Black and White, and a little bit more

Posted on January 23, 2026 by Mary C

Encrypto Project #2 was a collaboration between four artists, URSH, Brody X, Fikaris, and Baxter. It consists of a series of black and white paintings together on a wall in Abbotsford (Melbourne). Each painting is monochromatic and they are all abstract (except for the black figure by Michael Fikaris at the right end of the series, immediately below). It was painted in 2023.

righthand end of encrypto project number two,black and white abstract paintings on a wall in Abbotsford, by collaboration of URSH, Brody X, Fikaris, and Baxter

below: Most of the series, along the side of a house and then the back fence,

encrypto project number two,black and white abstract paintings on a wall in Abbotsford, by URSH, Brody X, Fikaris, and Baxter

part of encrypto project number two,black and white abstract paintings on a wall in Abbotsford, by URSH, Brody X, Fikaris, and Baxter

below: The black figure with the big nose in the bottom sticker looks a lot like the man in the panel at the righthand end of the wall!

below: A well dressed lizard hangs out in the alley too!

Photos taken February 2025

La Jolla murals

Posted on August 5, 2025 by Mary C

I hadn’t planned to spend much time in La Jolla. I had just spent a couple hours walking the beach at Torrey Pines and all I wanted was something to drink. If you’ve ever been to La Jolla you’ll know that parking can be a challenge (especially free street parking)! After taking an unplanned driving tour of the city I found a spot beside one of the murals. A pleasant surprise. A quick stop at Starbucks, and their wifi, to find an online map of the mural locations and I took to the streets (on foot, my tired legs!). With a little additional help of a woman at the Visitor Info Center, I managed to find most of them. They are predominantly printed on what looks and feels like plasticized canvas and then mounted on walls. Many were in shadow but I may never get back so I did what I could. Here are the photos:

below: ‘Opening’ by William Wegman, 2014

below: ‘Applied’ by Richard Allen Morris, 2012

below: ‘One Pointed Attention’ by Kelsey Brookes, 2014

below: ’53 women’ by Ryan McGinness, 2011

below: ‘At Sea’ by Ann Hamilton, 2012

below: Ooops, my apologies to the artist.

below: ‘Sexy Cash’ by Mark Bradford, 2015

below: ‘The Shores’ by Catherine Opie, 2013

below: ‘Expecting to Fly (for the Zeros)’ by Fred Tomaselli, 2013. From his Instagram page: “This mural honors the late, great Chicano Punk band, The Zeros, who emerged from Chula Vista and left an enduring impact on the punk scene. The title, 𝙀𝙭𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙤 𝙁𝙡𝙮, references the 1960s Neil Young song performed by Buffalo Springfield, connecting different eras of music and counterculture.”

below: ‘Tear Stains Be Gone’ by Jean Lowe, 2015

below: ‘Girl from Ipaneme’ by Kim MacConnel, 2010 (painted on the wall)

below: ‘Favorite Color’ by Roy McMakin, 2010 (colored tiles)

Link for more information about the Murals of La Jolla, including a lot of newer paintings!

Photos taken 2015.
They originally appeared on a different website, but I am in the process of consolidating all my street art blog posts.

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

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

one more corner on Atlantic Ave

Posted on August 16, 2023 by Mary C

Re-visiting Rochester to see how some of their older murals have fared.

400 Atlantic Ave. is a brick building that parallels the railway tracks. It was built in 1920 as an Ice Block Factory to service rail cars but has since been converted to offices and storage space.

The view at street level and still looking good – Abstract shapes stretch out along Atlantic in a painting by Italian artist Peeta, aka Manuel Di Rita.

below: On the other side of the building, is Aaron Li-Hill’s “Together we Fall” from 2015 Wall Therapy event.

Across the driveway, at 410 Atlantic –

Perhaps these squares aren’t really considered “street art” as they are more in keeping with the building’s prior use as a children’s centre/school,

but they do help to brighten up an otherwise dull and ordinary section of the street.

photos taken in May 2023

South Avenue scenes

Posted on May 19, 2023 by Mary C

Murals and graffiti seen along South Ave in Rochester.

South Avenue in Rochester New York, older brick buildings

below: Conor Harrington Untitled (Fight Club Series)

black and white mural by Conor Harrington of two men fighting, a bit of red blood

below: Floating in a pink sky over a sea of imaginary snakes and fish

mural of a person reclining in a cloud in a pink sky hovering over a sea of snakes and fishes

below: “You’re a Shining Star no matter who you are”. A jar full of shiny positivity by local artist Shawn Dunwoody.

street art mural, on yellow brick wall, a large mason jar with words shining star on it, text on mural says you're a shining star no matter who you are

below: A group of flowers with faces as their centers.

mural on wall, flowers with many petals and each flower has a face in the center

below: Maladjusted Mike is stuck on a pole. Apparently he’s from Seriously Disgusting Comics.

below: No room for Fascism

below: A pink Neptune-like sea creature ruling over his underwater worlds, by Bile, 2013

below: Part of Nova’s shapes and colours.

below: “LIFE in abundance comes only through great LOVE”

below: Whirls and swirls of colour in an abstract painting by Mike Ming, 2013

below: A fox and bunny by Mr. PVRT aka Justin Suarez

below: Adam Francey’s fantastic detailed mural with birds and faces and a couple of words – seek, understand.

below: “Big brother is watching you and he’s bored”.

below: Avocado face, by Stefan Fella

below: Walking white teddy bear

below: The old and the new – root beer and birds.

below: A large egret? (or shorebird of one kind or another) and frog. Do egrets eat frogs?

on the side of a store, a large mural of a stork and a green frog

sculptures on te sidewalk on south ave in rochester

Photos taken May 2023

Tanini’s colours and shapes

Posted on June 5, 2022 by Mary C

As I walked around Tirana I saw several examples of murals by Albanian artist Eljan Tanini. This blog post features three – a whole building covered by his shapes and colours, a tall vertical mural, and last, a wall with four panels.

below: All sides of the building are covered with whimsical playful shapes in Blloku.

a our storey building with stores at ground level, covered with mural of shapes and colours, lower floors have grey background, upper level has yellow background, painted by Eljan Tanini

close up of some of the windows of a building with the mural that is painted around them

below: Street scene on Rruga Myslym Shyri with the bottom part of Tanini mural showing. This mural was painted as part of MurAL Fest 2018. street view, pedestrians on sidewalk, umbrellas over fruit stand, shops, bottom part of mural by Eljan Tanini

below: Four panels in a concrete wall have abstract paintings by Tanini (one on the left, with a blue background, is not shown). yellow building in the background, concrete fence with recessed panels that have been painted with bright coloured abstract paintings a panel from exterior wall painted byEljan Tanini, abstract shapes and colors on orange background

Chopper Lane, Collingwood

Posted on December 12, 2018 by Mary C

Chopper Lane is a small dead end alley that runs off Perry Street in Collingwood. This bright blue mural is at the end of the lane.

below: I can’t read the signature at the bottom right, any ideas?

looking to a dead end lane, Chopper Lane, wall is painted like a blue sky with a few clouds, text written on it.

Text in the mural:
“I meet love and I lose it,
I sense it, I reject it,
I pursue it,
I find it in small things
Like
When I stop to look at the sky
And I wonder
About You”

upper part is remains of a mural showing just a pair of woman's eyes, in blue, mural on the bottom of women working

below: The signature at the bottom right of this one is utama.co and lingerid. Unfortunately, I cut off the signature on the left (partially visible here).

mural of two women

red and silver graffiti on a wall underneath a row of windows with frosted glass

below: One Mob

street art painting of a man topless with arms over head in victory, with text underneath that says one mob

below: Mural of a sugar glider, a small nocturnal possum.

street art mural of a sugar glider, a small rat-like rodent

I’m not sure if it’s still Chopper Lane after it crosses Perry Street, but you can continue walking north.

below: Looking across Perry Street from north to south.

devil mural on the right, then looking across the street to another wall and garage door on Perry Street in Collingwood, that is painted with street art

below: On the paper it is written: “Sometimes a deal with the devil is better than no deal at all.” Even if it’s the devil from the TV show “Futurama”
futurama devil in a mural, yellow colour, blue text graffiti, devil is holding a hand written paper that says sometimes a deal with the devil is better than no deal at all

gold letter text street art with a picture of a woman in broad rimmed hat and purple and orange sunglasses

coloured lines, abstract, street art painting

below: A knight in no armour but a helmet spearing open a spray paint can.

street art painting, man on horse with long lance, or sword, on horse back, horse rearing up on hind legs,

text street art in an alley in Collingwood Melbourne

street art picture of a blue spray paint can being held by a blue hand, can has mouth wide open showing white teeth and red tongue.

below: I’m not sure it’s “street art” but it was too cute not to include here.

a row of stuffies behind a rusty metal grille in front of a window.

below: A closer look.

close up of three stuffies behind a rusty metal grille in front of a window.

looking into a back yard from an alley, drawing on white door, an old chair in front of the door.

below: Two pasteups on a pole

a row of spoons drawn on a piece of paper then used as a pasteup on a pole

black and white pasteup on a pole, outisde, with some red spray paint covering parts of it.

below: Oh! It looks like I was spotted!

man on a balcony above a garage is looking down into the alley, another garage door has street art sprayed onto it

door in a fence in an alley covered with street art, textual

If you walk to the end of the lanes, you’ll find yourself on Bedford Street where there is another mural by Lingerid.

large painting of a man's head on the exterior wall, surrounded by grey words

heesco, Artists Lane, Melbourne

Posted on December 3, 2018 by Mary C

Another artist with work in Artists Lane is heesco, a Mongolian born artist now living in Melbourne.

below: A marvelous blue woman with a glass of red wine in one hand while she gives you the finger with the other hand.

mural of a large than life blue woman, (head and upper body), long black hair, sunglasses, red lips, lots of necklaces, glass of red wine in one hand, red nail polish, giving the finger with the other hand, pink background, by heesco,

below: An abstract explosion of colour and energy

walls along side of artist Lane, mural by heesco is in the center

below: A close up of the one above:

close up of street art by heesco

on Tallinn walls

Posted on June 7, 2017 by Mary C

Tallinn is the capital city of the small Baltic country Estonia. I was only there for a short time but I did find some street art in the old town and in Kalamaja.

below: The young person on the right is the work of @minaJaLydia. I you look closely, there are two tiny faces to the right of the knees.

street art by MinaJaLydia on a concrete wall, two pieces, a pasteup of an elaborate abstract drawing of a face and hands as well as mushrooms and other plant life. the other is a young person sitting on a chair, with 4 legs hanging from the chair.

below: I am calling this one, The Warrior and his Social Media Hedgehog. They are the work of Edward von Longus

a large muscular partially clad man with a weapon over his shoulder, on a grey brick wall, a small hedgehog is working on a laptop beside him. graffiti

below: Close up of the hedgehog. It needs time in the limelight too.

graffiti, a small grey and white hedgehog is working on a laptop

below: Whatever he was writing on the wall is long gone. This is another work by Edward von Longus.

painting of a blond boy with a red T shirt and blue jeans is facing a wall and drawing on it.

below: A green and blue planet Earth between two animals (a cat and a ?), by multistab

street art by multistab. A blue and green small plaet earth in between two large black and white creatures. One looks like a grinning cat, the other might be a cat but migh be something else

below: A couple of couples by Linna Sokk but with the theme of domestic violence.

two poster pasteups by #koos Both are of a couple, in one they are kissing

below: Something’s stuck to his forehead… looks like a sheep to me.

a large sticker with a realistic picture of a skull on it, on a small electrical box beside a building

below: Not your average Easter Bunny!

painting of a large agressive stylized rabbit in grey top and white shirts, a carrot in its mouth, running on two legs, one arm upraised.

below: A multi talented, multi handed, multi tasking elephant!

an elephant with 4 arms and two legs, bare feet, spray paint cans in its hands,

below: This wall is difficult to see because of the fence – it is part of the old fortress/prison that is no longer open to visitors.

street art on a wall that is hard to see because it is behind a fence

below: The next two are by the same artist, Lume, of LDK crew who is from Naples Italy.

stylized flowers and leaves in pastel colours, line drawings, on a pale yellow wall

stylized flowers and leaves in pastel colours, line drawings, on a salmon coloured wall

below: In case you can’t read it, the sign that Darth Vader is holding says: “Help me. I need $$$ to build a death star.”

a few small piece of graffiti, a yellow face, a black stencil of a man's head and shoulders, a stencil of Darth Vader, and some scribbles,

on a wall beside w window, two line drawings of animal creatures, on dinosaur like and the other a small round thing

a big bee on a yellow wall, street sign that says Salme

two drawings, one is Jerry the cartoon mouse and the other is

three stencils on a wall, an orange womans face, a blue diamond and a purple man with sunglasses on

a paste up of a person's head wrapped in an old fashioned bandage that ties under the chin

doorway shaped and sized line drawing graffiti in purple with turquoise highlights, a man's head and neck

text and tags and others in Thessaloniki

Posted on June 5, 2017 by Mary C

Some of the graffiti and street art seen in Thessaloniki Greece, April 2017

below: A skull with text. Unfortunately I do not know the names of the artists involved.

street art in Thessaloniki Greece - a skull in the middle of a text graffiti , on a pink wall

graffiti on a wall in Thessaloniki

below: sae pra

a text piece that says sae in black and white with some green

street art in Thessaloniki Greece - a motorcycle and a tree in front of a bulding, the metal screens covering the windows have street art on them

below: enuff on top with abstract faces and body parts below

street art in Thessaloniki Greece - elaborate line drawing on a concrete wall, abstract, with a face in it.

below: roko in red and white

street art in Thessaloniki Greece - two text graffiti pieces on the side of an apartment building, the top one is roko and is white lettering on red background.