cowboy | Eyes on the Streets

Windsor Ontario that is.

green vehicle parked in front of street art murals, with other murals reflected in its windows

Artist Alley and Maiden Lane, between Ouellete and Pellisier Streets, has provided a canvas for many street artists. Free 4 All Walls is an organization that has helped turn the alley into the art gallery that it has become. This blog post is a look at some of the murals that have been painted here.

Back side of a building in an alley, covered with graffiti that is mostly words in different fonts and colors, such as will be, everything, no more yes, fun, no fun,

below: A man in shorts, all in red, by Jarus.

below: A PURE Maple Syrup can makes an appearance in this mural. If you see any painting, or other form of graffiti featuring this can, you can assume that it is the work of Canadian artist ‘WhatisAdam’ aka WIA

mural of a man in cowboy hat, leading a horse past pine trees and blue sky, horse is wearing a can of pure maple syrup

horse is wearing a can of pure maple syrup, in a mural in windsor ontario

below: Spy vs Spy, cartoon sharacters wearing wide brimmed hats. Black Spy vs White Spy, both with long pointy noses. These characters originally appeared in Mad magazine as early as 1961.

below: Nychos painted this strange cowboy. Weirdly realistic but very anatomical. I’m not sure how his hands stay in place.

below: Peace sign with bones

below: Now adding a green peace symbol beside the peace sign with bones

large green peace symbol beside a hand made of just bones making the peace symbol

below: Another peace symbol

street art painting of a realistic hand, very large, making peace sign with background of protest signs in black and white, as well as a large red spray paint peace symbol

below: No guns, No war zone, Keep the mayor happy at all costs. More protest signs.

graffiti wall with words Love Street, and No War Zone, image of pistol with red slash through it,

below: More Peace and Love

below: According to an Instagram post by the artist, Jason Garcia, this image was inspired by an aerial view of the Windsor/Detroit area. The cities in pink with the river between them.

part of mural by jason garia around a window with metal grille over it, geometric shapes to the right of the window, lots of red, green, and blue hearts to theleft

below: The pink pyramid guy is by Chris Haven.

graffiti on a wall, red character with round face and bat wings, pyramidal shaped character in pink giving peace sign.

below: Oh my!

orangish yellow character with body like a basketball, long skinny arms and legs, looking angry and wielding a wood bat, on a building in an alley with a door

below: It’s not Spiderman in that red costume… and that skull is rather creepy. The artist for this mural was Matt Gondek.

mural by Matt Gondek in a Wndosr Ontario Alley, large red costume, ripped to show grey skull below,

close up of head of character in mural by Matt Gondek in a Wndosr Ontario Alley, large red costume, ripped to show grey skull below,

below: “.. And then things got better” in a mural by Denial.

below: “Denial loves you”.

below: Luigi! But he’s behind bars…..

below: Piccachu makes an appearance too (that’s a lot of cameras on his body!). This image bothers me a bit – the look on her face is not nice. Mind you, with a chipmunk stuffed in there she’s got to be uncomfortable. Ick. There is text on the mural (not in the photo) that says Graffiti Zombie

As you walk around the Arts District in Los Angeles, watch where your feet are going.
You’ll see many stencils that have been spray painted underfoot.

This first one, women in head scarves, is obviously a political statement.
It was also the only stencil that was in two colours.

below: Dangerous insects, with scoped rifles for wings.

below: … and a dragonfly too. Weaponized terrorist bugs.
No wait, they’re Homeland Security agents in disguise.

below: No money, No honey.

below: Social media is selling your shit. Apparently there is a third one that says “Seeking your applause, your digital mirage” but I didn’t see it.