murals

Rolling on with My Philly Murals

47th & Upland, West Philadelphia

Last month, while in Philadelphia for our son’s college graduation, we realized we wouldn’t be visiting again in the near future. We’ve grown fond of this town so it was with a taste of bittersweet that we enjoyed its charm and I captured these murals. I found this swirly mural on 47th and Upland Streets in West Philadelphia.

weird bicycle getup in PhiladelphiaI mentioned Philly’s charm, right?

Mapping Courage, Philadelphia mural on 6th and South Streets.

Mapping Courage, Philadelphia mural at 6th and South Streets

Mapping Courage

Aren’t the two above beautiful? Actually they’re two shots of the same mural, painted by Carl Willis Humphrey in 2008. It’s located at 6th and South Streets on the wall of the Engine #11, a historical African-Amer-can firehouse.

Theater of Life mural, 507 S Broad St. Philadelphia, PA 19147

Theater of Life

According to artist Meg Saligman, Theater of Life, which is located on 507 S. Broad St, explores the many roles we play in our lives that make up who we are. Couldn’t we say the tacky food chains along side this beautiful historic building are also roles in our lives? They’re all fabrics of urban American life.

Early Morning Mural

12th Street, Philadelphia, PA mural

We’re back! Philadelphia is definitely an ugly duckling city: At first, it’s not much to look at; but each time we visit we see a little more of its underlying beauty. The town is growing on us!

Last night we stayed in an AirB&B rowhouse. And to get the full living-in-Philly experience, this morning we hung out at the local corner coffee shop—Ultimo Coffee, as recommended by our “neighbors.”

Along the way, we found this mural on 12th Street. More art  for my collection!

 

Philly’s Murals: A Calm Before the Storm

We were in Philadelphia a few weeks ago just before Hurricane Sandy hit. Thankfully, the city was spared the devastation inflicted upon other East Coast areas.

Anyway, this is our third visit to Philly. I’m growing to appreciate this city and each time I find new murals, which I just love. With more than 3000 created by the Philadelphia Mural Arts Program, I obviously have many more to see.

Here’s what I shot this time.

Philadelphia Mural,

Secret Book

This beautiful mural is by Josh Sarantitus and is located at 312 N. 19th Street.

Philadelphia Mural,

Finnigans Wake Irish Pub Mural

A bold advertising statement—Finnigans Wake is on the corner of Spring Garden and N 3rd Streets. This looks like a place I’d like to try.

Philadelphia Mural,

Recovery and Transformation

For this mural, artist Eric Okdeh worked with people struggling with behavioral health issues and formulated a design based on poetry. I like how it wraps around the corner of the Elwyn Institute building, which is located at 4040 Market Street.

Philadelphia Mural,

How To Turn Everything Into Something Else

Parking signs and all, there’s just so much to this mural. In 2011, the group The Miss Rockaway Armada joined together with 10-15 years olds to show that not everything has to end the way it begins. As project artists Aly Perry says, obstacles can be viewed as opportunities. So true!

Isn’t the girl with the flashlight eyes in the upper right corner just the greatest!

This mural is located at 207 N. Broad St.

Philadelphia Mural,

So, wouldn’t it be nice if I’d get out of the car to take my pictures? We’ll be going back in spring…I’ll catch some better shots then!

 

Yes, Graffiti Can Be Art!

Graffiti Mural Program, Mother Fool's Coffeehouse, Madison, WI

One of my favorite Madison, WI, neighborhoods is Willy Street (technically Williamson Street in the Marquette Neighborhood) and one of my favorite places there is Mother Fool’s Coffeehouse. It’s got the most delicious soup inside and this beautiful graffiti art outside.

According to the Daily Page, Mother Fool’s started its graffiti mural program in 2001 when local artist Don Wettach was looking for a place to “paint his graffiti and not get busted.” Now he and other Madison artists update the shop’s outside wall with a temporary graffiti mural on monthly or bi-weekly basis, depending on the season.

Kudos to Don and his fellow artists for their beautiful art. Such an eclectic richness they add to the Willy Street community!

 

Continuing My Mural Collection

Hahnemann University Hospital

October is Mural Art Month and what better way to celebrate than to visit Philadelphia and its Mural Art Program. Our four days there last week gave us opportunity to see the most beautiful works.

Independence Starts Here

Above is the Hahnemann University Hospital mural. It’s located on N. Broad and Race Streets, and we passed it every time we went back and forth from our hotel to the downtown attractions.

Philadelphia subway mural

Market East Station Mural

On Sunday, we met up with fellow Wisconsinites (friends of our son) at the Field House and watched Green Bay Packers beat the Vikings. This subway station mural is just outside the restaurant.

Common Threads mural in Philadelphia

Common Threads

Isn’t this mural beautiful? It’s been headline news lately since its $20,000 reglazing and repainting renovation was recently completed. When artist Meg Saligman originally painted it in 1997, it was the largest and most expensive mural of the time.

It’s located at N. Broad and Spring Garden Streets.

People's Progression Toward Equality

People’s Progression Toward Equality

“With malice toward none, with charity for all” —Abraham Lincoln

I found this mural at Ranstead and S. 8th Streets.

Lorenzo and Sons Pizza

Lorenzo and Sons Pizza

How’s this for business promotion? You can’t miss this mural on 305 South St. I love how the colors coordinate with those around it—the reds, the blues, the cream.

Creative Book Manufacturing, Philadelphia Murals

Where Girls Grow Strong

This mural is on the Creative Book Manufacturing building at 1422 Callowhill St. We must have run across it during one of our aimless wanderings down run-way streets. I’m sure I couldn’t find it again without a GPS!

 

Murals of Philadelphia: Starting My Collection

Philadelphia muralIt was vacation time for me this past week. Well, sort of. We moved our son to Philadelphia, so it was more like a working vacation—i.e. moving van full of furniture and books, hot weather, narrow streets, and row houses with steep, narrow steps. It was fun nonetheless.

And interesting.

Philadelphia is a new to us and it’s definitely unique from other cities we’ve visited. Did I mention narrow streets?

Perhaps what makes it most unique are its murals. According to Captain Norm, our duck boat tour guide, the City of Brotherly Love has over 3000 murals on its walls, with another 500 yet commissioned.

Philadelphia mural

Known as the Mural Arts Program, this collection of architectural paintings began in 1984 as an effort to blot out graffiti. The city hired muralist Jane Golden, and she organized graffitists to create art more constructive and beautifying to the city. Over the years this program has encouraged thousands of at-risk children to use art as their voice, all the while developing skills and confidence.

Philadelphia mural

I must say, Ms. Garmin, our friendly-but-not-always-accurate global positionista, took us on some wild and crazy rides through the city. As we roamed the neighborhoods, I like how the murals depict their culture and history.

For images much better than my car window shots, click here.

Philadelphia mural

We saw lots of fenced in areas, and gated windows and doors. Sadly, there are also many old, once-regal buildings now standing empty. Murals, such as the one above, help soften the harshness.

I really like Jane Golden’s mantra—just three simple words: “Art Saves Lives.” Philadelphia’s mural art will thankfully save the lives of many young people. I’m hoping it saves some buildings as well.

Philadelphia mural

So, my son will be attending Temple University for a graduate degree, which means we’ll be making quite a few trips to Philadelphia in the next few years. I’ve compiled my list of things to do and see. I’ve also set the goal of photographing as many murals as I can (and actually getting out of the car for better shots:-).

Stay tuned.