Artists or vandals?

Could this photo be any more L.A.? You've got the freeway, cars speeding by, a mural on the side wall, and some tagging that has been scribbled over. Graffiti: to some an art, to others a crime. Some pieces put up on walls in the L.A. area are a true expresssion of artisitc accomplishment. We have even featured some of those examples right here on the Your Scene Blog, like this one or this one.

Graffiti represents one of those really rich local conversations that are ongoing in this community: who are graff writers? How do they do it? Why do they do it? Is it a crime? Is it art? All excellent questions.

In fact, Steve Lopez's column today digs even deeper into the graffiti world and the communities that embrace or despise it. Check it out.

"Street scene" from the album Street Art, submitted by deano.

--Lori Kozlowski

 

This wall art above depicts Billie Holiday in mid-song, belting out some tune we can’t hear. The words next to her though send a positive message to brighten any Angeleno's day.

The photo below gives us a Los Angeles of the future. A city where mechanical monsters fight to the death over limited resources and territorial control of a meteor-blasted land.

Two great images painted on the ever-growing L.A. landscape.

"Melrose Mural" from the album Street Art, submitted by Geraldine.

"LA Take Down Graffiti" from the album Street Art, submitted by Patrice.

--Lori Kozlowski

 

Did you have a good weekend, Your Sceners? We certainly hope so. And we know that these street artists definitely did. Literally taking art to the streets, these pavement-pounding chalk artists, brought back the pastel tools of childhood and simply colored marvellous pictures on the ground.

Taken just yesterday, the shot is a vision of people at play at the 2008 Pasadena Chalk Festival.

The red rose drawn inside the end of what looks like a gun is quite striking.

Thanks to Dan Simpson for capturing this creative moment.

"Chalk the Walk" from the album Street Art, submitted by Dan Simpson.

--Lori Kozlowski 

As we dig deeper into our local neighborhoods, it has become increasingly easier to find fantastic art in surprising little places. Take this picture, for instance.

Shot by Cindy, this photograph captures just one corner of a large mural in Highland Park.

The Virgin de Guadalupe can be seen on many walls around L.A. actually. The image is some times tattooed on muscled arms, stenciled on the sides of little bodegas, and even hanging from rearview mirrors. Here we see the famous saint in someone's graffiti-ed prayer.

Thanks for the inspired shot. Very full of grace.

"Virgin" from the album Street Art, sumitted by Cindy.

--Lori Kozlowski

Something old, something new

This wall art above depicts Billie Holiday in mid-song, belting out some tune we can’t hear. The words next to her though send a positive message to brighten any Angeleno's day.

The photo below gives us a Los Angeles of the future. A city where mechanical monsters fight to the death over limited resources and territorial control of a meteor-blasted land.

Two great images painted on the ever-growing L.A. landscape.

"Melrose Mural" from the album Street Art, submitted by Geraldine.

"LA Take Down Graffiti" from the album Street Art, submitted by Patrice.

--Lori Kozlowski

 

Did you have a good weekend, Your Sceners? We certainly hope so. And we know that these street artists definitely did. Literally taking art to the streets, these pavement-pounding chalk artists, brought back the pastel tools of childhood and simply colored marvellous pictures on the ground.

Taken just yesterday, the shot is a vision of people at play at the 2008 Pasadena Chalk Festival.

The red rose drawn inside the end of what looks like a gun is quite striking.

Thanks to Dan Simpson for capturing this creative moment.

"Chalk the Walk" from the album Street Art, submitted by Dan Simpson.

--Lori Kozlowski 

As we dig deeper into our local neighborhoods, it has become increasingly easier to find fantastic art in surprising little places. Take this picture, for instance.

Shot by Cindy, this photograph captures just one corner of a large mural in Highland Park.

The Virgin de Guadalupe can be seen on many walls around L.A. actually. The image is some times tattooed on muscled arms, stenciled on the sides of little bodegas, and even hanging from rearview mirrors. Here we see the famous saint in someone's graffiti-ed prayer.

Thanks for the inspired shot. Very full of grace.

"Virgin" from the album Street Art, sumitted by Cindy.

--Lori Kozlowski

Chalk the walk

Did you have a good weekend, Your Sceners? We certainly hope so. And we know that these street artists definitely did. Literally taking art to the streets, these pavement-pounding chalk artists, brought back the pastel tools of childhood and simply colored marvellous pictures on the ground.

Taken just yesterday, the shot is a vision of people at play at the 2008 Pasadena Chalk Festival.

The red rose drawn inside the end of what looks like a gun is quite striking.

Thanks to Dan Simpson for capturing this creative moment.

"Chalk the Walk" from the album Street Art, submitted by Dan Simpson.

--Lori Kozlowski 

As we dig deeper into our local neighborhoods, it has become increasingly easier to find fantastic art in surprising little places. Take this picture, for instance.

Shot by Cindy, this photograph captures just one corner of a large mural in Highland Park.

The Virgin de Guadalupe can be seen on many walls around L.A. actually. The image is some times tattooed on muscled arms, stenciled on the sides of little bodegas, and even hanging from rearview mirrors. Here we see the famous saint in someone's graffiti-ed prayer.

Thanks for the inspired shot. Very full of grace.

"Virgin" from the album Street Art, sumitted by Cindy.

--Lori Kozlowski

Like a prayer

As we dig deeper into our local neighborhoods, it has become increasingly easier to find fantastic art in surprising little places. Take this picture, for instance.

Shot by Cindy, this photograph captures just one corner of a large mural in Highland Park.

The Virgin de Guadalupe can be seen on many walls around L.A. actually. The image is some times tattooed on muscled arms, stenciled on the sides of little bodegas, and even hanging from rearview mirrors. Here we see the famous saint in someone's graffiti-ed prayer.

Thanks for the inspired shot. Very full of grace.

"Virgin" from the album Street Art, sumitted by Cindy.

--Lori Kozlowski