Philadelphia's Murals

I like Philadelphia and I like it even more now that I have discovered that they have a Mural Arts program that creates neighborhood murals throughout the city. Here it is, right from their site:

The Mural Arts Program works with more than 100 communities each year to create murals that reflect the culture of Philadelphia's neighborhoods. Mural projects often include stabilization of abandoned lots and revitalization of open spaces. Our community partners include block captains, neighborhood associations, public schools, community development corporations, local nonprofits, and city agencies. We strive to coordinate mural projects with existing strategies for community development, thereby leveraging grassroots social capital to build positive momentum and stronger results.

What a great idea! I wish we had something like this in NYC.....

Paralyzed Graffitist Able to Tag Using Eye Movement

Just read a great post on a blogger Tony Quan who suffers from ALS. His friends found a way for him to tag using his eye movements.

Here are the details:
The EyeWriter project is on ongoing collaborative research effort to empower people, who are suffering from ALS, with creative technologies. The project began in Los Angeles, Caifornia in 2009, when members of the GRL, FAT, OF and TEG communities teamed-up with a legendary LA graffiti writer, publisher and activist, named Tony Quan, aka TEMPTONE. Tony was diagnosed with ALS in 2003. The disease has left him almost completely physically paralyzed… except for his eyes. But, the ALS hasn’t touched Tony’s sharp mind, creative energy or his desire to write graffiti. In August of 2009, artist from around the world: London, Hong Kong, Madrid, Amsterdam and New York City, converged for 10 days in southern California, converted Mick and Caskey Ebeling’s Venice Beach house into a laboratory and began to work with Tony on a low-cost, open source eye-tracking system that would allow ALS patients to draw using just their eyes.

Tag On, Tony!