Urban Canvas has been invited to participate in The World's Fair in Central Square 2013!  We'll be bringing oodle-tons of chalk, and will descend upon University Park (Sidney St., Cambridge) on Saturday, May 18th. 

Join us!  All are welcome to grab a stick a chalk and add to our themed drawings.  Artists of all, some, or no ability are welcome.  The images will be dominated by good spirits and positive inspiration. 

ps.  want to volunteer with us, meet new chalky folks, and make sure all partipants enjoy themselves?  Contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .  We could use a couple happy people to make this happen. 

This past weekend, Urban Canvas ninjas NB and Em took advantage of the warm weather and descended upon the Parkman Bandstand at Boston Common.  With chalk in hand and a desire to color the area sidewalks, we soon found inspiration in the repetitive pattern of the brickwork around the pavilion.  What we created turned into a pixel artwork of sorts... using the bricks (pixels+bricks= 'brixels,' natch), we began creating a few arcade-style ghosts... and before we knew it, we were creating a larger-than-life Pacman game!

Read more: Bricks + Pixel Art = Brixel Art!

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