Tag: street art

Street art fights domestic violence, sexual abuse.

No means no.
No means no.

Many panels of street art can be seen on a construction site fence in East Village. They address diverse issues, promote civil rights, condemn social wrongs. They all speak to the human heart. They all concern love. Real love.

I don’t know who painted these panels. All are simple, but extremely powerful.

Most of the artwork opposes domestic violence, sexual exploitation and abuse.

Domestic violence is horrific.  It’s a hidden crime that damages too many lives.

San Diego has a terrible sex trafficking problem. It’s an issue some of our city leaders are trying to address.

Here are a few photos.

There's nothing super about domestic violence.
There’s nothing super about domestic violence.
Stop human trafficking.
Stop human trafficking.
Not all monsters are in the dark.
Not all monsters are in the dark.
Sometimes people wipe away their tears so you can't see them.
Sometimes people wipe away their tears so you can’t see them.

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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!

Dreamlike street art in Normal Heights.

Arresting street art in Normal Heights. A snarling wolf.
Arresting street art in Normal Heights. A snarling wolf.

Dreams seem to have materialized on a cluster of electrical boxes at the corner of Felton Street and Adams Avenue in Normal Heights.

Some of the street art is tranquil and crystal-like. Some of the images are like visions from a nightmare. Others are fantastically distorted–almost but not quite human!

Take a look–if you dare!

A nightmarish skull.
A nightmarish skull.
More skulls include an upside-down peace sign--sometimes a symbol of death.
More skulls include an upside-down peace sign–sometimes a symbol of death.
A wraithlike figure seems to be in pain.
A wraith-like figure seems to be in pain.
Hands and fingers create an eerie seemingly inhuman skull.
Hands and fingers create an eerie, seemingly inhuman skull.
An abstract flower has a peace sign right-side-up. Perhaps an affirmation of life.
An abstract flower has a peace sign right-side-up. Perhaps an affirmation of life.
Colorful designs like snowflakes on an electrical box seem like visions in a beautiful dream.
Colorful designs like snowflakes on an electrical box appear to be visions in a beautiful dream.
Someone peers at the stars.
Someone peers at the stars.
Perhaps life is but a dream. A woman seems to grow from something odd but elemental.
Perhaps life is but a dream. A woman seems to grow from something swirling and elemental.
Crazily distorted faces.
Crazily distorted faces.
Many human expressions, but completely unreal. I think I've seen these weird creatures in some of my dreams.
Many human expressions–but fantastic and weird. I believe I’ve seen creatures like these in my dreams.
Who is that in the middle? Perhaps you or me.
Who is that in the middle? Perhaps you or me.

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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!

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Cool street art in two alleys on National Avenue.

Bold faces peer from a wall in one alley on National Avenue.
Bold faces peer from a wall in one alley on National Avenue.

Yesterday I walked from East Village into Barrio Logan.  I headed southeast down National Avenue, making my way to the Chicano Park Day celebration. And look what I discovered!

Two alleys on National Avenue northwest of Beardsley Street contain some street art murals that absolutely blew me away!

Check them out!

Cool graffiti in Barrio Logan includes butterflies and a Mesoamerican pyramid.
Cool graffiti in Barrio Logan includes butterflies and a Mesoamerican pyramid.
A beautiful blue face and symbols on Mexican papel picado.
A beautiful blue face and symbols on Mexican papel picado.
More colorful graffiti on another wall.
More colorful graffiti on another wall.
A jaguar leaps from an amazing street art mural in San Diego's Barrio Logan neighborhood.
A jaguar leaps from an amazing street art mural in San Diego’s Barrio Logan neighborhood.

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More cool artwork I’ve randomly stumbled upon!

Symmetrically painted figures practice yoga under crescent moons as the sun rises. Cool street art in downtown San Diego.
Symmetrically painted figures practice yoga under crescent moons as the sun rises. Cool street art in downtown San Diego.

Here’s another batch of colorful art. As usual, I stumbled upon these cool discoveries while walking around the city, perhaps on one errand or another. Most of this fun urban artwork was photographed in downtown San Diego…

More cosmic yoga street art on another side of the same transformer box.
More cosmic yoga street art on another side of the same transformer box.
Boldly painted colors on a row of electrical boxes in Little Italy.
Boldly painted colors on a row of electrical boxes in Little Italy.
This super cool car made of colorful wires recently appeared at The Garden Project of the New Children's Museum.
This super cool car made of colorful wires recently appeared at The Garden Project of the New Children’s Museum.
The Eiffel Tower has magically appeared inside a shop on Sixth Avenue!
The Eiffel Tower has magically appeared inside a shop on Sixth Avenue!
Fun utility boxes near Pantoja Park feature lots of artistic flowers and birds.
Fun utility boxes near Pantoja Park feature lots of artistic flowers and birds.
Natural scenes painted in a big city.
Natural scenes painted in a big city.
Downtown street art. I love you more than you'll ever know.
Downtown street art. I love you more than you’ll ever know.
I love this carved wooden bear bench! But for the life of me, I can't remember where I photographed this! I think somewhere near Petco Park . . . maybe.
I love this carved wooden bear bench! But for the life of me, I can’t remember where I photographed this! I think somewhere near Petco Park . . . maybe.
I stumbled upon these rocketing pie slices in Hillcrest!
I stumbled upon these rocketing pie slices in Hillcrest! I’m not sure if these spaceships belong to the strawberry fleet, rhubarb fleet, or the cherry fleet. But I’m certain they’re piloted by the good guys!

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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!

You can easily explore Cool San Diego Sights by using the search box on my blog’s sidebar. Or click a tag! There are thousands upon thousands of fun photos for you to share and enjoy!

A beautiful environmental Sea Wall in Hillcrest.

A beautiful mural in Hillcrest behind Artist and Craftsman Supply depicts flowers and sea life.
A beautiful mural in Hillcrest behind Artist and Craftsman Supply depicts flowers and sea life.

Walk around to the rear parking lot at Artist and Craftsman Supply on Fourth Avenue in Hillcrest and you’ll discover a very colorful mural. It was painted in 2016 by Jet Martinez during the Sea Wall: Murals for Oceans festival in San Diego, an environmental street art project organized by the PangeaSeed Foundation.

This beautiful spray paint mural concerns the impact of floriculture on ocean ecosystems. Many flowers are grown in San Diego’s North County. In floriculture, pesticide runoff into the ocean can be a problem. Fertilizer runoff into the ocean can also cause harmful effects, including massive algae blooms and hypoxic (low-oxygen) areas.

Colorful street art painted by Jet Martinez during the 2016 Sea Wall Murals for Oceans festival.
Environmental street art created by Jet Martinez during the 2016 Sea Wall: Murals for Oceans festival.
The left part of the mural. Like an underwater garden.
The left part of the mural. Like an underwater garden.
A fish in the ocean needs a clean environment to live.
A fish in the ocean needs clean water to live.
A bright orange fish swims past jewel-like flowers.
A bright orange fish swims past jewel-like flowers.

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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!

You can easily explore Cool San Diego Sights by using the search box on my blog’s sidebar. Or click a tag! There are thousands upon thousands of fun photos for you to share and enjoy!

Lots of cool street art in Mission Beach!

A pelican on an electrical box on Mission Boulevard in Mission Beach.
A pelican painted on an electrical box.  Photo taken on Mission Boulevard in Mission Beach.

Enjoy these photos of street art finds in Mission Beach!

I saw lots of cool artwork while walking along Mission Boulevard from Pacific Beach Drive south to the Giant Dipper roller coaster at Belmont Park. Almost every electrical box along the sidewalk had been painted with a lively beach or ocean theme!

A sailfish swims above the sidewalk.
A sailfish swims above the sidewalk.
These fish in some kelp appear to be made of a hand and two feet dipped in paint!
These fish in some kelp appear to be made of a hand and two feet dipped in paint!
A transformer box with a small beach scene wrapping around it.
A transformer box with a small beach scene wrapping around it.
Close look at one part of the impressionistic painting of the beach.
Close look at one part of the impressionistic painting of the beach.
A typical beach scene with sand, palm tree and surfer.
A typical beach scene with sand, palm tree and surfer.
Someone with a pail and someone walking a dog.
Someone with a pail and someone walking a dog.
Three orange garibaldis in the Pacific Ocean.
Three orange garibaldis in the Pacific Ocean.
A traffic sign warns of surfers crossing!
A traffic sign warns of surfers crossing!
A red, white and blue fish above a garage door.
A red, white and blue fish above a garage door.
Some fun surfer street art in Mission Beach.
Some fun surfer street art in Mission Beach.
And right next to it is another colorful, psychedelic panel of street art. Find it at Mission Blvd and San Rafael Pl.
And right next to it is another colorful, psychedelic panel of street art. Find it near Mission Blvd. and San Rafael Pl.
A tropical scene on a wall.
A tropical scene on a wall.
Perhaps take some gyros out on your boat when you go sport fishing.
Perhaps take some gyros out on the boat when you go sport fishing.
A goose is loose!
A goose is loose!
One of several cool, nostalgic beach images on one parking lot fence. A surfer girl and a woodie overlooking the ocean.
One of several cool, nostalgic beach images on one parking lot fence. A surfer girl and a woodie overlooking the ocean.
Another cool Southern California image on the parking lot wall.
Another cool Southern California image on the parking lot wall.
A youth with a surfboard looks out at the beach and sandstone cliffs.
A youth with a surfboard looks out at the beach and sandstone cliffs.
There seems to be a large hole in this wall. I see ocean waves through it!
There seems to be a large hole in this wall. I see ocean waves through it!
We must take care of our land and sea. Live aloha.
We must take care of our land and sea. Live aloha.
A wacky tiki character on a corner of a Mission Beach shop.
A wacky Deadhead tiki character at the corner of a Mission Beach shop.
Another painted scene shows natural beauty along San Diego's coastline.
Another painted scene shows natural beauty along San Diego’s coastline.
Another cool woodie with surfboards on the roof.
Another cool woodie with surfboards on the roof.
Whales and seals and fish on one watery wall.
Whales and seals and fish on one watery wall.
And a dolphin, too!
And a dolphin, too!
The most important things in life . . . aren't things.
The most important things in life . . . aren’t things.
Two sailboats painted on an electrical box.
Two sailboats painted on an electrical box.
Another underwater scene on a utility box, faded by the sun.
Another underwater scene on a utility box, faded by the sun.
A ringed planet appears to be surfing! Cosmic, dude!
A ringed planet appears to be surfing! Cosmic, dude!
Street art celebrates the Mission Beach Centennial, 1914-2014. The Giant Dipper roller coaster, the main attraction of Belmont Park, is in both the artwork and the photograph's background.
Urban art celebrates the Mission Beach Centennial, 1914-2014. The Giant Dipper roller coaster, the main attraction of Belmont Park, is in both the artwork and the photograph’s background.
More garibaldis on a large electrical box near Mission Beach's famous roller coaster.
More garibaldis on a large electrical box near Mission Beach’s famous roller coaster.
A migrating gray whale and pod of dolphins are part of the previously shown underwater mural.
A migrating gray whale and pod of dolphins are part of the previously shown underwater mural.

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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!

You can easily explore Cool San Diego Sights by using the search box on my blog’s sidebar. Or click a tag! There are thousands upon thousands of fun photos for you to share and enjoy!

Cool street art in a Mission Beach alley!

Cool street art faces in a Mission Beach alley peer from behind trash bins.
Faces in a Mission Beach alley peer from behind trash bins.

During my walk down Mission Boulevard through Mission Beach, I discovered an alley just south of Pismo Court that’s overflowing with super creative street art! A friendly dude named Vinny told me he created the scrap metal sculptures, and his buddy painted the walls. Check it out!

Some awesome street art can be seen in an alley off Mission Boulevard just south of Pismo Court. Local guys have painted walls and created cool metal sculptures.
Awesome street art can be seen in an alley off Mission Boulevard just south of Pismo Court. Local guys have painted walls and created cool metal sculptures.
A spray painted sea lion near a door in the alley.
A spray painted sea lion near a door in the alley.
A sea turtle and dolphin swim across a wall.
A sea turtle and dolphin swim across a wall.
The sculpture with American flag was created by Vinny after 911, who used scrap metal that he found discarded in the neighborhood.
The sculpture with American flag was created by Vinny after 911, who used scrap metal that he found discarded in the neighborhood.
Loads of creative art and fun beachy stuff in front of Vinny's place, an example of the cool Mission Beach vibe.
Loads of creative art and fun beachy stuff in front of Vinny’s place, an example of the happy, laid-back Mission Beach vibe.
This alley is like a treasure chest full of street art gold!
This alley is like a treasure chest full of street art gold!

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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!