Well, the chalkdust has finally settled, and it's pretty clear that Urban Canvas' participation in FIGMENT 2011 was a success (as was the festival itself!).  Hundreds of people joined in to cover Dewey Square Plaza with colorful, imaginative, and sometimes eccentric artworks, and we blazed through a record number of chalk sticks in the process. Thanks to all who came out, to FIGMENT for hosting us, and to our many volunteers who helped make this all happen.

We could gush on and on about our experience, but it'd be much more fun to let the pictures do the talking. Onward...

Read more: FIGMENT 2011 Recap

Now in its second year, FIGMENT is an annual festival which "celebrates an abundence of creativity and passion, challenging artists and our communities to find new ways to create, share, think, and dream."

If you remember last year, Urban Canvas descended upon Memorial Drive and, with the help of volunteers and countless participants, covered a HUGE part of the roadway with colorful creations, ad hoc interpretations, and an attempt at a participatory storyline.

Read more: This Weekend: Urban Canvas at FIGMENT

Author's post-note, 4-2-11: If you haven't figured it out by now: Duh, happy April everyone!

Just a quick update from your friends at Urban Canvas as we wait eagerly for warmer weather...if you haven't seen the articles in the Boston Globe or the Boston Herald, we've got the latest news on Beacon Hill's new "Take Back the Streets" program, which will significantly increase funding for street art. Read on for more, but suffice it to say that this is really, really good news for Urban Canvas, and indeed for all artists who have too long been neglected...

Read more: ArtWatch: Mass. Politicians Announce Bold New Public Arts Initiative

A while back, I posted several close-up photos of various artworks along the Red Line and invited you all to try to identify the stations at which they're found.  Now, it's answer time.

I should note that, yes, I was aware that many of these installations are featured on the MBTA's own webpage, as they were part in a decades-old program called - appropriately enough - "Art on the Line."  Of course, I'm sure that none of you honest folks who submitted answers through the contest would have dared use this as a cheat sheet (*ahem*)...right?

We had quite a few guesses...I was impressed at all your knowledge of T art.  Congrats to all who submitted; our best score was 17/24. Not too bad, considering many of these can be hard to spot unless you're really looking.

If you haven't checked out the close-ups yet and want to try your hand at guessing, do so now. Otherwise, let's cut to the chase and see...(drumroll please)...the answers!

Read more: The Red Line, Revealed

Edit Jan. 28: The photos are up! Try to identify the artwork and the stations here!

While waiting for a train at Park Street recently, my eye was drawn to something that had never before caught my attention: a metal sculpture of a pointing hand, suspended on the concrete above the far end of the track (right). The fact that it had escaped my attention lo these countless times I had been there got me thinking: what other urban art installations are peppered throughout the subway? How many do I pass on a daily basis, without even noticing?

Read more: Art on the T

A few days ago, I posted about the various artworks found on Boston's subway system. Some of them are hidden or hard-to-spot, while others are in plain view. Today, I take you on a close-up tour of the Red Line, and invite you to try your hand at identifying the art installations with the photos at which they are found.

Here's how it'll work: below are 24 photos of 24 different art works. Some of them are relatively wide-view, but several are pretty close up. I tried to find interesting angles and specific details that aren't necessarily apparent right off the bat, so look closely!

If you can guess any (or all!) of the stations represented here, e-mail them to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . For every one you get right, we'll award you some Interropoints [editor's note: program now closed]. The person(s) who get the most correct will receive a whole big lump of extra points as well.

Please note:

• You don't have to be a registered user to play...you can still send me your guesses for the chance to win copious amounts of e-praise and/or a hundred million dollars (haven't decided which yet). Either way, totally worth the increased notion of self worth....
• Some stations are represented more than once! (Apparently artists like some stops more than others?)
• None of the stations are on the Ashmont/Mattapan branch (ie. between Savin Hill and Mattapan on the map at left). No, I'm not being Ashmontist, I legitimately couldn't find much on that portion of the line. If I'm missing something there, please let me know!
• Remember, some installations are outside the stations.

Answers will be posted sometime during the week of February 7th-11th, as will the larger pictures in their specific contexts. Ready? And......go!

Read more: The Red Line, Closely

It's winter, it's cold, it's nasty, and our chalk is stowed safely away for the drier months and cleaner pavement. And with it, we ourselves are resting woefully inside, twiddling our thumbs listlessly. Right?

Wrong! We're ready to go out and create! We've learned of an excitingly awesome outdoor adventure taking place in Somerville's Union Square, this Saturday, January 15th., produced by the Artisan's Asylum:

Artisan's Asylum, in coordination with the Somerville Art Council's ArtsUnion Winter Series, is happy to announce that this Saturday will be a day of hilarious public snow art. The city will be providing a giant pile of snow (courtesy of the snow storm on Wednesday) and a bunch of shovels, and Cantina La Mexicana will be providing Mexican h...ot chocolate! All we have to do is make big displays of public art around the square. No problem, right?

Grab your gloves and jackets and come help us build snow forts, scenes from Calvin & Hobbes, elaborate snow sculpture and anything else you can imagine! Even if you don't have an idea for an art piece, come by anyway and help us lug massive amounts of snow around the square. If you want to bring stuff, bring shovels, trowels, buckets, and any other snow-shaping tools you can imagine.

1-4pm.  It's free and open to all ages!

To get there by MBTA bus: 85 from Kendall; 86 from Sullivan, Harvard or Cleveland Circle; 87 from Lechmere; 91 from Central; or the CT2.

For more information and to RSVP (not necessary, but it never hurts), check out the facebook event page.

View Map

The weekend of October 8, 2010 will see the Boston area overrun with marching brass bands. They’ll come from Chicago. They’ll come from Texas. They’ll come from New York, from Seattle, and from Somerville too. They’ll come for the Fifth Annual Honk Fest.

Honk is a weekend-long celebration. For five years now, it’s offered up merry marching brass bands in various venues, and for free on the streets. There will be drum majors. There will be tubas, twirling batons, and trombones. And all this noise and strangeness will culminate in one loud, long parade on Sunday from Davis Square to Harvard Square. If previous Honks are anything to go on, the Honkers will then take over parts of Harvard Square for a few hours of noise. 

Read more: Marching Brass Bands invade Boston!