Whether you’re walking around Market Square, driving down the interstate, attending a concert in the Old City or strolling through campus, there is one thing that passersby can typically find: street art.
This special brand of art can look a thousand different ways and can be found in a thousand different places, most of them hidden in plain sight. Art Alley, a well-known street art hotspot in Market Square, has walls covered in intricate portraits, depictions of pop culture and inspiring quotes. The Rock is another street art staple that nearly every student at UT is familiar with and has probably painted on at some point. Graffiti of all kinds can be found scattered amongst buildings, dumpsters and plain, brick walls. Street art is all around us, regardless of its legality.
Though we see these works of art all around town, what thought is given to the artists behind these paintings? Street art is a selfless medium in a sense because artists can’t always take credit for their work, depending on if the placement of their art is legal or not. Though these artists sometimes live in the shadows, there are several street artists in our community who openly share their work, their passion for art and their identities.
Eric Johnson, a tattoo artist at Hard Knox Tattoo, has been a street artist here in Knoxville for almost 22 years. His work can be seen throughout the Fort and South Knoxville.
“I don’t do illegal painting anymore, but I used to,” Johnson said. “Now, I do a lot of legal spots around Knoxville. I’ve recently done art for a couple of vapor shops around here, like Broadway Vapors and Vapor Trails on Chapman Highway.”
Sometimes, street art is a source of income for artists. Johnson is currently working on a large, commissioned nautical piece on the wall of a local business, Office Furniture Outfitters, located on 17th Street.
“I showed the owner a drawing to see if he liked my art. He pretty much just gave me free reign. I’m doing this piece for free, but I hope to sell some pieces because of this one.”
Johnson’s website, www.seedecay.com, is a place where you can find photos of his art, read more about his journey and contact him for commissions.
This kind of art isn’t always done for profit, though. Another local street artist, Alex Smith, creates street art because he enjoys it. Much of his art has been taken down though.
“It gets buffed too quickly around here. I had some slaps on mailboxes and such, but it’s all been removed,” Smith said.
“Buffing” refers to painting over, taking down or removing art. “Slaps” are stickers that artists can produce and place on light poles, mailboxes and other public areas. Smith has been creating art around Knoxville for about five years, but doesn’t have as much time as he used to.
“It’s dwindled significantly with having a day job,” Smith said.
Though street art is sometimes seen in a negative light, street artists put hours of work and tons of passion into their creations. Next time you walk by Art Alley, think about the passion you see painted on the walls.
Street artists, such as Eric Johnson and Alex Smith, often use buildings as a medium for their art.
