Urban Remains and A Graffiti Portrait

We recently moved and the other day I went for a walk and found a mortuary, automobile repair shop, and art studio all in the same block. It was kind of amazing. I discovered this portrait on the back of the art studio. And I fell in love a little.

A Portrait on a Wall

A jaunt down the side street led to the discovery of a retaining wall and cement steps leading to nowhere. Homes that have been razed and grass now grows taking over the cement steps and sidewalk.

 

Abandoned Homes

Most interestingly, this row of abandoned houses is led by the most perfect little leave it to beaver house. The last one standing in a field of grass and cement and towering trees. A lone reminder of what once was.

the last one standing

If you want to see some more abandoned places from the safety of your home, check out Forbidden Places: Urban Exploration a website full of photographs from urban explorers.

 

The Art of Skulls

I have a board on Pinterest called Skeletons and Skulls where I post beautiful artwork of skulls or skeletons. In case you haven’t been following (though I’m sure you will now, right? ;)) here are some of my recent faves.

Skeleton Royalty

skelleton royalty

Skeleton Love Stencil by Catman103 on DeviantArt

Skeleton_love_stencil_by_catman103

Red Skull Balloon

red skeleton balloon

Street Art of War(ms) My Heart

I love street art. I used to see more of it in Chicago than where I live now, but that is what the Internets is for. I’ve found some lovely street art on Pinterest and immediately threw it up on my Art of War(ms) My Heart board, which you should go and follow if you haven’t yet. Here are a few of my favorite new pieces.

What fun. I wish I could go there and be the puppet!

Art in Paradies – Chiang Mai 3

Art in Paradies – Chiang Mai 3

The interweaving of arms and roots and wall are just wonderful.

wall art

The concept of this piece is brilliant. The detail amazing. I love the little footsteps.

heart on the wall

And my absolute favorite is the following piece. What emotion.

019-stunning-street-art-foref

My Very Own Found Street Art and Training a Street Artist

So, I’ve sort of a new job in Texas. In that, when I moved I transferred my part-time evening job and then got a small promotion to key holder. I only work part-time, but my hours are all wonky and putting together any kind of routine is nigh impossible, added to which I’m a caretaker for a four year old now and basically if I don’t have a panic attack in a day, I feel I’ve accomplished a monumental achievement. Like today when my car wouldn’t start because I left the lights on this morning and I didn’t even cry. That was a major achievement let me tell you.

There are plenty of wonderful moments in my new life here in Texas. For example, I saw this awesome chalk art as I was walking into work one morning and was able to take a  snapshot before it was washed away later that day.

dj chalk art

I also had a really great day with my niece. We went to a mall (there are only malls here in Texas, nothing else. They are very necessary when the heat index raises and my tolerance for being in the house decreases.), rode a carousel with a horse that had a purple saddle, and then my niece discovered this graffiti parking lot art as we were walking to my car. I honestly can’t tell if this person is for or against science with the Where’s Waldo/Jailer suit going on.

graffiti street art

I may have forgotten the stroller and the fact that the kid falls asleep in the car all the time and the soothing voices of a podcast telling Aesop’s fables meant that I carried a 45 lb girl past breakable dishes and down an escalator until I found a couch I could stake out in for twenty minutes, but I’m the cool aunt who will sit for ten minutes with a bowl of hot kool aid water to dye her hair. So I think I balance out to a win on the auntie scale.

Also, I sat for like thirty minutes and painstakingly painted with body glue and glitter a flower and a very suggestive fairy tattoo on each of her arms respectively. Because I’m hell bent on raising a my own street artist and you gotta start with fairy tattoos and pink ombre hair.

kool aid hair

 If only getting a real tattoo was as painless. I was going to say as easy, but honestly, putting temporary tattoos or glitter tattoos on a four year old is not that easy. Ah glitter, the herpes of the arts and craft world.

Yes, those are mushrooms she’s picking. No, I did not let her eat them. Sheesh, I may forget strollers, but remember? I’m winning in the auntie department. And I’m serious about the “raising my own street artist.”

street artist training

Doctor Who Graffiti

I’m a huge fan of creative graffiti. Let’s cover up all those gang bang signs with our own communities absurdly nerdly icons. Buzzfeed has linked to several (loads and loads actually) of flickr accounts. Check out this flickr link. [via Nerd Bastards and Buzzfeed]

Photo from flickr commons some rights reserved by gruntzooki

 

 

Netflix Graffiti

Apparently some people send their Netflix envelopes back with a little more than the original DVDs. Way cool. More at the link —> [via geekosystem]

This photo belongs to jovino’s photostream at http://www.flickr.com/photos/jovino/4953625110/

This photo belongs to jovino’s photostream. See it at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jovino/4862857586/

Star Wars Stuff

Watch a COPS parody by Storm Troopers. [via Geek with Curves]

Watch Storm Troopers at a Help Desk:

Star Wars awesome graffiti collection here. Check out cmulou‘s flicker account. Plus some great Star Wars Mash-up available here and here.