Welcome to Graffiti alley

Where a kaleidoscope of colors stains your mind with lasting impressions. Where paint fumes hang in the air like a brightly toxic fog. Where graffiti artists come to play in Toronto's urban playground. Where the world becomes your canvas.

This stretch of alleyways runs south of queen street from Spadina to Portland. A sub-section of it is where Ricker Mercer conducts his weekly rant, and every summer in July (if they have the available funding) a non-profit organization called Style in Progress hosts a legal 24 hour free-for-all of legal graffiti here. Why go to the freakin' CN Tower when you can see one of the sweetest outdoor galleries around? I haven't attended Canada's largest hip-hop festival yet, but it definitely should be on anyone's to-do list.

Since I'm currently working on a story about female graffiti artists I loved the fact that I've been able to talk to some of the women in these videos, and delve into why less women are involved in the sub-culture. According to Janna Van Hoof, the organizer of Style in Progress, over 100 artists plaster the walls of this alley with their own artistic identity. About eight of those taking part are female. Hopefully in time that will change.

For those who believe that graffiti is art, check out graffiti alley during Style in Progress and watch masterpeices unfold.



The woman with dreadlocks is named Phresha Le Vandale, and her art is also located at the bottom of this blog.



The lady with the red hair, and who talks with the yellow mask on is EGR (Erica Gosich Rose)