small town Ontario murals

Posted on June 23, 2024 by Mary C

As I find more, I will add them here in alphabetical order by town name.

Burnt River: Two halves of the same mural. Rural life – cows, horses, and the old CN train that no longer runs here. The land where the railway tracks ran has been repurposed into a walking trail in summer and a snow mobile trail in winter.

part of a mural on exterior wall of Burnt River post office, some houses, a cow, and a horse

part of a mural on exterior wall of Burnt River post office, a train stopped at a station, a snow mobile.

Campbellford: Sunrise over the water. Campbellford is on the Trent River.

Goderich: Butterflies and rainbows on the corner of Courthouse Square and Montreal Street, downtown.

butterflies and a rainbow in a large mural on the side of a brick building in downtown Goderich

Lafontaine: Profile of a wolf… Legend of Loup Lafontaine – part legend and part true story, written by Thomas Marchildon, a parish priest, in 1955. Since 2002 the town has held an annual Festival du Loup.

Parham: “59th Annual Exhibition of the Parham Agricultural … A glimpse into the past – just some of the people who made the 1950 Parham Fair another memorable event.”

large mural on the side of general store in Parham Ontario, image of a group of people at the 59th annual Exhibition and Parham agricultural fair, early 1900sm

Sharbot Lake: “The Final Journey”, On June 6, 1891, Sir John A. Macdonald died at his residence in Ottawa. After a state funeral, his body was taken by train to Kingston from the mainline to the K&P at Sharbot Lake.

mural on wall in sharbot lake, portrait of Sir John A Macdonald as well as a train, tells story of Macdonald's trip in the train after he died

Sharbot Lake: Kingston and Pembroke Iron Mining Company. Incorporated 1887. The Railway’s Influence: with the arrival of the railway in 1876 came new prosperity. Sawmills and mines now had easy access to markets. Sharbot Lake soon had several stores, hotels and 3 doctors. This building, built in 1901, was originally the Farmers Bank of Canada.

mural about Kingston and Pembroke iron mining company incorporated in 1887, and the railway's influence in the area, saw mills and mines and easy access to markets. On the side of building from 1901, the Farmers Bank of Canada

Tiverton: The Watchman – this was the name of the local newspaper. At the top of the oval, “Incorporated in 1879” and at the bottom, a portrait of John Patterson, one of the first settlers. Also shown, the Masonic Lodge, local church, an old car and pickup truck at the B A gas station, horses pulling a plow, and an old fire wagon on the main street. It was originally painted by Allen Hilgendorf in August 2001 then restored by Ruth Hurdle in 2010, and by the looks of it perhaps it is being restored again (photo taken June 2025). Other notes: Although the town was incorporated in 1879, it took the name Tiverton in 1860 when the post office opened there. “The Watchman” newspaper was founded in 1874.

large mural, outdoors, black watchman plaid background with large interior oval containing many images of pioneer life, horses pulling a plow in a field, men playing hockey outside, a church, a wagon on a street with a couple of stores,

Tiverton: Tiverton Platoon 1917, group picture

large photograph of men in uniform, 1917, group shot, about 50 men, title is Tiverton Platoon 1917, on brick wall, outside

Wallaceburg: The S.S. Superior, a large boat. “1889-1960, Typical of the Great Lake Steamers that visited Canada’s Inland Deep Water Port, this 250 ft package freighter, a familiar sight loading local products, made it’s last call in 1958 thus ending an important chapter in local heritage. “

painting on an exterior wall in Wallaceburg, a large image of the S.S. Supperior, a package freighter built in the 1880s.

cyop & kaf in Naples

Posted on June 18, 2024 by Mary C

If you walk around the old part of Naples (particularly the Quartieri Spagnoli), you will see many murals and paintings by the Italian duo Cyop & Kaf. Many of them are weathered and faded or written over but they are still hard to miss. This is a selection of the ones that I saw in Naples one wet spring day.

Flat characters, stylized, simplified.

mural by artists cyop and kaf in naples, three crosses on a blue hill that is encircled by long black arms of a blackcharacter in a red skirt and white top

man with long red rope, one end tied around his leg

Exaggerated body parts

mural by artists cyop and kaf in naples, a figure drinking a glass of red wine, long pointy white nose, red pants, sitting on a rock with Napoli spray painted on it, a silver coloured motorcycle is parked next to the mural

mural by artists cyop and kaf in naples, banner with cuban flag flying from back of man's head

Missing body parts. Awkward positions.

mural by artists cyop and kaf in naples, black man in white outfit on the back of a horse with no hind legs, front legs have boots, one red and one black

Surreal situations

mural by artists cyop and kaf in naples, black figure lying on back, long nose is holding up a tray with three white bottles on it

Improbable proportions and impossible actions

mural by artists cyop and kaf in naples, one headless figure in grey is punching hole in middle of another flat figure in grey. second man has tiny red head

mural by artists cyop and kaf in naples, figure sitting on a black chair, one blue hand and one black hand small blue boots,

mural by artists cyop and kaf in naples, small figures standing on red half torsos, jousting

mural by artists cyop and kaf in naples, man lunging position

two men in white tops and orange pants, with a red banner

Photos taken February 2024

Graphite details on paper

Posted on May 24, 2024 by Mary C

Hannging on walls in Seville. by Adolfo Arenas Alonso. Scenes in run down rooms with peeling wallpaper. Once grand but now not so much. Religious icons and figures in paintings and sculptures look down on the human characters. Characters that either impossibly skinny or overweight. Crosses on the walls. Indolent. Slovenly. A macabre sense of place and time verging on the profane.

below: The Matador and the Insolents

below: Ars Amandi, The Dreamers (Ars Amandi is Latin, ‘The art of loving’)

drawing, graphite on paper, by Adolfo Arenas Alonso as street art on a Seville street

below: Volaveront (Latin, translates to “They will fly). The Hall

below: Verba Volant (The words fly) and Le Grand Stiletto

two drawings, both graphite on paper, by Adolfo Arenas Alonso as street art on a Seville street

below: Sacrum (Sacred)

below: Scripta Manent (Texts remain)

trust, live, love, all on a little Paris wall

Posted on May 14, 2024 by Mary C

below: The first of two cats by Missmam (aka Marie-Anne Montfort) whose Instagram page says: “Street Chats pour le plaisir et autres curiosités pour la beauté”. On the right, a girl with long blond braids by Nevoul Art (the Little Street Art Fairy).

two paper pasteups, lucky cat by Missmam (aka Marie-Anne Montfort) and girl with long blond braids in traditional costume by nevoul art.

below: Keeping it simple, a kiss, by Artiste Plume.

below: Missmam, another “La chat fortune” but this time, the lucky cat is getting a bouquet of tulips and balloons from an amorous seahorse by Industrie Tarte. This lippocampe comes ready to divide into sections – filet, plat de cotes, bavette, flanchet – which are all cuts of meat.

lucky cat by Missmam (aka Marie-Anne Montfort)

below: “Trust, live, love” on a little heart

below: She’s slightly fuzzy in this photo I’m afraid, she also appears on a number of European walls. Street art by seiLeise (aka Tom Ossege)

graffiti painting, girl sitting on sidewalk looking at a small tree

Photos taken March 2023

walking along the Seine

Posted on May 14, 2024 by Mary C

Graffiti and street art seen while walking along the Seine in Paris.

below: Woof woof! Yes Paris!

below: Multi-coloured by Tremos, Peruvian artist living in France

below: At Voie sur Berge (Passerelle Léopold Sedar Senghor), in the 7ème, is this long mural by Michael Beerens titled “Plastique” – it is a comment on the state of our oceans.

large mural in blues on a wall beside the River Seine

The title is French but the word in the mural is English, “plastic”.

part of Plastique, a long blue mural by Michael Beerens along the banks of the river Seine

below: Honey bear by fnnch. There are quite a few of these around Paris and I blogged about them in June of 2022, Honey Bears.

Swallows in flight; swallows with little white halos.

graffiti, painting of a swallow (bird) in flight, with a small white halo over its head

graffiti, painting of a swallow (bird) in flight, with a small white halo over its head. also words that say forever child and joja

below: A “My dog sighs” sticker beside a portrait of a woman with very orange hair.

stickers and pasteups on a metal box, outside, including a painting of a woman in turquoise dress with orange hair

below: A small black and white cat by Copycat, an “anonymeows streetartist” who has painted hundreds of cats.

below: Another Copycat cat…

below: ….. and yet another, on a multi coloured background

below: Another Copycat cat… this time it has a companion, another orange headed woman. She is surrounded by an intricate design and is the work of OJA.

two paste ups, paper, on metal boxes outside. One is a loose-skinned hairless cat by copycat and the other is a woman, surrounded by intricate detailed border by o j a

below: Two faded OJA pieces

below: Re-using many, many can lids – beer cans, pop cans, drink cans.

3 d art, large plywood board with circle made of pop can tops which are circular

below: Are three heads better than one?

below: A sassy blue monkey with a pink heart bum.

below: Mr. Djoul is an artist who creates mosaics, especially of this little green-eyed alien creature

below: Invader mosaic? And in the lower left corner, bright red hair and words that say “My weariness in longing”

below: From the description beside the photo: “Ho–[torn] made a famous photograph of a dying soldier which became anti war icon since 1930s. Later it was proven to be a staged image on which nobody really died… From Russian diaries of Krapiva Netleva” [krapiva is the Russian word for nettle]

faded large black and white photo mounted on an outside wall

below: Four photographs on a wall

4 small colour photos, framed, on a wall

below: On a post overlooking the river.

two stickers on a pole, river seine behind, buildings on the far side of the river in the background

below: This guy gets around! Nourf, by Pimax

below: More slaps and stickers. A Mohawk-type hair style with A2, Natreel (a clothing brand), Tom Azria (faded), and Venus in a witch’s hat.

below: Abstract shapes and colours. Trying to look 3-dimensional.

Photos taken March 2023

football and the ‘cult’ of Maradona

Posted on May 7, 2024 by Mary C

References to Diego Maradona are everywhere in Naples! Maradona (1960-2020) was a football hero to many. He joined Napoli’s football team (Società Sportiva Calcio Napoli, or SSC Napoli) in 1984 and took a lacklustre team and made them winners. During the seven years that Maradona led the Naples team they won two Series A titles – the first southern Italian team to do so. His influence on Naples lives on.

below: This forty foot high mural is the center of all things Maradona. There are direction signs all over the old part of the city (Quartieri Spagnoli) showing the way to this small square. If you visit, expect to find it full of fans!

diego maradona themed street art in quatieri spagnoli in naples napoli,

Also, expect to find all kinds of tributes to Napoli’s favorite footballer all over the city.

below: Maradona is not the only player celebrated here. This mural is a tribute to Dries Mertens, “il miglior goleador” [= the best goal scorer] and “148 gol, 9 anni, di storia amore”

diers mertens, football player, themed street art in quatieri spagnoli in naples napoli,

diego maradona themed street art in quatieri spagnoli in naples napoli, maradona dressed as a bishop with staff and funny hat, bishops mitre

diego maradona themed street art in quatieri spagnoli in naples napoli, many life sized football players on a wall

below: Maradona as king, artwork by Mr. Pencil

below: Number 9 is not Maradona. The little band of yellow hair on top gives it away as Victor Osimhen, originally from Nigeria.

below: Nicely placed women beside Franco Martinez’s portrait of Maradona.

below: Another portrait of Naples most famous #10, this one by Yessica Garcia.

Photos taken February 2024

St. Enochs Square

Posted on April 26, 2024 by Mary C

St. Enochs Square, between Massey Hall and the back of the stores facing Yonge St., just south of Shuter St. (Toronto)

This mural was painted back in 2013 as part of a project to rejuvenate this alley. It was a collaboration between EGR and Elicser Elliott.

entrance to laneway, red brick building on the left (Massey Hall), mural painted on the wall on the right. Mural shows a woman & a boy blowing the seeds from white puffy dandelions.

entrance to St. Enochs Sq. on Shuter St.

A woman is holding an infant and a small child. Another child is clinging to her. A man is to her right and a girl is to her left. The infant is ugly and may not really be an infant but instead be a little roly poly old man... or a hybrid of the two

left side of the mural

a large black and white cat is looking at the viewer. It is wearing a little crown. Beside the cat is a boy in a blue and white striped shirt who is blowing the seeds off a puffy white dandelion.

blowing dandelions

panorama of the mural

Photos taken July 2014

Stornara – riding turtles and reading cats

Posted on April 25, 2024 by Mary C

Here are three more, of the MANY, murals found in Stornara Italy.

below: “Fly with me” by Alessandra Carloni, 2023. With a suitcase all packed and ready to go, heading out for adventures on a turtle.

below: A lazy, comfortable ride through a sea of red and blue in a mural by Nikro, aka Nicola Ciarallo, 2021

below: Erica II Cane (or Ericailcane), A distracted cat! And while the cat’s away, the mice will play. The mice have taken over! Don’t be a distracted cat!

Photos taken February 2024

Stornara – one corner, two women

Posted on April 25, 2024 by Mary C

Two more Stornara murals, both on the same building

one one side of a corner is a mural painted in 2020 of close up of a woman's face, wearing a brightly coloured covid mask and on the other side is a mural of a woman leaning out of a window, both in Stornara Italy

below: “Girl with a Pen” by Braga LastOne (or Braga Last1) 2019

mural on the side of a building of a woman leaning out of a window with a white curtain, holding a pen (that is in reality a drain pipe) and writing on the sidewalk, by French artist Braga Last one

below: By Francesca Babolin, art in the time of Covid.

mural painted in 2020 of close up of a woman's face, wearing a brightly coloured covid mask, painted by francesca babolin

Toto and friends

Posted on April 17, 2024 by Mary C

alley in old city part of Naples, stone pavement, motorbike, old murals on the wall, Toto Alley, Vico Toto, portraits of Antonio de Curtis, an actor from the 1950s and 1960s,

In the Quartieri Spagnoli (Spanish Quarter) of Naples there is an alley, Vico Totò, with many portraits that pay tribute to Totò, the stage name of an Italian actor Antonio “Totò” De Curtis (1898-1967). There are several paintings of him in some of his acting roles; He appeared in 97 films in a career that spanned three decades. There are also some other actors represented here.

below: Only the top part remains – including his black bowler hat.

black and white mural, portrait of actor Toto in sunglasses at end of his nose, wearing black bowler, lower part of mural has been worn away

below: A couple stands in front of Davide Zeka’s painting ofTotò in the role of a priest.

a couple stands in front of a street art painting of an actor dressed as a Roman Catholic priest in a black and hat and white clerical collar

below: “Stu core analfabeta” This illiterate heart….

below: Michele Wuk’s ‘Totò con la papalina’ where the words say “L’educazione non passa mai di moda” (Totò with the skullcap: “Education never goes out of style”),

mural in Naples, man's portrait, of Toto the actor, beside a clothes line with laundry, also text in Italian that says L’educazione non passa mai di moda

mural tributes to Italian actor Antonio de Curtis, or Toto, in an alley in the old part of Naples,

below: Human Hero aka Luca Carnevale, Nino Taranto, another actor, as the Flash, “Flash of Genius” says the text

portrait of a man with a mustache, he's wearing red top of the Flash outfit, on orange background

below: Toto as Superman on Porta Carrese Monte Calvapio (also Human Hero)

portrait of balding man in superman top and red cape, street sign for Porta Crrese Monte Calvapio, and a one way sign,

below: Lino Ozon’s ‘Lola’ which shows Totò dressed in drag to play Lolita in the 1962 film ‘Totofraffa’. In this movie he appears in many disguises.