Author Archives: Mary C

Einstein, strange birds, and some teddy bears

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Three murals in Vilnius

below: Einstein by ettoja (aka Artur Širin) titled “It’s Never too Late”. A tattooed Einstein has his bling and his backpack and looks ready to hit the road (now that Covid seems to be waning?).

large mural on the end of a building, painted by ettoja, Einstein with e=mc2 tattoo, gold necklace, a couple of bracelets, and with a backpack on his back.

On Kauno (just around the corner from Einstein) is this large mural.  It is a collaboration between Polish artist SEPE (aka Michal Wrega) and Lithuanian artist CHAZME (aka Daniel Kalinskiego).

large mural on the side of a building, shades of blue and purple mostly, some abstract geometric shapes, 2 figures that are part person and part bird, especially with beaks. painted by two artists, sepe and chazme

bottom bird-like figure large mural on the side of a building, shades of blue and purple mostly, some abstract geometric shapes, 2 figures that are part person and part bird, especially with beaks. painted by two artists, sepe and chazme

more sepe and chaze mural

Walking slightly farther west brings you to another mural.  The words in the umbrella say Už Saugią Lietuvą which is the name of a campaign to fight domestic violence, “For a Safe Lithuania”

mural of a child standing on a mountain of stuffed animals as she tries to write words on a wall

Writing on the mural is: “Do vanos? Za islai? O gal seima? Isileisi mane.” which loosely translates to: Do you have? Toys? Or maybe the family? Let me out.

part of a mural, young girl is painting words on a wall in lithuanian

Helevius map of the heavens

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at Helevius Square, near old town, Gdansk

“Hocce Hemisphaerium Firmamenti Sobiescrium Boreale” = Star chart of the Northern Hemisphere.

Helevius Square was named after Johannes Hevelius (1611-1687). He was a beer brewer in Danzig/Gdansk. He was also interested in astronomy and built a telescope on the roof of his house. His contributions to the study of the constellations are many including the descriptions of ten new ones. Ursa Major and Ursa Minor are depicted above – that’s the big and little dipper. So are Cassiopeia, Aquarius, Cancer (Cancri), and Andromeda. Some of the others you might find are Hercules, Draco, Serpenterius, Cerebrus, and Camelopardalus. Three of the constellations described by Helevius are no longer in use!

30 years of the V4

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This mural was painted last year to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the V4 alliance. V4 is shorthand for the Visegrad Group, a group of four countries, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia. and Hungary,

mural painted in Warsaw to celebrate 30th anniversary of Visegrad Group

A similar mural was painted in the three other capitals as well – Prague, Bratislava, and Budapest.

closer up picture of top part of mural

The mural was created by Magda Miszczak (and of course…. in collaboration with the National Centre for Culture and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with the support of the Ministry of Culture, National Heritage and Sport, and the participation of the Polish Institutes in Bratislava, Budapest and Prague).

Photos taken May 2022

behind Central Ave

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St. Petersburg is home to a growing number of murals. There are maps online that help you find the murals but if you walk along Central Avenue and explore the streets and alleys close by, you will encounter most of them.

below: There’s a short alley behind the north side of Central Ave that is home to quite a few street art pieces. This is the view westward from 6th St. North (toward 7th St N)

street art and murals painted on walls and buildings in an alley

below: This is the mural at the east end of the alley.  This portrait among the fishes and mermaids was painted by Derek Donnelly

mural of a man with black rimmed glasses painting on the wall, marine scene part of a mural, a mermaid with long pink hair and a pink fin part of a mural with fish

below: Colourful mural by kosharekart

a mural by kosharekart

below: Some paper pasteups that have seen better days paper pasteups, partially peeling

paper paste ups on a wall in a lane

below: Circle patterns in a mural by Megan Kelly

below: Frida Kahlo

a small mural on the side of a garage, portrait of Frida Kahlocar parked in front of a mural

below: Another painting by kosharekart

female figures with very decorated clothing, painted in a mural close up of a mural showing a woman in a sail boat, with a large bird and its beak beside

below: Another Derek Donnelly fish.  The lower portions were once a brighter orange but it`s faded over time (painted in 2014).

a car is parked in front of a mural of a very large fish painted by Derek Donnelly mural in an alley by kosharekart

below: Boat on the water

mural in a lane, a woman stands beside a boat on very wavy water

below: Hearts, a bird, and a snail

mural in an alley of a female figure dressed in a red heart covered dress. There is a large snail on her lap

below: Someone seems to disapprove of Mr. Cactus.

a small sticker of a cactus with a face, stuck on a mural beside a face

below: `Twiggy`by Brad Mize is at the rear of 648 Central Ave.

very large face on white background, mural in an alley

pale purple background, cursive writing of the words life is magical “Life is Magical When You Look” with a black cat sitting on the moon nose to nose with a dragonfly in a mural by Christy Faris

mural of a black cat sitting on the curve of a new moon, also a dragonfly by the cat

below: Brad Mizes ‘Mr. Sunshine’ is now partially behind a fence.  The sun is a copy of a 1940s design used to promote the city of St. Petersburg.

bright yellow sun on sky blue background, mural, sunshine mural

below: Fish in a birdcage

small sticker on a post, white background, black drawing of a fish in a birdcage
mural around a door that makes it look like it's in India, some white lotus flowers painted beside the door

below: Adios! Let it go

black mural with hands and the word adios in cursive

below: Treat yo self, woof woof, by aurailieus

mural of a black pug dog on blue background

below: Mural for Caskey, a musician, or more specifically, for his song “Thank God I Made it” which was released about the same time that the mural was painted (May 2021).  Artist: skycaptain

skycaptain mural ode to musician caskey

below: Shark mural by Shark Toof, a 2015 SHINE mural, on the east wall of the State Theater building.; It too is a little bit faded.

mural of a grey shark on an orange red wall a car parked in front of a mural that is the same orangish red that the background of the mural is, a large shark with mouth open and many teeth

below: This the Hindu Goddess, Saraswati, who symbolizing knowledge, learning and wisdom was well as, music, art, and speech. She was painted by Palehorse Design. Follow the link to learn more about the mural.

large 50 foot by 30 foot mural by Palehorse Design of the Hindu goddess saraswati playing a musical instrument called a veena. She has four arms to represent the four elements of inner life, mind, intellect, ego, and consciousness.

below: “Space Rainbows” by Ricky Watts

view from behind trees in a parking lot, large mural called Space Rainbows covers the side of a building Space Rainbows mural from the side Many of these murals are the product of SHINE Mural Festivals. Follow the link for more information about these festivals. All photos were taken in mid-April, 2022