Former Graffiti Park

 

Below what is called Castle Hill in West Austin is a former graffiti park on the remnants of a failed condo project. It has closed and it going to be redeveloped.

The latest from Graffiti Gardens

Here is a new shot of the Hope Outdoor Garden where graffiti artists are invited to do their thing.

More graffiti

A taste of the new artwork at Graffiti Central.

Some more graffiti

Leave it to a place like Austin to provide a spot for these artists to do their thing.

The latest from Graffti Gardens

A good crop had appeared on a recent morning.

Graffiti Guitars

Checked in at the Baylor Street graffiti not long ago and found this arrangement of graffiti guitars hanging from a tree.

If it isn't moving, paint it

This abandoned shoe was at the graffiti park below Castle Hill. A visitor to the outdoor art walks by and, in the background, someone works on a temporary masterpiece.

Sign Makes it So

Yep...this sign identifies the Hope Outdoor Gallery and, I guess, the stencil cutout will keep graffiti from obliterating the sign!

Out with the old...

We walked by the Hope Outdoor Gallery at Castle Hill on Baylor Street last month and saw someone painting over a section. The abandoned concrete from a failed condo project that has attracted graffiti for years now has a name and is considered a gallery!

Graffiti Seating

We were wandering on Baylor the other day near the Castle Hill graffiti 'ruins' and noticed that an abandoned couch had shown up and become part of the tagging.

Angry Graffiti Birds?

This is a detail from the ever-changing graffiti on Castle Hill.

Graffiti Sculpture

That's the way to add dimension to things. This is Castle Hill again. Love it.

More Graffiti

Not sure what's art, what's not...but I like the screaming man.

Is it Art, Grasshopper?

Where does the art end and the tagging begin?

Rules for Graffiti

Who knew graffiti had rules? Well, really it isn't graffiti, I guess, if you follow the rules. We've shown pictures of the 'art' on this concrete below Castle Hill before. (The ruins of a failed condo project from years ago.) But the other day we noticed this sign. So this area will be a battleground between those with permission and those without. I shot a few pictures a few weeks ago and will give you a couple of examples in the coming days.

Graffiti Bus Visiting Source

In the '60's and '70's we would have called this a 'hippie bus.' Bikes on the back, makeshift curtains, living arrangements inside. This one looked mobile and a bit more modern for this century. It says on the front "Blue Heaven" and was parked at the graffiti heaven on the northern cutoff stretch of Baylor. License plate said Florida. Do you think the bus visits graffiti sites or that these guys were passing through and felt comfortable here?

Graffiti Goes Black

Sunday we walked around Old West Austin and at the abandoned Castle Hill condo site a team was painting over graffiti. Would the goat be preserved? We will see when we walk over there soon.

Where Once Condos Were Planned

There was a condo project planned for the Castle Hill area on strangled bits of W. 10th and W. 11th and Baylor where W. 11th is cut off from above next to the Castle-like structure giving the rise its name. There were some concrete slabs and walls poured before the project was abandoned so naturally there was an attraction for graffiti artists and vandals. The work was painted over again and again until finally it looks like some work was commissioned or, at least, allowed to remain. And a sunflower is trying to dress up the neglected lot. This project was started and abandoned so long ago that it's become a fixture. Here's a view from above here (before the Austonian and W were built).