threads

The brick and window facade of the old American Thread Company provides a backdrop for the playful and colourful mural by Golden305.

mural by Golden 305 in Holyoke, beside old brick factory and warehouse

The artist, Venezuelan artist, Cristhian Saravia (aka Golden305), is an illustrator and muralist originally from Venezuela but now based in Miami, Florida.

mural by Golden 305 in Holyoke, bright colours, purple background, unicorn wearing converse shoes, spool of thread with a needle bee, blue diamond,
close up of part of mural by Golden 305 in Holyoke Massachusetts, brown unicorn with white t shirt and ice cream cone as horn, green comb in his curly black hair , wearing converse all star running shoes
part of American Thread com mural in Holyoke, blue clouds with happy faces, and a few blue rain drops, pink heart, rainbow,
close up of part of a mural by golden 305
mural by golden 305

Photos taken July 2024

Holyoke Bordalo2

The morning after I posted the photos of the Bordalo2 mouse and bear in Lynn, I saw this on Clemente Street in Holyoke (also Massachusetts)…

It is “Father and Baby Moose”, also by Bordalo II

This is another Beyond Walls project; this time in partnership with the City of Holyoke, El Corazon de Holyoke, and Nueva Esperanza. Clemente Street is in a section of the city with a large Hispanic population.

below: A close up look at baby’s hind leg and all the metal pieces that went into creating it.

Photos taken July 2024

Beastie Boys in NYC

large mural by shephard fairey in the village area of new york city, featuring the music group the Beastie Boys.  An image from one of their album covers, Posse In Effect in mostly red and blue.  Men standing beside a large ghetto blaster and one man crouching beside it.  Looming over stores on 14th Ave near the corner of Avenue A.

A large mural featuring the Beastie Boys looms over 14th Ave and Avenue A in New York City.  The Beastie Boys started rocking in 1981. They recorded and performed their version of hip hop/rock for more than three decades. 

part of large mural by shephard fairey in the village area of new york city, featuring the music group the Beastie Boys.  An image from one of their album covers, Posse In Effect in mostly red and blue.  Men standing beside a large ghetto blaster and one man crouching beside it.

The mural was painted by Shepard Fairey (aka Obey) as part of the NYC Hip Hop 50 celebration in October 2023.

Spirit of Harlem

Near 125th subway station (A/B/C) there is a mosaic mural. Original artwork done by Louis Del Sarte and made into a mosaics by Franz Mayer of Munich, 2005. After it was vandalized, it was restored in 2018. It’s a lively scene with musicians and dancers enjoying themselves. Vibrant. Alive.

spirit of harlem mosaic mural in new york city, musicians, drummers, bass players, and women dancing

part of spirit of harlem mosaic mural in new york city, man in blue suit playing drums

spirit of harlem mosaic mural in new york city, brass band, women dancing
spirit of harlem mosaic mural in new york city, man in hat watching musicians
spirit of harlem mosaic mural in new york city, woman floating above dance floor,
spirit of harlem mosaic mural in new york city, black woman dancing and floating
spirit of harlem mosaic mural in new york city, woman with a shiny blue necklace

below: The corner of 125th (also Martin Luther King Blvd) and Frederick Douglas Blvd.

spirit of harlem mural at 125th and Martin Luther King Blvd

spirit of harlem mosaic mural in new york city

some downtown Barrie murals

In downtown Barrie there is a narrow alley with a large bright coloured mural by Clandestinos and Shalak Attack

alley in town of Barrie, downtown, mural on one side, by clandestinos and shalak attack, two large birds, a green star, butterfly, and woman's portrait
clandestinos mural in an alley in downtown Barrie, birds at the bottom end of the lane
shalak attack contributions to a mural in barrie ontario, a portrait of a woman
a butterfly in a clandestinos and shalak attack mural

Also downtown is ‘The Container Project’ at Meridian Place.
below: One side is the Barrie skyline filled in with flowers and some animals (there’s at least one raccoon). Painted by Katie Green.

mural in orange and blue, barrie skyline filled in with images of flowers and feathers, and some animals
close up of flowers in barrie skyline mural by katie green

The other side of the same container is another Katie Green mural which looks like a collage of Barrie landmarks.

mural with small scenes
close up of some of the scenes in a mural, a gazebo, rowers on the river, an old bridge over a narrow street, a clock on a pedestal, the East Bayfield community center,

below: On a very pink wall, a mural by Alanah Jewell

very pink wall, with images to make a mural, cedar tree, salmon, bears, sun, water, flowers, moon, clouds, plants, by Alanah Jewell in downtown Barrie
In the words of the artist:
“The sun will teach us about beginning new every day, and the importance of providing light and warmth.
The moon will teach us about the cycles of life and the importance of water. She will teach us that our bodies’ cycles are sacred and will tell us stories of Grandmother Moon
The stars will teach us about navigation and our ancestors’ journeys across this land. They will tell us about a time, thousands of years ago, when each of our ancestors started as someone living in harmony with each other and with the land.
The bears will teach us about rest, protecting our young, and the importance of strength. They will teach us about survival.
The fish will teach us about the depth of the water and the vastness of aquatic life. He will teach us that the water is worth healing and protecting.
The eagles will teach us about wisdom, guidance, and a connection to the spirit world. They will tell us about our Creation stories.
The cedars will teach us about standing tall and strong. They will tell us to give thanks for this life and the medicines that are abundant all around us.”

Photos taken June 2023

St. Enochs Square

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 view of the whole mural

panorama of the mural

Photos taken July 2014

Pink Men on 5th

On 5th Ave South there is a large mural painted by Colombian artist GLEO for SHINE 2021 as a tribute to two men who were important to her. SHINE is the annual St. Petersburg Mural Festival. Unfortunately part of it is now hidden behind a large white container.

at the end of a parking lot in st petersburg, one black vehicle, one large white container, a mural with men's faces by gleo

Left side

part of a mural, a man balancing a large pink flower by the bottom of its stem, a large man's face

Middle

a large hand over a man's face, part of a large mural by gleo
part of a mural in st petersburg painted during shine festival in 2021

Right side

right side of mural by gleo, another man's face in shades of pink large ear in foreground of photo

Photos taken March 2024

See yah later alligator

On the Pinellas Trail as it passes through downtown Clearwater is a very large alligator with a gold crown and a very spikey collar.

large alligator in a mural, greenish blue colour, with gold crown, large spikey collar around its neck

The alligator is not alone.  Holding onto the leash is a young woman who is also carrying a long stick.  Perhaps they are about to walk away?  “See yah later” as they go….

large mural by joshua the lawyer and m j lindo, of an alligator on a leash, young woman is holding the leash, alligator is saying see yah later

The mural was painted by Joshua the Lawyer and MJ Lindo.

part of a mural, palm trees, a sign that says gators must be leashed

low white building beside street, with mural along the wall, railway tracks, bike trail,

See you in a while, crocodile!

Photos taken March 2024

Graffiti Alley – spring 2024

As you might know, every once in a while I walk down Graffiti Alley in Toronto to see if there is anything new that might be of interest.  This blog post is a result of last week’s walk….

below: Orange hair with attitude – “You don’t look smart because you have a beard!” by NYC based City Kitty. In the upper right corner all the way from the UK, a D7606 old style telephone featuring David Bowie… call a friend.

graffiti on a wall, pasteup of man with three eyes and a lot of orange hair and facial hair. Also a paste up by D76060 of a blue old fashioned rotary phone with an image of musician David Bowie in the center.

below: Havana to Toronto and of course, 2 + 2 always = 5.

two images side by side on a wall in graffiti alley

below: A diverse group of faces

below: Many more faces but mostly a frowny face man.  Every time I look at this picture I think of Poilievre but that opinion might get me into trouble!

stickers, graffiti, on a pole, a painting of a scowling frowning man on the wall beside the pole

below: Purple with green wings and a golden halo – horus and tuffytats (aka Trevor Goodwin) be dreaming again?

tuffytats painting on a wall in graffiti alley, female figure in purple with wings and a halo

below: “Tell them louder”

below: Yarn squares crocheted and attached to a pole with Urban Ninja Squadron’s T-bonez looking on.

yarn squares, knit and or crocheted, and attached to a utility pole in alley, a large urban ninja squadron paste up is beside it

below: No Dumping stickers

black and yellow city street sign saying no dumping,with many graffiti stickers on it

below: Playing on his knees.  That’s quite the instrument.  Cuba on his shoulder.

below: And a similar man with curly hair and beard, but this time in pink.

pink portrait of a man with curly hair, curly beard, and a mustache, his eyes are closed

below: A blue legless and armless robot along with a conehead type creature with a big mouth, both at 733.

below: FPmonkey – a young woman with long purple hair tied up with green flowers.   A single red tear drop on her cheek.

below: Uber5000’s marine life is still a colourful fixture in the alley.

below: Nearby, his Toronto/Canada themed mural has not lasted as well.  A couple of yellow birdies are still visible.

defaced uber5000 mural, with tags and graffiti over it, some yellow birdies still visible

below: Spiderman and the Spiderverse – some of the mural remains untouched but much of it has been tagged over

part of a mural about spiderman and the spiderverse but some of it has been tagged over

below: En masse has a number of pieces in the area including three metal boxes on the sidewalk – this is part of one of those boxes.  Almost all of their work is in black and white.

part of a black and white desiden by en masse on a metal box on the sidewalk

below: The tears of a clown when there’s no one around….

part of a mural, a clown with large white collar, white hat with red hearts on it, and a lot of white face make up is crying big tears, flower in his hat, big red mouth,

below: She’s green.

below: Tiny finds on a blue wall.  Princess Lays Chicken (Princess Laya Chicken?)

below: remnants of Black Lives Matter, and a new purple flower on the door.

below: A scrawny cat scribbled on yellow paint.  In case it is difficult to see, the sticker (or paste up) on the pole is an old television set with text near the bottom that says, “HAHA”.  Interpret it as you wish (as usual).

below: Rubbish in the lane (maybe just a spring clean up needed? … not that the alley is usually clean LOL)


Photos taken March 2024
This post also appears in As I Walk Toronto blog