behind Ossington

Posted on April 14, 2025 by Mary C

Moooo…. Hey there good looking!… Here’s looking at you! This was painted by Poser. Usually he does bunny rabbits but I think that he’s pretty good at painting cows too!

For a number of years now, there has been a lot of street art and graffiti in an alley that runs behind the east side of Ossington starting at Queen Street and ending one block north at Humbert. Some of it is interesting; some is not. A few garages and walls look the same as they did 12 or 13 years ago so some of these photos may look similar to older photos used in this blog.

below: In the background, an untitled piece by Caratoes. It was one of 5 murals painted in Toronto in 2016 for the “Sea Walls: Artists for Oceans” series. In total, there were over 500 murals in 20 countries in this series.

below: Six lit matches ready to go. This crazy cat is up to something no good…

below: An early Birdo piece, although the scroll names or street artists too. The first street art in the alley dates from 2012 when a group of artists painted some of the garages here.

below: A pink rose between two women.

below: Another oldie – this purple guy has been blowing a gust of wind for many years.

below: Vintage Spud bombs, some cheerful and some menacing.

below: A funny looking green creature with big white eyes and lots of skinny legs.

below: A couple, together in the stream, in a mural by Elicser Elliott with the title “Swim”

below: Geometric shapes with a touch of rainbow colour, by Peru

below: Large pink and white swirls and curls cover a wall. Any time that you see swirls like these, think Flips because that’s sure to be the artist that painted them.

below: Only a small portion of this moose painting by Aaron Li-Hill remains. I don’t usually show the original works but I am going to make an exception here. See next image.

below: This is what it looked like back in 2012 or 2013.

below: A newer Catchoo sticker.

below: A couple of faces taken from many faces around a garage.

below: Part of a Troy Lovegates mural (as are the next three images)

below: Looking south. The closest garage on the right has a mural painted by Spud.

below: Durothethird paints peanut butter & (probably) chocolate

below: Horus, “Well and good”

below: At the north end of the alley

below: Writing on black and purple

below: Portrait of George Sully, Canadian designer

below: Love yourself, over and over again, and in many different colours!

below: An old stikman in a frame, weathered but still there.

below: Too extraterrestrial, which someone seems to love

below: And one last look …. Looking north

bright lights

Posted on March 1, 2025 by Mary C

Pasted onto a wall in Baptist Lane, Melbourne, is a woolen string of paper lights where each light bulb is a little artwork.

below: Julybubble80’s blue cat has grown wings

below: Another julybubble cat along with “Aimer”, two red and blue whale (fish?) tails that come together to form a heart by NBF Street (Sirène in the street). A little fairy holds a gold star, the work of Balaet Balaets. “Viens, on rêve… (come, let’s dream).

below: Little yellow rubber duckies – these traveling ducks (canards vagabonds) are having more adventures!

below: With her usual cat-like persona, tweet_streetart holds an Aussie flag waving koala.

below: It’s pink bandana is signed, Valcu G.

below: A cheeky little blue octopus sits on a light bulb that contains a fish (artist: o21_simplement).

below: Two images of little women by wall_lilo

below: Paddywagon is an artist who combine street art and cyanotypes (a process that creates white images on blue like the. Here, a small light bulb showcases one of her images of tiny compound leaves. To the left, “Come on baby, light my fire”, a woman with long and flowing yellow hair, by Wild Wonder Woman.

below: A second Wild Wonder Woman, this time her long yellow hair flows down her bare back and wraps around her swing. Next to her is a picture by Felfi (aka tanzt_die_orange), a Dutch artist.

below: Close by is a second set of light bulbs with art by the same artists – you might recognize some of them!

Photos taken February 2025

Viennese slaps and stencils

Posted on November 26, 2022 by Mary C

Stencils, stickers, and small paste ups around Vienna

below: You don’t have to look like this

two stencils on a concrete wall, one red and one black, both with a silhouette of a person's figure and both with words that say you don't have to look like this

below: K2m Cactus is feeling blue – I can Imagine is ici (or is it Incredible Crew of Invaders?) – and someone’s wearing a gas mask.

below: Skateboarder, diva, and 2 lit lighters. Let’s scream.

below: Fishman doesn’t seem to like his metamorphosis. I have questions – how does he breathe? How does his hair stay in place?

below: Screaming in anger and frustration “Nothing I do matters while Capitalism exists. “

black stencil of a man with head back and mouth open as he screams the words nothing I do matters while capitalism exists.

below: Comment on the Patriarchy

below: With a touch of green

stencil of a person sitting, in black except for green of lenses in glasses that they are wearing

below: Mouse with an umbrella or at least I think that it’s a mouse. Such a ballsy behind.

black stencil of a mouse holding an umbrella as it stands on its hind legs

below: Eyes – blue eyes on red and one eye almost hidden behind a mask and torn paper.

below: Stickers on blue

a blue circular street sign that has been covered with stickers

below: More stickers and paint on sign

directional sign by the waterfront that has been covered with stickers and some painted graffiti tags

below: Oh my! A sorry yellow ghost – he doesn’t look very sorry does he?

below: Frauhans

below: Little green happy faces plus translation surprises: Weihnacht hatte angst aber Ostern hat eier!! = Christmas has fear but Easter has eggs. Why do people choose the words they write?

below: While a blue Rick Astley claims that he’s never gonna give you up others are waiting for something to happen even though something is waiting behind you.

words written in black marker on a wall along with a little character

below: Forked tongue, sluglike hugs on a pole. We all need a little TLC.

below: Big theater, little applause. The curtain drew back and revealed that the world is on the stage. All the world’s a stage…..

Phoebe on the streets of New York

Posted on October 13, 2022 by Mary C

below: Have a beautiful day, a beautiful autumn day!

a phoebe in new york paste up wheatpaste where she is holding an autumn coloured maple leaf or sycamore leaf, words on the image that say have a beautiful day. on a pole beside a bike share rack

Phoebe paste-ups have been seen around New York City for a few years now. Sometimes she’s whimsical and sometimes she’s serious – she’s had a very busy life! She even has her own instagram page, Phoebe New York, where you can find all the other Phoebes!