The Anniversary of Katrina

That's right, I said the name of that miserable hurricane. On the second year anniversary, this is one of the things I did out in the 9th Ward...Ye'erd me?

New Orleans' Finest - NOPD Helping NoLa Rise

It was bound to happen at some point...

And it did. Last night approximately around midnight, I was stopped by a NOPD cruiser as I was out putting up NoLA RISING signs. Fear not, it didn't end up like most episodes of cops. I was, however, particularly surprised by the question, "what is this?" Interesting, I thought, that my multi-tasking abilities have come to remembering to keep my hands on the trunk of the car while explaining a form of street art that doesn't involve spray-painting, destroying peoples' property, or anything else malicious (a point I worked into the explanation).

I was then told that he didn't want to see me putting the signs up anymore. The city was trashed enough as it is. But, that wasn't the end result. He asked me further, since I have now been told not to do it, what I was going to do...especially since I have a bag full of about 130 of these here signs. Well, this requires a delicate handling of my will. While I would have liked to say, I'm going to keep doing what I am doing and I'll risk going to jail to prove my point, it occurred to me that he was a relatively new cop. He had no rank on his uniform, which means he is barely out of the recruit training and he was willing to stop a groomed white guy putting signs up on street-poles (something a veteran NOPD wouldn't bother with unless he wanted to find out if I had seen someone doing something).

So I said this instead (and I paraphrase myself): Well, when I wake up in the morning, I am going to go to City Hall to see if there are required permits for me to post these signs, though I don't think there are because they are on public space. And to make sure I'm not violating some strange law, I'm going to call my lawyer also to insure that I am not in violation of some aspect of the law there. You know, if I am violating the civil rights of publicly displayed telephone poles. I left the last sentence out. It was nice to hear the police officer bring up First Amendment 'freedom of speech and self-expression' line of thinking, which gave me the opportunity to demurely add, 'well yes, there's that too.'

In the end, he said to keep doing what I was doing. Just keep an eye on the signs so that they don't end up faded and junky looking (which I do anyhow and I re-assured him of that). I explained to him that I've done this from the Ninth Ward to Oak Street, from the river to the lake. So, to the new guys at NOPD, please think about your rookie brother and remember that ART is not a criminal activity. I won't put the name of the officer nor his badge number here, as I was intensely memorizing it every time I looked along with his cruiser license plate number (thank you intelligence gathering skills), but I will say, thanks for doing your job, even if I was the one bothered by it. As for those who would ask, "Would you have gone to jail to prove a point?" My answer is this: I've gone further than that to prove points not nearly as important.

Recently Put Up Signs

Put up over the last couple of days. Enjoy. More to come by the end of the tweekend.

New Orleans State Office Building Annex

Across the park from City Hall where there seems to be a large number of homeless people. I smell a new article for The Trumpet

Lucky You! Candy Co.

Rex doesn't do this very often, but he's doing it for Lucky You! That's right, he think you are lucky to soon be having a candy store in the neighborhood. I'm thinking a great variety of Gummi Bears and M&M bags full of only the colors I pick. Opening Soon is Tiffany Wallace's LUCKY YOU! Candy Co. When she opens, you'll be able to see her at 4505 Magazine Street, near the corner of Jena. I'm feeling LUCKY!, are you?

Fighting a Ghost

This beautifully appointed sign resides at the corner of St. Andrew and Magazine. Designed originally to add color to the neighborhood while informing passer-byers walking through the neighborhood what street they had come to, it has recently lost its luster due to one villainous Fred RAdTke.It has since been re-beautified (?) by black marker by an outstanding citizen who must've like the sign enough to stop and attempt to color in the lettering that existed. Boo to Fred. You get the Rex Flying Toaster award for the week. Of which, I'm sure you'll achieve many.

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The Grey Ghost strikes again in his beautiful shades of urban shit. Proving his inferiority complex extends further than meets the eye and showing an incapability of simple acts of childlike strength, The GHOST has painted a sign that could have easily been pulled off of a telephone pole. That's right...he painted over a sign that could have been ripped off a telephone pole. Proving he is, indeed, an egomaniac. Now, when removed, there will be grey paint left all around where the sign once was.

And my very immature response suiting the mental acuity of my new adversary. This will be taken down tomorrow and replaced by yet another piece of 'pedestrian' artwork .

Grey Ghost throws down the glove

This beautifully appointed sign resides at the corner of St. Andrew and Magazine. Designed originally to add color to the neighborhood while informing passer-byers walking through the neighborhood what street they had come to, it has recently lost its luster due to one villainous Fred RAdTke.It has since been re-beautified (?) by black marker by an outstanding citizen who must've like the sign enough to stop and attempt to color in the lettering that existed. Boo to Fred. You get the Rex Flying Toaster award for the week. Of which, I'm sure you'll achieve many. But be warned...while the antics remain friendly...get five toasters and reciprocity will be in kind. };-)

Jacked Cracked Macked - Nola Rising!

The following signs have disappeared from their spots. I assumed they were "jacked, cracked or macked" which means "stolen, broken or collected". Whether in sign heaven or in someone's living room...they're surely in a better place.

Random Sample

In the catacomb of the cathedral in Mobile
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I said Keep It Clean, Mobile, AL
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My feet in Mobile, AL
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Ticket Stub from the Richard Cheese concert. Thanks Kelli!
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It'll never make a good movie if there's not a wardrobe changing scene

NoLA Rising San Diego Style

On the way to Mark Malter in San Diego...Thanks Mark

Is Michigan Rising?

Anybody out there have Michigan pictures for me?

Daughters Rising - NoLA Rising

Drawn by my daughters. I've received compliments on them from a number of people. Thanks for the good words! Maybe the day will come when I have more art time with them...