Once Upon A Fence...

Some months back I blogged about a colorful mural someone painted on their fence. I drove by the fence yesterday and I saw that they’d changed part of the mural. The artist who lives there either added to the mural or changed some of it. The vintage cars remain but someone added an underwater scene to the section facing the alley. This whole thing interests me for several reasons:

1)      Public art is awesome!

2)      Personalizing your space makes your home your own, and adds flavor to the neighborhood.

3)     Painting over your own work is a newish concept for me. You are literally removing evidence that you spent time and effort on something. In the past this would have felt uncomfortable to me but I’m starting to appreciate it. We don’t necessarily create something in order for it to last forever. Sometimes we create to illustrate how we are feeling right now.  

 

Whoever lives in this house and paints this fence uses an airbrush, which yields fast results, so maybe s/he feels fine about painting over previous work. Such quick painting may be the perfect way of expressing the artist’s own development. Like wearing a different outfit each day, painting and re-painting a fence may be the artist’s way of refreshing the environment or expressing a mood.

 

Anyway, I thought I’d share some photos of this large wooden canvas that evolves along with the artist. Instead of mourning the loss of the art that was there before, I’m digging the idea that surprises regularly will be unveiled upon this fence. It’s like a giant Etch-a-Sketch (although it’s harder to shake a fence to start fresh). The creation will change but the creativity goes on and on…