careful about when he shares his art, he said. 

Wallach continues to grow as an artist and has gained the support of his family. He admits his parents were skeptical about him posting stickers around the city between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m. adorned with CLOUDZ around the city. However, they eventually came around and now understand his art brings him happiness. 

Wallach said his creations have received positive feedback and he still believes it to be quite a surreal and humbling experience to have gained a supportive fan base. 

“I think it’s magical because it’s something I created,” Wallach said. “I didn’t read about how to do this out of any book, and nobody told me how to do it. So, I’m proud of myself for manifesting all of this.”

Wallach has been commissioned to create cover art for bands, draw on shoes and design his own graphic sunglasses, which Hopkins and Jim Price, theatre and dance senior lecturer, both modeled.