Chick Fountain

The little yellow birds have returned! I could find no UB5000 signature near this piece but there are several other pieces by him along the walls in this laneway on Queen St W so even though this piece isn't as detailed as some of his others, I'm sure it is one of his. And I don't think anyone else would be doing the birds.  It's just a small image between 2 windows but I like the humour of it!
Taking part in Monday Murals. Click here for more murals.

Another Lovely Lady

I found this mural of an older lady painted on the side of a building in Kensington Market and thought that she was quite lovely. Not the usual subject matter of murals and graffiti it feels to me as if the artist painted someone they knew and liked - I love her face! 
Taking part in Monday Murals. Click here for more murals.

T.O. Guy

I found this sort of cute little guy in a laneway in Kensington Market wearing his T.O. hat and backpack so he may be a tourist. T.O. is our abbreviation for Toronto but I'm not totally sure if it stands for Toronto Ontario or it's just Toronto with the middle cut out. Either way I like this guy - he looks a bit like someone that I know! I was unable to find out who the artist is.
Taking part in Monday Murals. Click here for more murals.

A Little Green In The Laneway

I thought I would set the scene a bit of the famous Graffiti Laneway that runs below Queen St West and is the area where I have found most of the street art such as UB5000's birds that I have shown you. Almost every surface along the lane is covered with tags with some really good pieces thrown into the mix. There are even tours conducted along the lane throughout the summer -  "come see urban blight" some might say! I love how the ivy has covered this part of the old building that juts out over the lane. (why did they do that jutting out in the old days?)

Lovely Lady

I avoided the crowds downtown yesterday but got out and about today while the streets were relatively quiet as everyone recovered from all the partying from yesterday. One place I went was along the Queen  St W graffiti laneway and I spotted this new mural by Skam whom I have featured before. I assume he did the whole thing since his was the only signature - what a lovely lady and I don't even mind his throw-up beside this one!
Taking part in Monday Murals. Click here for more murals.

Classic In The Laneway

I stumbled upon this piece yesterday in an Annex laneway/alley and totally love it! Somehow the graffiti moving onto the figure really adds to it rather than taking away from it. Urban art at its best for me!

Layered Graffiti

I am not usually a big fan of these stylized signatures but somehow in this location just off Queen St West it works for me. I think it is all the different layers and surfaces and the pics of the 2 guys standing guard that gives it a great effect. I have been unable to find the artists for these works but this location has been the site of graffiti fests in the past and judging by the peeling paint these may remain from one of those. Enlarge to see the details better.
Taking part in Monday Murals. For more murals click here.

Royal Graffiti

This is another of my discoveries along the commercial laneways off Queen St West. I am not sure what the reference is other than playing cards but it gave me a real smile when I happened upon it. No idea who the artist is but it is unfortunate that some fool decided to blast across the middle of it with black paint!

Taking part in Monday Murals. For more murals click here.

"Graffiti Alley"

This is a shot looking along the laneway off Queen St West known as "Graffiti Alley" where I took the shots of the graffiti & murals this week. Toronto has a large graffiti culture and this is probably the epicentre of it all with even tours being conducted along here. The lane backs a very old long commercial strip of small businesses and stores and has become the site of an ever-changing display of graffiti despite the efforts of many politicians. I am not a fan of mindless tagging but do enjoy the murals and have to admit that looking down a lane like this is usually a real treat and an adventure for me. Funny how I would go down such a lane here but sure wouldn't go down one in another city that looked like this! Familiarity I guess!

A Bit Of Winter Colour

This laneway runs behind houses near the U of Toronto and at this dull time of year offers a nice blast of colour - practically every garage along the lane has a mural, a pattern, or tagging on it. Somehow it reminds me of a gritty, downtown, urban equivalent of those wonderful beach huts you find in Europe!

We are finally getting a bit of snow so I am heading out to see if there are any photos ops to be found!

Snake-eating Raccoon

I am going for the prize for oddest graffiti with this post. I am not sure what it represents but I found this "paper graffiti" stuck on the wall of a very private tennis club (indoor clay courts & very deco interior & no signage) in the city. It was gone within the day! Fierce & bold raccoons roam our city in huge numbers at night but I don't know if they would take on a snake!

Evolve

I have been eying this cool lantern stencil with the word evolve for awhile now and thought I had better capture it before it gets painted over as most of the tags on this wall have been in the past. This is the wall and doorway to one of at least 5 trendy coffeeshop/cafes within a couple of blocks from me (not counting the Canadian icon of coffee, "Tim Horton's" which is also in the 'hood) which really indicates the evolution in the coffee market here. Even MacDonalds serves espresso now!

Taking part in Signs,Signs. For more signs click here.

Railpath Triangle

Along the railpath there are 4 sculptures by Toronto artist John Dickson. Each consists of a steel frame in a different shape with galvanized expanded steel stretched over it and as a group they are titled "Frontier" and are meant to reflect the changing landscape of the railpath as the plantings develop. I have to say that I think the face that someone has added to this one is one of the best parts of the piece!