Street Artists

I returned to Freeman Alley this past Sunday to discover a wonderfully diverse range of artworks in varied media, along with artists from near and far at work. Pictured above is the lovely Ecuadorian nomadic artist Lasak. Several more findings follow:

 Boston native Mattaya Fitts

Bronx native Abe Bx

Italian artists Rat Rockster and Ikas leaving their mark in the alley as they pass through NYC

Colombian artist Luch pays homage to his hometown Valle de Cocora

The spirit of Indonesia from Komodo

An surprise visit from the prolific mark-maker Qzar

And one of several sticker combos

Photos: Lois Stavsky

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With their intriguing images, graffiti tags and motley messages, street art stickers are increasingly claiming space in just about every NYC neighborhood. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic back in 2020, there seems to be, in fact, a proliferation of them – even in those localities with, otherwise, scant graffiti or street art. Featured above is City Kitty’s beloved adventurous cat, seen a while back on Manhattan’s Lower East Side. Several more stickers captured in varied NYC locations follow:

Brooklyn-based multimedia artist Alex Itin, as seen awhile back on the Lower East Side

The famed Japanese-American artist Katsu, as seen this past weekend in Soho

Bronx-born Inner Demons in collaboration with Staten Island-based Chris RWK, as seen last week on the Lower East Side

The prolific Brooklyn-based multimedia artist RAE BK — his signature face on translucent sticker paper — as seen this past weekend in Soho

The itinerant graffiti writer/bomber Reader with his now-iconic message, as seen last week in Gowanus, Brooklyn

NYC-based graffiti writer/bomber Suckybat, as seen a while back in Chelsea

LNE crew graffiti writer/bomber South,  as seen in Inwood, Manhattan

Note: This post is part of an ongoing series on NYC sticker art — that had been “dormant” for the past several years, and is now being revived!

Photos by Lois Stavsky

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As COVID-19 was raging back in 2020, Dripped On The Road, a traveling artist residency program, brought 14 murals to Indiana, Pennsylvania. Within two weeks, the artists transformed the town’s visual landscape, while embracing and uplifting its residents. In the course of their remarkable residency, they learned first-hand about Indiana’s distinct history and painted murals that utterly reflected it.

Featuring resident artists Damien Mitchell, Sarah Rutherford, Evan Lovett, Riiisa Boogie, along with program directors and artists Ramiro Davaro-Comas, Jonathan Neville and Denton Burrows, the acclaimed documentary “Small Town Big Canvas: An Indiana, PA Story” — directed by OWLEY Studios — chronicles these two weeks.

Not only did the seven artists uplift the town’s spirit and enhance its appearance, but they also conducted workshops with youth using non-toxic spray paint and upcycled materials. And they planted trees that “will live on even after the murals are gone.”  Sustainable painting practices and environmental responsibility are essential, the documentary affirms, to Dripped On The Road‘s mission.  We are cautioned that one needs to be mindful of the environment when painting public art.

“Small Town Big Canvas: An Indiana, PA Story” brilliantly captures the mutual respect and appreciation that developed between the artists and the members of the Indiana community as the project evolved. The artists clearly “felt the pulse of the people,” and the Indiana residents showered them with gratitude in return.

Founded in 2016,  Dripped On The Road artists have have painted over 100 murals and traveled over 12,000 miles.“Small Town Big Canvas: An Indiana, PA Story” is a moving, impressive ode to its multiple missions and a particular paean to this distinctly vital project. It is also a model for public art that too often becomes too commercial.

Note: The NYC public premiere of “Small Town Big Canvas: An Indiana, PA Story” was held on April 27 at the Anthology Film Archives, featuring resident artists Damien Mitchell, Sarah Rutherford, Evan Lovett and Riiisa Boogie, followed by a Q & A moderated by UP Magazine editor T. K. Mills. We are looking forward to further showings in the NY metropolitan area.

Images:

  1. The crew in front of Denton Burrows‘ mural
  2. Evan Lovett
  3. Sarah Rutherford
  4. Damien Mitchell
  5. Riiisa Boogie
  6. Jonathan Neville w/ Indiana, PA youth
  7. Damien Mitchell

Post by Lois Stavsky and and City-as-School intern Antonio Gomez; all photos courtesy Dripped On The Road.

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An oasis of motley murals, graffiti art, paste-ups, stickers, tags and bombs. Freeman Alley has it all! The image pictured above was painted by Brooklyn-based artist and curator Miki Mu. Several more images captured on a recent visit follow:

SacSix, crkshnk, City Kitty, OH!, Drecks and more

Bronx-based artist and educator Lola Lovenotes

Brooklyn-based Ecuadorian artist Lasak

Mixed-media artist Drecks

Stealth Art and more

The enigmatic Crash 42170

Bronx-based graffiti and textile artist Mrs

17-year-old Soup 64

Freeman Alley is located at 12 Rivington Street, off the Bowery.

Photos: 1-8 Lois Stavsky; 9 Amelia Cleary

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On our recent visit to DC, we came upon several tantalizing new murals that had surfaced within the past few months at the DC Walls Festival in the ever-evolving NoMa (North of Massachusetts Avenue) neighborhood. The  mural pictured above — featuring a jazz musicians trio and a portrait inspired by AP*ART — was painted by DC-based artist and activist Luther Wright. Several more images captured while exploring NoMa follow:

Seattle-based Chinese-American illustrator and muralist Stevie Shao

Masterful graffiti writer and photorealistic painter Grace

The itinerant Canadian-born muralist Emmanuel Jarus

DC area muralist Nicole Bourgea

LA-based artist Tommi Lin, now on a 2023 International Mural Tour

Photos by Lois Stavsky

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Inspiring positive vibes and sparking conversations about mental health, ten artists were busy last week fashioning a wonderfully diverse array of murals at South Street Seaport. Conceived and curated by designer, illustrator and muralist Annica Lydenberg aka Dirty Bandits and mental health advocate and author Samantha Schutz, the project suggests that we are all connected through our common humanity and, therefore, never alone.

The image featured above was designed by the Chinese American artist Zipeng Zhu aka Mr.Dazzle. Several more images of newly designed “You Are Not Alone” murals follow:

Brooklyn-based multidisciplinary artist Sally Rumble

Dominican-American visual artist and graffiti writer Indie 184

Brazilian designer and visual artist Cristina Pagnoncelli aka CRISPA 

NYC-based type designer and educator Lynne Yun

The prolific Brooklyn-based designer and visual artist Jason Naylor

 NYC-based lettering artist and designer Alanna Flowers

Filipino-American multidisciplinary artist Richard Tumang

NYC-based multidisciplinary artist Marco Santini

Brooklyn-based Japanese American artist Adam Fu

And a message from project co-founder Dirty Bandits

Stay posted to the Street Art NYC Instagram for images of Priority Bicycles — designed by six of the artists — that will be used for “Priority Delivers” in honor of May’s Mental Health Awareness Month and Bicycle Month.

Photos: Lois Stavsky

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Soi Books, a new series of delightfully curated mini books, celebrates a diverse range of hugely talented urban artists from across the globe. The artists’ varied works, distinct stories and personal histories are at once alluring and provocative. And not only do these booklets introduce us to these artists’ creations, but they acquaint us with the particular cultures and places that inspired them.

Among Soi Books,s newly published editions is TILL WE MEET AGAIN presenting an enticing array of artwork by the distinctly skilled Swiss-Peruvian woodblock printer Tania Brun. Included too is a variety of photographs — offering insights into her and her family’s lives. Crisp and infectious, Tania’s aesthetic largely reflects her Andean heritage.

“We used to live in a small town in Puno, where my father was a priest,” she relates. “He always taught us to appreciate the people of the Andes and not to take advantage of being half-Swiss.”

Another of Soi Books,’s inaugural editions focuses on the prolific Italian graffiti crew, SOOL. Curated in a feverishly frenetic and playful mode, the booklet, SOOL BOOMB BOOK, brilliantly captures the talents, energies and adventures of multimedia artists Claudio, Marco and Nicola who hail from the mountains of Northern Italy.

SUPER STRIKE presents a glimpse into Suiko, a wonderfully versatile artist who hails from Hiroshimo. With photos documenting the artist in a range of settings from his studio in Hiroshima to the streets of Nepal, along with engaging, informative text and images of hugely impressive artworks, SUPER STRIKE both educates and and inspires.

CHIP7LAND, the edition focusing on Bangkok-based Thai-American painter and Mayhen crew founder CHIP7, presents – in addition to photographs and random musings – masterful images of futuristic landscapes representing a fusion of Western and Eastern sensibilities.

And all of the booklets also give us a glimpse into the artists at work, providing further insights into the creative process.

To find out more about about these Soi Books, discover others, and find out how you can get your artwork published, check here.

All images courtey of the publisher

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While driving through the central Spanish city of Illescas, we came upon a huge abandoned property covered with a captivating array of graffiti art. Pictured above is one of the many handsomely crafted burners. Several more artworks in a range of styles follow:

Oca Rubinho

Unidentified artist

Unidentified artist

Another alluring burner

Varied bombs, tags & more

And on a different note — Jesús Moreno

Photos of artworks by Sara C Mozeson and Lois Stavsky

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Located a short distance south of Madrid’s capital, the city of Fuenlabrada hosts an eclectic range of huge, enticing murals.  The image featured above, titled Cambios, was fashioned by the Spanish artist Manuel J. Hernández Miguel aka Morse. Several more murals we encountered last week while exploring the streets of Fuenlabrada follow:

Argentina-born, Spain-bred abstract artist Felipe Pantone, “OPTICHROMIE FNLBRD”

Spanish artist Lula Goce, “Luz”

Spanish artist Raúl Ruiz aka El Niño de las Pinturas, close-up from huge mural “Armonía Cósmica”

Spanish artist Okuda San Miguel, “Where Is Okuda?”

Barcelona-based artist Amaia Arranzola, “Viva la Diversidad”

Spanish duo FREEgoodzillaKlan One and CafreNear Posterus” 

Photos by Lois Stavsky and Sara C Mozeson

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Pictured above is a segment from Italian artist Jorit‘s superb visual ode to hip-hop legend KRS-One. Several more images of faces that have surfaced on NYC public spaces in the past few months follow:

Ecuadorian artist Toofly in Astoria, Queens with the Welling Court Mural Project

Thailand-based MUEBON in Bushwick with JMZ Walls

Self-taught Cuban American artist Blanco on the Lower East Side

Brooklyn-based Vince Ballentine in Prospect Heights with Underhill Walls

NYC-born, NJ-based Albertus Joseph in the Bronx with Boone Avenue Walls

Brooklyn-based Lexi Bella at First Street Green Art Park

Photo credit: Lois Stavsky

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