“Street Art” Photo-Stories by me!

POST-TRAUMATIC GROWTH: Improving one’s sense of wellbeing using art, creative writing, photography and blogging – my journey written by ©Karen Robinson. Please click here for my latest blog news!

Art Therapy can be experienced in ways we don’t expect! Taking the time out to enjoy viewing works of art can be very therapeutic, especially if the artist has given the viewer additional information about the source of inspiration of the work itself. Street Art is one of these surprising sources of art therapy; not just for the individual viewer but for whole communities where Street Art can be found.

My home town Melbourne, Australia has become internationally renowned for its Street Art. I have lived in Melbourne now for over 45 years and have noticed the amazing increase in Street Art throughout our city and suburban areas. This has mostly transpired in conjunction with the acceptance of Street Art being a legitimate form of art work. My interest in Street Art has increased substantial over recent years, just as my own appreciation for art in general has increased; along side of my own art therapy journey as an Abstract Artist. In Melbourne, Street Artists need to abide by a strict process before applying their art works to spaces, and is seen and appreciated differently from graffiti. In some parts of the world, Street Art can be found in spaces unrestricted by government departmental laws and regulations. Therefore giving a Street Artist cart blanche to artistically express themselves where ever and when ever they please and can be a contentious issue in some parts of the world.

What I love about Street Art most, is its ability to allow the ordinary, everyday person on the street, have the opportunity to view works of art outside the context of traditional art venues. Street Art showcases art works of talented artists within a public arena; it adds interest to the street scape most of the time; and can contribute to the story of the community it inhabits. It can serve as a mirror reflecting societal issues and can be a powerful way of communicating strong, important and sometimes controversial messages to the wider community; it can sometimes reach out across oceans and into the wider world! Street art can get people to stop, look, observe and think! Street Art for me – is a form of communal art therapy…

During this series of ‘Melbourne Street Art Photo Story weblogs’ I will endeavour to share my personal discovery of Melbourne’s Street Art. Whilst there is much available to view in the way of images on the web, I hope I can offer a point of difference. I will be inviting you to productively contribute your opinions and knowledge, in a way that is respectful to the Street Artists, and in a way that will add value to this conversation. Please click on the individual links below to read the back story and/or their website relating to each of the ‘Street Art’ Photo Galleries around Melbourne Australia and also note that more will be added as discovered!

No. 1 Photo Gallery & Back Story – Melbourne: Northcote “Street Art by photographed by Karen Robinson Aug 2014