Graffiti or Art?

East Hampton, CT

Blues Mural

New London, CT

With the blue coloring of this mural, I can't help but think the musicians pictured here are playing the blues.  I guess they could just as easily be jazz musicians.

Drummer Mural

New London, CT

Musical Mural

New London, CT

This mural adorns the outside, of all things, ... a music store in downtown New London.  

Mural

Nashua, NH

I found this interesting mural on a side street in downtown Nashua, NH.  It was really pretty colorful, and I like the depth and perspective shown in the painting.  I was impressed with the work to include the door as part of the mural.  I missed the door at first.  Sadly it appears some other "artist" left his work on the door as well.  

Just Love

Colchester, CT

Shop Therapy

Provincetown, MA

I don't believe I've ever seen a more colorful store front.  I don't think there is anything inside this particular shop that I really need or want.  

Sculpture III

Toronto, CA

Sculpture II

Toronto, CA

Murals III

Red Hook, Brooklyn, NY 

Flower and Stencils

Murals II

Red Hook, Brooklyn, NY

Red Hook Murals

Red Hook, Brooklyn, NY

I'll be on vacation this week, won't be near my computer, so I won't be able to respond to comments to this blog or comment on the blogs I follow.  For your viewing pleasure this week, I've scheduled some of the remaining pictures from my photo walk around the Red Hook neighborhood of Brooklyn, NY to be posted.  

A Relic of the Past

Red Hook, Brooklyn, NY

Until I saw this on our photowalk around Red Hook, I had forgotten all about these things.  There were a number of these "Call Boxes" rusting away on the streets, long since replaced with more modern ways to call for a fire engine or an emergency vehicle.   I'm sure in some communities they must still use something like this, or a more recent version.  This antique call box has long since been disconnected, but still serves a useful purpose.  One can find useful information in some of the handbills that are found on these boxes.  Local "street artists" practice their skills on these, although I'm not sure how much skill is involved in the stencil of the "little dictator" shown below.  

Inside Out Project Portraits

Red Hook, Brooklyn, NY

The Inside Out Project is a world wide participatory art project created by the artist JR, a recent recipient of the TED prize.  From the website describing the project:

INSIDE OUT gives everyone the opportunity to share their portrait and make a statement for what they stand for. It is a global platform for people to share their untold stories and transform messages of personal identity into works of public art.

These are a couple of portraits on display in Red Hook, Brooklyn.  It's hard to say from just looking at these portraits exactly what these people's statements are.   I'm sure there is an interesting story behind each of these portraits.

Brooklyn Inside Out Project

Red Hook, Brooklyn, NY

After photographing within the Red Hook Bait and Tackle Shop, the "Switch to Manual" class embarked on a photo walk around the Red Hook neighborhood of Brooklyn, NY.  There was much to see and photograph, including this art exhibit.  This is a part of a global art project inspired by the Parisienne artist JR.  You can find out more about his project if you "google" the Inside Out Project.  From what I've learned about this project, the artist "JR" has a mobile photo booth and will take anyone's picture.  He then prints it very large and puts it on display like this for all to see.  He has done this all over the world and the final results are really quite impressive.  Most recently, he did this in Times Square, in New York City. The portraits here are  the result of his work in Brooklyn, NY.   After a while, the portraits become weathered and the victims of other 'street' artists, thus adding to their appeal as street art.   These particular portraits were displayed on a corrugated wall which made for some interesting textures  and distortions.  You can find out more about the Inside Out project in NYC here.  You and also find out more about the global Inside Out project here.