Steve Powers was born and raised in Philadelphia where he graduated from University of the Arts before relocated to New York City in 1995. Powers' alias ESPO (Exterior Surface Painting Outreach) won him notoriety not only in the graffiti world and would eventually help him establish himself in the contemporary art world. After some legal complications in 1999, Powers took a different approach to his practice. Having already assumed many roles such as publisher for On the Go Magazine, and author of several books (The Art of Getting Over, First and Fifteenth, and Studio Gangster), Powers began showing work in notable galleries such as New York City's Deitch Projects. In 2005, he organized the "Dreamland Artist's Club" a project which allowed professional artists to help Coney Island vendors by repainting their signs. Soon after, Powers was the recipient of the Fulbright Prize in 2007 and spent six months working in Ireland. The idea was to create public artwork with the help of local teenagers from troubled areas in Dublin and Belfast. His most recent conceptual piece took Powers back to Coney Island where he installed the "Coney Island Waterboarding Thrill Ride". Responses to Powers artwork have been featured numerous times by the media in such publications as Juxtapoz, Artforum, and The NY Times. He continues to exhibit internationally in such countries as Italy, Paris, England and Canada as well as multiple locations across the United States. Powers currently lives and works in Manhattan.