Street Art/Travel/Murals/Sculptures/Art
Street Art Variety in North America
While Graffiti and Murals are often seen as the main types of Street Art, can it be more?
Submitted for the Globetrotter’s August Monthly Challenge.
I used this picture for a story about the Paradox of choices, where a pair of robins try to pick a birdhouse to make their nest when there are too many choices.
This art installation is on Hwy 67, and often cars stop to take pictures. I liked the birdhouses shaped like rolls of toilet paper.
This street art has expanded even more since I took this picture.
Will it ever be finished?
We have a lot of murals in my hometown.
The H.E.A.R.T mural project in my town is unique in that much of the money used to pay artists was raised from residents who made donations.
“The Ramona H.E.A.R.T. Mural Project’s mission is to encourage economic vitality by increasing tourism, promoting community pride, and celebrating our rich cultural heritage through an outstanding outdoor visual arts program.” HEART
“Please don’t call this Street Art a Mural,” said the guide.
“It’s a fresco,” she said.
It’s very old; this wall painting, mural, or fresco is ninety years old.
So, I wondered, does a mural become a fresco because of its age?
Actually, no.
It’s the process used to apply the paint.
Fresco (plural frescos or frescoes) is a technique of mural painting executed upon freshly laid (“wet”) lime plaster. Water is used as the vehicle for the dry-powder pigment to merge with the plaster, and with the setting of the plaster, the painting becomes an integral part of the wall. Wikipedia
Does Street Art have to be urban?
I suppose these would be considered urban for the coyotes, rabbits, and other desert residents.
In the middle of nowhere — in the Borrego Springs desert are 133 metal sculptures.
Just out on desert land — spread out over miles in wide open spaces. And miles away from anything.
Dennis Avery, heir to the Avery Dennison Corp. and Label Maker. He commissioned the giant free-standing art in the desert.
As word has spread, more people head out to the desert to see them.
I’m unsure how many people will even see it since it's on a toxic beach that no one visits.
Beach on the Salton Sea.
I have seen many forms of street art to convey a message or make a statement. Sometimes it's obvious, and sometimes very subtle.
My heart sank when I saw this picture in my files. It's a surfers van in Maui, Hawaii, where the wildfires have killed so many and devastated Lahaina — a reminder for me of the horrible fires devastating the area.
Is the owner of this van safe? I hope so.
But many a vehicle can have art that is often the owner's work; this was the case with this mobile piece of street art.
Can street art drive down the street?
Can street art be skin? When that skin is walking around on the street, it seems like street art to me.
So many beautiful designs that I see. But it's certainly “opportunity” street art, as it moves around, and you may never see it again. So enjoy it while you can.
Can street art have a “Bad Hair Day?”
Yes, it can.
Can street art sell a product?
Probably not, seems like this is more of a sign than street art, but it sure made me smile, and it was very artistic.
I couldn’t believe someone named their restaurant “Slap Ya Momma’s.” But we had lunch there, and all I can say is it was “Slap Ya Momma Good,” — sorry, Mom.
And sometimes, that street art is just made for the perfect “selfie.”
People were crawling inside her arms and getting selfies that made it look like the statue was hugging them.
This was clearly not going to work on a guy my size, so there is no picture of me getting a hug.
But small people were enjoying her hugs.
This was a 3-D mural; for lack of a better way to describe it, it was much larger, but this picture was the only one I could find. This was located along a street in Catalina Island, California.
My take-a-ways:
- If a mural looks old, ensure it's not a Fresco, we don’t want to offend anyone. The process for Frescos seems difficult, so perhaps that’s why no one does them today.
- Don’t forget to watch for the “moving” street art; if you miss it, it may never return for a second viewing.
- And sometimes art can be found in the middle of nowhere.
Some great stories have been submitted. Here is the link if you want to submit your own; it's also an easy way to read others.
Here is an excellent story about Street art from Jillian Amatt - Artistic Voyages, who not only writes about street art — but actually makes beautiful murals.
I mentioned some Street art from Mexico and the U.S.A. — But Kenny Minker has a story about street art that “IS” the border between these two countries.
