Graffiti Writers, Artists, Muralists, and Street Artists through My Lens
by Sheryl Adams
One of my main passions is to shoot concert photography. However, due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic over the past two years, entertainment venues were closed. I returned to another inspiration, the streets, alleys and other places capturing through my lens graffiti, murals and street art.
In my early morning explorations, I found all types of graffiti designs (character, realistic and text pieces), commissioned large-scale murals and everything in between. I have been fortunate to meet many of the artists and writers during on-site paintings, events and installations. Each was eager to educate me about their art history. I also researched the work of many of the artists to find out more about them, their art form, and locations.
The challenges I faced included being cognizant of my surroundings for safety reasons, dodging rats, and suffering through the foul odors in the alleys that even an N95 mask would not mask. None of those deterred my desire to capture the work of these talented artists. Although I was usually out alone, there were times, especially when a ladder was needed or other challenging situations warranted, that I made the trek with a buddy. I would be remiss if I did not mention other eye-opening experiences on the streets at sunrise in both subzero and sweltering hot temperatures–our fellow citizens who are homeless, substance users and those suffering from mental illness. All which paint another picture, perhaps to be explored through my lens at another time.
Some of the locations I covered in Washington DC included the 14th Street Graffiti Museum, NOMA, Union Market, U Street, Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue, 14th Street, Georgetown; the Harriet Tubman Museum, Cambridge MD; Wheaton, Kensington, Hyattsville, Annapolis and Baltimore MD; and Arlington and Fairfax VA.
Here are some of the images in my mural gallery.
