Streets of Art
and life.
If you know me, you know I am passionate about art. More than anything I have loved street art and life on the streets as I’ve walked cities, driven, entered a subway or cruised in a taxi with the windows down — like we used to in New York City.
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Yesterday, as my husband was driving us to our little electrical shop, in Southern California, I noticed so many things that reminded me of all the street art I have photographed over the years. As I saw life unfolding on two different thoroughfare streets, and a small college village, I took out my notes app and began to write.
Similar scenes in different cities, over the years, in paintings on walls, people going places, showing up, living their stories. Everything, every place, person was coming back to me. Over the years I had clients that were artists or loved art and they were on my mind too.
Art hugging the core of our existence. It never ceases to amaze me the large scale paintings and the chasms of art all around us. Alive, breathing, frozen in time capsules of expression…
Dear street artist, I love you.
A huge thank you to my readers and new subscribers for taking this journey with me. It’s so good to be alive. Love, deb ox
I watched two little old ladies hair aglow in morning sunlight arms locked over grocery bags bent in conversation
I saw children stop and stare as streams of motorcycles rounding a corner their mother smiling with them smiles of innate freedom
Two large shepherds herding wagging tails to greet the tiniest among them as delivery trucks go by
A sweet old- fashioned pram covered in pink warmth papa's hoodie over long curls walking by the rehab center
A crosswalk young man snaps a picture of the brilliant diffused street as birds fly by squirrels chasing nuts
A gentleman in bolero hat walks his best mate Ravel's Bolero is playing Sirius business of cats chasing butterflies
College girl cycles quickly through our thoroughfare white basket says Spring brings freshman parent tours walking to financial doom...
and I search for murals and art and expression and flags so many flags of red, white and blue rainbows too above the old Gothic church is out early on Thursday
Painted utility boxes a backpacker scurries donuts and pizza ovens of choice Fruta Fresca on Garey childen on break a lady sings her deals down Arrow 99 cent bouquet
Palomeres Park Pomona plays joy of young senior citizens Tai Chi moves slowly skateboarders skate to their parents under knotty wisteria is lawn bowling closed? maintenance man in holes
The corner Farmers market turns scaffoldings of freedom and expression and love slowly tumbling downward cities and beaches of our youth our life.
In darkness and light our stories up high down low slowly falling to the ground an ambulance mutes it's sound...
Was it all a dream?
There is a "very small" handful (believe it or not) of more street art attached below (out of hundreds!) and Ravel's Bolero, at the end, if you feel like playing what I heard on our "Sirius" drive:
Oh Deborah! You’ve created something special, blending poetry and your pictures. Goosebumps! Please keep it coming. You are a gift. 🙏❤️
Great photos, Deb! I love street art, it brings life and colour to a community. We’re lucky here in Toronto as it’s actively encouraged and can be found all over the city.
Ravel’s Bolero was a big part of my childhood. It was one of my dad’s favourite pieces of music and he played it often, along with Mario Lanza’s greatest hits. And, of course, there was Torvil and Dean’s ice dance.