Montreal graffiti

Let it be bright, then!

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You couldn’t get much brighter than this, I think.  Flashy, garish, tasteless?  But there is something alive and vital about it, no? It makes me think of summer.  The heat just radiates out of it.  I imagine wearing light clothes, open shoes, sunglasses.  It makes me think of doing outrageous things…spraying people with the hose or jumping into the pool so that sound is blocked out by the gurgling of water rushing past my head.  I imagine throwing water balloons off the balcony to the delight of my grandchildren who think I have taken leave of my senses.  When will I lie down on a sheet on the grass in the hot dark night and look up at the few stars the streetlight allows to pierce through?  It makes me want to crank up the air conditioning in the car to meat locker levels and to play loud music and speed along.  What makes me think of those things?  That orangy red background?  Those crazy teeth on the right side.

But is wonderful to be able to create such a big powerful thing.  Someone very close to me is making a mural in a private house these days.  I see what  effort and talent it takes to get it right and what pains she takes to get the perspective and the tones in the colors.  I wonder if she will let me post the picture up here.  Stay posted.and check back.  Like the little one below says…….see you!

 

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Black is the raven, black is the rook

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Today is the darkest day and so here is a dark bird to sit in the blackness, to absorb into his feathers every glimmer of light, to call down the black hours of winter.  Do your worst, raven, rook, crow, clever dark bird.  Caw and call as you will.  No song to lighten the day or the evening drawing in.  A mournful call, a fearfull call, a lonely call.   Then sit silent with your glittering eye searching, searching for a treasure.  Bird of the darkest day, take the day assigned to you, revel in it, draw power from it.   For tomorrow, if it is only by a moment or so, the weak daylight will hold a little longer.  Slowly, like an old woman picking apart a seam, your dark kingdom will be weakened, diminished until your call, your darkness gives way to light and life again.  The stone hard ground will soften to the sun, the rime of ice will melt and shimmer in the little garden birdbath.  Then your cousin, the blackbird whose saving grace is a golden beak will sing and sing with his fluting tune and show us the black satin cloak, the Spring side of darkness.

More of our decorated town

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I feel like I have neglected my blog lately.  I have been concentrating on book sales, signings and fairs and I have done little writing.  I’m trying to get back to writing a little every day.  So, today I set out to find a street with the most wonderful graffiti.  I got a little lost last week and remember noticing some wonderful walls.  I wanted to stop and take pictures but I was in such a hurry and had to drive on.  Today when I went look for the street I could not find it.  I will find it in time, but just for today here is a different look.  This is on Resther close to Moint Royal.  It is pretty surreal but I like the bright colors.

Just a thought I had about selling the books.  It is a really weird feeling to think that these books are travelling around and that I will never see them again.  Good feeling but strange.  I have to get off this ” selling” kick and write more.  I did do a poem about buying clothes from the Salvation Army.  Think about that idea.  Write your own poem about second hand clothes or jewelry.  image

Neighborhood graffiti

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It’s been  a long time since I posted graffiti and I have some new wonderful ones. Well, lady Justice has been discretely hiding in a little side wall right across from the Monk Metro for a while. I wonder about the person who did this in dark colors  on an unobtrusive surface.  She has a strange hipster mood in my eyes but I love her for her classical tone and execution.  On my way to the Metro I nod to her in her bubble of serious consideration.  She sits on a little jog of the wall of a hairdresser.  If I were cutting hair in there I’d be extra careful in case she judged my cut a little careless, or worse in this neighbourhood, too conservative.

The other piece is is a huge and exuberant wall of magical creatures that reminds me of Alfred Pellan’s work. ( come on babies, you have Google).  I like that it is detailed, light and endlessly absorbing.  I tried to include the names of the artists but if you can’t read them you’ll have to come see.  It’s right across from the  CLSC Ville Émard near the Jolicoeur Metro.

Today was a wonderful late fall day with the last leaves blowing off the trees and the huge clouds driven across the sky.  Wonderful city  of decorated walls and divine wind breath waking us up.

Graffiti for the “inter week”

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Look what I see in the city around me.  Not far from where I live I found this beautiful graffiti.  Who does these things, I wonder?  Are they commissioned or do people just show up and paint them.  You’ll see more of these as I took other photos and will post on slow days.  The thing about street art is that all sorts of random things have to be incorporated.  The artist has to give up control, work with what she has.  Windows, stop signs, even random cars have their place in and around the creation.  This artist had to deal with the unusual surface too.  Corrugated siding must be quite a challenge!  Montreal has great graffiti.  Just keep your eye open.  Stop the car sometimes and get out to have a look.   Cheers.