Category Archives: graffiti

Get Up et al

So here’s another installment of what, in the past, I’ve called “E-ville Wheaties.” This boarded up building on San Pablo at the Oakland/Emeryville border is a frequent spot for artist installations. See older posts here:

I just shot these on Friday, but unfortunately a drive by yesterday on my way to work showed they’d already been “buffed.”

My favorite pieces are the stencils by Get Up, and I plan to show another one of his excellent pieces tomorrow. Then hopefully, if I can get my act together, I’ll feature a short how-to on making your own stencils. So please stay tuned…
get up graffiti, get up shopping cart guy, get up graffiti art

This shopping cart guy is particularly relevant in this neighborhood. I’ve written frequently about the ubiquitous shopping carts in this part of West Oakland. Folks use them to collect recyclables to exchange for cash, some carry all their worldly possessions (ie my friend James who has been homeless for as long as I’ve known him), and some get even more creative than that (see below). The fact that this character is portrayed schlepping his phonograph and stacks of vinyl with great effort is particularly interesting.
West Oakland shopping carts, shopping cart people oakland
Here are a few other artists’ work, and the final image is another by Get Up (we’ve seen this one before too… Meaty Wheaties)

fox news tank graffiti, san pablo wheatpastes, oakland graffiti artists

West Oakland graffiti art, Emeryville Wheatpastes, oakland graffiti

San Pablo Wheatpastes, Emeryville Wheatpastes

Get Up Graffiti, Get Up Wheatpaste

Creature

I haven’t posted much street art lately so I thought for the next few days I’d focus on some new pieces I’ve seen recently.  Here’s the first…

oakland murals, west oakland graffiti art

west oakland mural, west oakland graffiti art, oakland murals

I don’t know who the artist is. If you can decipher the lettering between the two gargoyle figures, that is likely the artist’s name (or moniker). I think I can make out an ‘A’ in the middle, but that’s about it. Anyone good at reading these tags?

west oakland creatures mural, oakland murals, oakland graffiti art

It caught my eye last Friday as I was running errands in West Oakland/Emeryville. I’m pretty sure it’s fairly recent because I’ve been over there a bunch lately and this is the first I’ve seen of this. Located on 35th street (a prime dumping spot despite the cameras and signs that say dumpers will be prosecuted), I think it’s pretty excellent.

west oakland graffiti art, west oakland creatures mural, 35th street mural

Maybe with these guys keeping watch over the street, things will be kept a bit tidier, eh?

I got nothing. Well… a little.

You may have noticed I was nearly MIA last week… and I’m afraid this week may not be much better.  I missed Art Murmur on Friday, again.  It’s been crazy busy with work, home improvement, weddings, housewarmings, and more.  And I have to be honest, I don’t have a lot of material right now, nor much time to generate new stuff.  So this is my guilt-ridden disclaimer… near future will be sporadic.  But hopefully I can come up with some interesting photos if nothing else.

And if any dear readers out there have something to share, well… now is the time!

In the meantime, here are some photos from a guerilla art show anonymously installed on a boarded up building on San Pablo Avenue in West Oakland… who needs a gallery, eh?

public art installation, anonymous paintings san pablo ave

san pablo paintings, guerilla art installation, oakland public art

yellow green paintings, painting of boat, painting of trees, guerilla art

abstract primary paintings, abstract landscape paintings, oakland guerilla art

Children are da Future.

Another quickie today… work is busy busy busy.

Spotted this on MLK around 57th street. I don’t usually care for the stylized letter writing so much, but this mural, painted on a temporary construction wall while the building behind is rehabilitated, is actually pretty cool. I love the girl…

Children are da future, teach dem kulture

It’s got a positive message too. For the kids!

mural on MLK and 57th, construction wall mural, temporary mural MLK

east bay graffiti art, oakland graffiti mural

oakland graffiti art, oakland graffiti mural, MLK mural oakland

mural by TDK crew