Graffiti Hell or Heaven…You be the Judge
Recently I visited Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Known for the residence of the original Declaration of Independence and the Liberty Bell, I was thrilled to be able to go and spend some time there.
As we arrived in the city early that weekend morning we began to see paintings that had been drawn on sides of buildings, plywood, corner stores, etc. Normally, one would call this graffiti…but this artwork was different.
It seems there was a man who believed graffiti drawers had talent 
that could be channeled in a different direction. He convinced law enforcement officials to offer those where were “caught in the act†to use their talents for designing and maintaining artwork on sides of buildings and other places graffiti usually showed up. They could do this instead of serving jail time.
Most of them took law enforcement up on the offer. After a number of
years, there were over 1000 places these drawings are displayed around the city…so many, in fact, that people drive around the city just to view all the artwork.
Come to think of it, I saw very little graffiti; at least as most of us know it today.
My wish for you today is that you enjoy these works of art and consider that when you see what we consider “graffiti†in our
neighborhoods. Thank goodness we don’t have the graffiti problem as seriously as Philly, but think of what our buildings COULD look like if we took these budding artists and put their talents to good work like that man of vision did in Philadelphia.
~ Joellen
