It's not graffiti, it's street art..

Happy (or sad?!) Blue Monday! Apparently today is the most depressing day of the year. I would say I've had worse days, although the daunting prospect of walking in to the gym tonight where it will no doubt be 1.3 billion times busier than usual isn't making me the cheeriest!

So, to brighten up a gloomy first Monday of the year, I'm going to share a little interest of mine - street art. I first discovered proper street art whilst on a break to Berlin in 2010 - we joined one of these free 'alternative' tours and it turned out to be one of the absolute highlights of the holiday!

A building wall at Tommy Weisbecker Haus in Berlin

Since 2010, most cities I have been to (I LOVE a city break, and they're so easy to do cheaply!) I've managed to source out some murals and bits and pieces of street art. Next time you're in Manchester, Liverpool, London, Paris...or even Glasgow, go off in the opposite direction to the tourists and you'll be amazed at what you see!

Northern Quarter, Manchester

Berlin

Me posing with a painted man in Glasgow

Berlin

Goggles and the all seeing eye in Liverpool

Berlin

Berlin

Are you Happy? Liverpool

Le Mur, Paris 

I especially loved visiting Le Mur, since this mural is given as a blank canvas each month to a different street artist, who paints their piece and it remains for the month. Nice to be surprised by what awaits you depending on which month you visit Paris!

Oberkampf, Paris

Bricklane, London

Montmatre, Paris

Liverpool

       

Jef Aerosol mural, Rue Saint Merri, Paris

Let me know if you have visited any amazing places for street art! I'm dying to visit Bristol and see some Banksy stuff there...

PS. All images are my own.