Street Art Boxes

This weekend we stayed at the Millennium Hotel in Anchorage which is always lots of fun for Turnip Girl and I. Less fun for my husband since it's part of his job. We've been doing this weekends away (but still in Anchorage) for years at the hotels Michael's worked at. The Millennium is on a street named Spenard that's a bit notorious locally. While TG and I were out walking, we ran across this heart on the sidewalk. So I snapped a photo to use it for boxes. Click on the images for larger versions.

If you donate any amount to this site using the PayPal button at the bottom of the page, the thank you page includes the blank templates for both of these boxes in 300 ppi png format and in PDF format.

I have mixed feelings about graffiti. A lot of it is defacing and damaging property. Companies have to pay to clean it up, and those costs get passed on to their customers. That said, it can also be a vibrant and meaningful form of art. This heart made my daughter and smile. It was just there like a Valentine for everyone to enjoy. No words or explanation around it. Just a heart in the middle of the sidewalk. 

This piece, written in marker on a wall above a dumpster inspired my son to stop cold so he could write it in the notebook he carries. Photo taken in June 2007. That piece has since been cleaned off.

You have to make up your own mind about if you want to print this box depending on your viewpoints about graffiti. I liked it, and I hope it's not cleaned any time soon because I think it will make other people smile, and I appreciate unexpected art that makes people smile or think.

I'm a fan of occasional temporary graffiti and I used to carry a Sharpie and a Post-It pad to post very temporary messages. Quotes that I liked, or little cartoon-y pictures.