A couple of variable factors kept me from getting the best possible shot of this mural depicting two of my favorite cartoon characters — Ren and Stimpy — by graffiti artist Just Another Toy (@justanothertoy1). First, it was a very overcast day, and second, there were several vehicles parked at the curb, which obscured a full-on shot of the complete piece. That is for another day perhaps.
The pink tag placed between Ren and Stimpy is not vandalism covering anything, but rather the artist’s signature, which figures prominently on most (read: all) of his pieces. The two other tags — Gold Poo and Hudson — refer to other street artists.
This piece (circa 2019) is part of the Bushwick Collective and is located on Scott Avenue between Troutman and Jefferson Streets.
I don’t own any pets, but I sometimes look after a stout English Bull Dog named Mac, who belongs to a neighbor. Mac is an extremely loving and intelligent dog, and I am so fond of him that I miss dearly him whenever I see another Bull Dog on the Street. Of course, Mac came to mind immediately when I came upon this mural of a Blue Bull Dog lounging in the grass during a recent Graffiti Art Tour in Bushwick, Brooklyn.
The colorful neighborhood of Bushwick, Brooklyn features prominently in this week’s visually engaging and exceptionally groovy clip for “Little Bird” from the Brooklyn-based duo called Sharkmuffin. In this offbeat yet hip clip, “Little Bird” juxtaposes the story of an individual trying to be a Big Shot in the hood with what it might be like if the biggest bird in the world — Big Bird — was some kind of rock star and had hordes of fans following him around, and needed a bodyguard and everything. The video also includes spontaneous, synchronized street dancing in the style of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” (minus the un-dead). Hilarious and fun!
Sharkmuffin is comprised of Tarra Thiessen and Natalie Kirch, whose influences span the musical spectrum from Nirvana to The Ronettes, so comparisons to Live Though This-era Hole are not out of line. I would call them Garage Pop Psychedelia, but I imagine their sound is capable of expanding far beyond that somewhat concise description.
“Little Bird” can be found on Sharkmuffin’s sophomore album Tsuki, (featuring Kim Deuss on drums), which will be released on May 5th, 2017, via Little Dickman Records. The ladies will also be touring the UK in May (dates below) with their original line-up of Drew Adler on drums and Chris Nunez on second guitar. I bet their live shows are a gas. And just look at how cute their little Sharkmuffin Logo is:
Enjoy!
SHARKMUFFIN TOUR DATES:
5/10 – Bassment – Chelmsford UK
5/12 – The Harp Restrung – Folkestone UK
5/13 – John Peel Centre – Suffolk UK
5/16 – Gwdihw – Cardiff, Wales
5/18 – The Great Escape (Sticky Mike’s) – Brighton UK
5/19 – The Lock Tavern – London UK
5/20 – The Eagle – Manchester UK
5/21 – Twenty Ten – Matlock UK
5/23 – The Nest – Bath UK
5/24 – Whiskers – Newquay UK
5/27 – Mello Festival – Evesham UK
5/28 – Blank Generation Festival (afternoon) – London UK
5/28 – The Victoria Dalston (evening) – London UK
5/31 – Green Door Store – Brighton UK
Behold: The Lovely Ladies of Sharkmuffin (Image Courtesy of FaceBook).
This delightful Pink Panther Mural by the Queens-based street artist known as Jerkface was photographed by me on Morgan Avenue between Ingraham Street and Johnson Avenue in Bushwick, Brooklyn.
Signage indicates that the building houses Max Cellar, a new music venue located in the basement below the now closed Amancay’s Diner. The front entrance of the building is at 2 Knickerbocker Ave.
