Spring Time Fever

February 21st, Minneapolis Minnesota: 17 plus inches of snow lands over a course of a day and a half. Temps in the 50's to a massive amount of snow in a weeks worth is a big difference. You take a look outside and it's empty. No cars, no people walking, no animals, just a still picture. Looking at such disgust, it really makes it hard to go out and search a spot for some pieces, or even benching (watching trains go by and flicking pics of the graffiti on them). Here I am, sitting on my computer, being a couch potato when I could be out there, ahhh mannn, does it suck!

So before all this snow, I had a chance to search out a spot I haven't been to in a long time. It's been so long I had to get a little help on finding the wall (It's the first time I've been there since I started taking pics of graffiti back in 2007). It felt good, going to a different spot than I normally go to. That spot alone, I flicked around 120 pieces of graffiti. There wasn't any pieces older than 2006 I would assume, since majority of the walls have been buffed. But I still did get to see some awesome newer pieces. Here is a few I really enjoyed...

Aqua

Other Aqua pieces I've found

Beps

Other Beps pieces I've found

Ergot

Other Ergot pieces I've found

Junt

Other Junt pieces I've found

Opak

Other Opak pieces I've found

Rough

Silk

Other Silk pieces I've found

Shock

Other Shock pieces I've found

I also went back to another spot that I haven't been to for while. Noticed I missed some old school pieces Like Drat BTR, Waldo WINS, Slur BTR, Ibet WINS and some other I don't remember.. If you want to see my pictures, Look Here. When a little bit of the snow melts, and I have sometime, I'll be out flicking some more pics of places I haven't been to yet and places I haven't been to in at least over a year. I'm excited for that!

To add one last thing, I thought I might put up my favorite piece I found on my last trip...

Drat BTR

Here is my Flickr Page.. http://www.flickr.com/photos/bowlinball4/

Until next time, AboveTheNorm



Struggles of Capturing Graffiti

You can find graffiti in a lot of difference places. Such as abandoned buildings (Mills, warehouses, houses, industries), bridges, tunnels (sewer tunnels, car tunnels, train tunnels), along train tracks, on trains, on trucks and out in public.

In a tunnel. Deuce7.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bowlinball4/2149292341/

In an abandon mill. Mack & Stok 7MK

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bowlinball4/2289625191/

If your not a big fan of graffiti, you probably don't notice how much it is around you. They are in numerous movies and are used in many clothing lines, and if you live in a big city, there are murals all around the area.

Living in Minneapolis Minnesota, many graffiti spots have been buffed these last few years. Because of this, it is harder to find a place full of graffiti. Which means, there is more search in finding a spot. It is not just that though, but winters are harsh here. We have had 17 inches plus of snow at one time and we have had -30 wind shield factors. Most winters are not by any means this extreme, but you always got to be prepared for the worse right? Like the other day. I was walking through snow up to my knees. But unlike others, I'm pretty passionate about graffiti so snow won't stop me, and it sure doesn't stop many graffiti artist in the twin cities such as Beazm, Beps, Hbak, Junt, Opak. Big ups to them! (I might be missing some names but these are just a few artist I see all over the spots I check out as well as pictures I see on flickr.)

Beazm FMPM

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bowlinball4/5406322278/

Beps, Junt, Opak GP

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bowlinball4/5210702206/in/photostream/

Hbak

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bowlinball4/5216761866/

Graffiti isn't so much a hobby, but for artist that constantly get up, it is their passion. Just to add a few other things to this blog, here is a few pics that I have from old school writers of Minneapolis that have been the influence of many Minneapolis writers of this generation.

Bed ROTS 1999

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bowlinball4/5149439651/

Daesk 1999

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bowlinball4/2072371953/

Eros AKB TCI 1999

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bowlinball4/2643678179/

Intel AKB TCI

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bowlinball4/3729808489/

Nimz, Bleak, Hake WND 1998

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bowlinball4/2172456499/

Poe KYT & Spell HM 1999

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bowlinball4/3847254814/

Puzl KYT 1999

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bowlinball4/3326942257/

Gotta love graffiti!! And if you hate it, Fuck you! :)

For next time, AboveTheNorm.

Also, Check out my Flickr Page, and add me Right Here!

Peace.

Light Graffiti

When you can't do graffiti because you don't have spray paint? and sketching is boring, what do you do!? Something that seems to becoming more and more popular is light graffiti. Light graffiti is a new hobby of mine, that I figured out how to do late spring of 2010. How to do light graffiti is you take a camera and put it on a long shutter speed to keep the lens open for longer. Then you want to make sure you have a tripod on you. It will make it easier to run around and make your own creation. Lastly, you need some type of fluorescent light and there you go! The rest is your imagination. I've probably done over 500 different pictures of light graffiti since I've started. I'm not by any means a professional. I don't have the tools nor the knowledge to do amazing pictures like other people, but I do have fun.

After making so many of these, I felt like I needed to expand the idea inside the limitations of what I have and can do. After thinking for awhile, I came up with an idea. I want to have some sort of remembrance for everyday that I live, but how am I going to do that? By days. When I started this, I've been alive for 6871 days. It shows a different perspective of life. How young I am, but how long I have been alive for.

Week One:

Love The People Around U

Live your life, not anothers. I find much of the world tries to be someone who they are not. It could be a movie star, your grandpa, your friend, a basketball player, etc. There's nothing wrong with looking up to someone, but be yourself. Live your life, not anothers.

Press Repeat. My repetitive life. School, homework, work. I feel like sometimes I'm just stuck on repeat. Luckily I find time to get out and do stuff here and there.

Hard work pays off! I got a raise today(Jan 20th) and a promotion in my position. Making another 1.10 more! I know that might not seem like a lot to some, but regardless, I'm proud of myself. And proud to be doing/learning more!

Let go of chronic stress. I notice I haven't been acting exactly like myself towards others recently. I believe the reason is because I've been holding too many things in. Today is to for say "Forgive & Forget." Apologize to others as well as myself for the wrong things I've done in the past. I think that will take some weight off my shoulder. And maybe increase my mental health.

I Feel Wanted. I went back to opening Saturdays at work. Every Saturday these 4 old ladies come in and I know exactly what they want and we talk for a few. They told me they were glad I was back to opening Saturdays because I'm real sociable and they enjoy seeing me. Also others were glad I was back to being there in the mornings. Anyways, as corny as it seems, they made my day.

Stand Tall. Everyone has hard times in their life. Even though my road is pretty smooth (minus a few little speed bumps) that everyone has to keep their head up, and stand tall.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

This doesn't only just keep memories forever, but makes me want to accomplish something everyday. I also feel like I have to remind myself of things I struggle with, things that should be important to me that are not, this is my posted note. So if I feel like I'm not doing something, and I'm not fixing myself for the better, what am I going to write about?..

Follow me on Flickr

Also, follow me on Facebook. I might start a fan page for all my start stuff and ish. My Facebook

Signing Out, and yes, I am Above The Norm.

Graffiti on Flickr

Once I found a couple different places with graffiti, I had a stash of pictures on my digital camera. It started to become less interesting to find spots and to take flicks. I mean, I had nobody to share my hobby with. So I thought, what the hell am I going to do with all these pictures? There has to be a photo website to put my pictures of graffiti on. After searching numerous websites, I found Flickr. I uploaded my photos and thought now what? Everyone else's pictures are totally different stuff, not of graffiti. (When that happen I said forget it. Figured it was going to be one of those hobbies you have for a few weeks or so, then it just fades away) After having a Flickr account for about a week. Someone messaged me and told me I had found some old pictures of graffiti and that he was impressed I found those spots. Curious who he was, I went to his account and found he was a lover of graffiti as well.

I spent hours upon hours printing off all my photos of graffiti I captured. Man, I wasted so much ink and paper. I had over 300 pictures and made sure all of them were printed and were nicely put in a folder. After finding Flickr, I realized all the time I spent was a total waste!!

I noticed many other people searched for graffiti in the area. Seeing their photos of spots I've never seen before made me more thirsty to find different areas. It grew to be my top hobby quickly. People were messaging me left and right, asking me about where I found a graffiti piece at and telling me history about a writer or a crew. It didn't take long for me to be able to read styles of graffiti and know who spray painted the piece. Soon after I had the rush to find graffiti before other people on Flickr. Being the first one to find a nice piece of a popular writer means you got a lot of views, comments, and just the glory of knowing you found the graffiti before someone else.

Finding a new spot shows in ways your knowledge for graffiti. Out of all the people on Flickr that capture pictures of graffiti in the Twin Cities area, you get a sense of knowing who has the best knowledge of graffiti, and definitely who knows where to look for graffiti.


Graffiti Crews & Gang Graffiti:

A person who knows their graffiti, knows that some crews rock the area and are better graffiti artist. What makes you a good graffiti artist is you have good styles and know how to connect letters together, or just know how to make them look nice, you can put up a nice piece in dangerous areas and your work of art looks good, and you have a good sense of color schemes.

Pedro UC

Stalk AKB

 Crews kind of have rankings. Like you have to be at a level of talent to be on certain crew, have so many pieces put on a highway etc. etc. Every crew has different requirements of how to get into a crew, but its way different then street gangs. They don't involve guns or violence. More like if you write over someone else's graffiti piece, you have a chance of your piece getting scribbled on, or dicked. Anyways, many people think that graffiti is related to gang violence. Yes, some is such as..

Surenos 13

...But most is not. The way to distinguish the difference is gang graffiti is normally symbols, and the font is not that fancy. Graffiti artist pieces are colorful and their tags normally look pretty nice. They look something like this...

Spie & Shock UC

Any who, that is the difference. Find me on Flickr at http://www.flickr.com/people/bowlinball4/



The Introduction to Graffiti

Graffiti. I got into graffiti when I was biking over south one afternoon, a place I wasn't familiar with. While exploring the area for the first time, I went under a bridge and seen pillars splashed with all types of colors. From that day on, in November of 2007, graffiti became one of the most interesting aspects of my life. It's an amazing hobby to have. I found joy, in being the first one to take a picture of a "new" or "old" graffiti. The abstract colors and twisted words, is what attracted me most. I found some old school graffiti from artists that have changed their tags throughout the years.  It is interesting seeing how artists improve their styles as well as their letters. Their talent and creativeness was something that I could connect with.

Drive 2003

Spie 2003



I might not be the most adventurous out of many people in the Twin Cities area who find spots to flick graffiti, but I have had my moments.
To add on, my curiosity brought some dissadvantages. I've got chased by several homeless people. I've also been chased by the cops. I've been inside one of many abandon buildings in the area that are dangerous and hard to find. Finding the best places to take pictures can be a struggle. 

I love graffiti and find that others should notice it as well!!!

See, I never had the intentions to ever do a blog, but my girlfriend thought it would be awesome to talk about graffiti and other interests on here. (I don't know why she would think of something like this, but actually it's a pretty good idea!)

I recently started getting back into graffiti after taking the summer of 2010 off. For most people, they probably don't understand how good it feels to find a area full of graffiti, whether it's in an area in public, or some place a little more hidden, it's awesome. Even though graffiti has got me introuble, it still doesn't slow me down. I've been posting my pictures on flickr.com since 2007 as well. If you have one, look me up! My user name is AboveTheNorm...

So recently, I found a spot over in St. Anthony, full of graffiti from 2002,2003 & 2004. If you don't know about graffiti, at least in the Twin Cities, when the graffiti is over 6 years old, it's kind of considered old school, or just more of a gem to find. Here's a couple photos from that spot...

4give 2002

Ibet 2003

Gain 2002

Upon this spot being the only new place I've found since my recent return to graffiti, I have a few spots I've learned about that I haven't visted yet. I'm very excited to go out and find new pieces, adding on to my other 2000 plus pics of graffiti. So stay tune, I'll write about other experiences, my new adventures, and such.

I'm outty,

-AboveTheNorm

Also, look me up on flickr!!

http://www.flickr.com/people/bowlinball4/

If you have an account let me know! I'm not into just graffiti, I also love photography. So hook me up!!