Graffiti stenciling workshop in Davis Square:

The immediacy and poignancy of stencil art has made it a prominent tool in DIY political, social and artistic movements. Stencils are a creative and easy way to express opinions, spread messages and expand the boundaries of your artistic language.

This workshop will teach you how to make your own stencil from a found or original image for use on clothing, in fine arts, as wall decoration, or for any purpose you choose. Among the topics covered will be altering images to translate to stencil format, single and multi-layered techniques, large scale and portable stencils, types of paint and stencil frames to use, and how best to use your stencils on different surfaces.

Back in December, somebody with a Sharpie modified the historic timeline display at Davis Station to include "Native Americans, wholly mammoths." Christina J. Hodge, MA, PhD, RPA, senior curatorial assistant, Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, Harvard University and a research fellow in the Department of Archaeology, Boston University, places this act of consciousness-raising defiance in its proper milieu with a detailed post (complete with footnotes):

... My gaze tended to slide over the Davis timeline because it was static, familiar, of the background; dangerous and powerful qualities (Miller 2005:5). I did not engage actively with it until after it was graffitied. I acknowledge the graffiti authors for bringing my attention to the installation and for amending it. They inspired me to bring professional agendas more critically to bear on everyday praxis. Whether we recognize it or not, we all engage in a physically- and textually-mediated dialogues with the writing on the wall.

Via MetaBoston.

Sushiesque admires the light on the Central Square rainbow corridor.

Marty photographs some not-so-animated animated graffiti in Allston:

... Some neighborhoods have gang-related graffiti, others have large artwork. My neighborhood has film criticism.

Sam Baltrusis declares:

Looking for a good debate? The men's restroom in The Coop in Harvard Square always has some interesting--and generally anti-Harvard--discussions.

With photos, so you can see for yourself if you can't get there in person.

The Salem Gazette reports Salem police have arrested a man wanted in connection with 10 years' of graffiti on MBTA trains and on buildings across the North Shore and Boston.

Adam Michael Brant, a.k.a. SPEK, was arrested Wednesday on 16 counts of tagging and 16 counts of malicious destruction of property.

Some examples of his oeuvre.

Bryanmick23 takes a camera into the men's room at the Abbey Lounge and comes out with some photos, including one of a call for Basque independence.

Accomplished teen author and alleged
street defacer Chase Koopersmith.

Boston Police report that around 3 this morning, officers spotted five people "dumping large buckets of paint" in the street at Calumet and St. Alphonsus streets on Mission Hill. Upon spotting the coppers, the junior Pollocks began to run. The three slowest ones (Northeastern, Mass. Art and Berklee represent!) got caught:

Two of the suspects stated to officers that they were making art and making the streets colorful.

Police cast a critical eye on their work and charged Chase Koopersmith, 17, Alisa Javits, 19, and Miguel Debraganca, 21, with a palette of crimes: Damage to property by graffiti/tagging, destruction or injury to other city property, disturbing the peace and disorderly conduct.

Around 2 this morning, police responded to a report of an armed holdup at 1443 Blue Hill Ave. in Mattapan: Guy was talking to his mom as he walked home when he was held up by two guys. After he handed over his cell phone, one of the thugs gave him back his SIM card.

Gregory Robinson, 31, of Mattapan, was arrested.

All arrested are, of couse, presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law.

If you're going to go around town spray-painting buildings with blue graffiti, you might want to try to keep the blue paint off your hands:

"When the officers confronted him, his hands were blue," said Shastany. "He claimed he was an artist and it was just like an addiction, spray painting."

There's some weird graffiti at the playground at Paul Revere Park by the Charles River Dam.