In my humble opinion, the graffiti problem plaguing the city of Santa Ana is mainly the product of untalented turds that claim trivial ownership to our streets and neighborhoods. This foolish mindset lends itself as to why there are so many shootings and deaths in this sickly city.
Scratchitti and acid etching of glass and window panes is another serious graffiti issue in this city that sends one message, and one message alone: F*ck you for having something nice.
The above photo was taken about a month ago when the wife and I headed up to San Francisco to experience a piece of the “city life” that we hoped the city of Santa Ana would have had established by now.
Not once as I’ve walked the streets of Santa Ana have I seen a noteworthy mural, message or political statement similar to this scribe. There is no art, no message, and no talent in the countless graffiti done on a daily basis in this supposed City of the Arts.
Nonetheless, the work done in the photo is still vandalism, but I doubt that anyone is going to pull a trigger in retaliation.
...But she will be happy to hear from you.
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Why Santa Ana Graffiti Sucks
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36 comments :
Dum kids with nothing to do.
Try walking around your area after dinner and before curfew to deter this type of activity.
the thugs that graffiti dont care about people being around. while i was walking the dogs last week, i saw a kid walking with pregnant 13yr girlfriend( i first thought it was his mom) from the train station. he went to the stop sign and scribbled his tag. in amazement, i continued to follow him. he kept walking down the street and look around(saw me) and scribled at another sign. i proceeded to yell at him about tagging up the neighborhood. he responded by gang signs and profanity and continued to downtown. I'm guessing he was in a hurry to make it to 4th st to buy his 13yr pregnant girlfriend a wedding dress. these kids do not have respect for the community or any of the poeple living in it.
You should have graffitied his face with a crow bar. That sort of stuff drives me nuts. Those cheesy, 80s movie cliche gang members can shoot each other all day long. They're doing us a favor, but when they mess with other people's stuff, that's what drives me nuts. I just can't comprehend why someone that lives in a shitty place wants to keep that place shitty. It's like it's cool to live in a shitty place, so you have to make sure it stays that way. People always complain about "the hood" being shitty, but no one ever does anything to make it better. I'm not asking them to go out and plant a tree. If they just didn't do anything, that would be better then actually making it worse. Sorry. I needed to vent. I fear that one day I might find myself snapping and killing one of these guys... but then they'll kill my homies and it'll start a gang war. The Bloods, The Crips and the SSL Crew.
Actually, you want to look out around 3-3:30 when they get out of school. It's amazing to watch them also litter with wild abandon. I now know where all the chips bags and Fanta cans are coming from. I'm at a loss as to what to do as well, the police can only do so much as it's a long and drawn out process to investigate and maybe, hopefully bust them. I've thought about a paint gun but that would only make a bigger mess and could get me thrown in the pokey. Maybe we could recruit the spoiled drunk kids from South County to come up and run them down in their BMW's and F250 crew cabs monster trucks? Just thinking outside the box.
I keep going back to the parents. I didn't have perfect parents, and we didn't have a lot of money, but I never EVER thought of writing on someone's property.
Many parents (not all) in this city are too busy having another kid to teach and spend time with the ones they already have. But hey, every kid is another check in the mail. Seriously, are there any other countries that pay you to have children?
It sends me screaming into the streets!
Unfortunately, I think most of those spoiled drunk kids would get wrecked by the unruly SanTana youth... theyre too soft and would get eaten alive. not to metion that despite how tough their big trucks might look, they're scared shite-less of having to drive through our city. (Nice concept though: having them get rid of each other would be nice).
I agree with this post a lot, especially the sentiment that Santa Ana's graffiti writers are a sorely untalented bunch. I have yet to see anything inspiring, creative, or requiring any artistic skill when the new graffiti blooms every weekend. At least LA and SF have vandals that are rooted in the art scene and the competitive graffiti scene, not to say that they don't have BS gang graffiti too, but having some talented artists makes it a little more tolerable. I wouldn't mind seeing a thought provoking stencil once in a while or an awe-inspiring letter style (just as long as its not on anyone's house).
It is people like you people that give reason to tag up your buildings. You all come into Santa Ana with your pretty new lofts and your pre determined thoughts and expect everyone to bow down to your conservatism bull crap. These are kids that dont have parents, real friends or in their minds a future. But instead of support or help or maybe even an after school program we disrespect the only voice or recognition they may ever have. Ive seen some of the worthless art being produced by your talentless art lofts and ive noticed a few things missing under all of that god forsaken pigment and waste of canvas and thats art,heart and spine.mommy and daddy must be proud!
People like me huh?
I beg to differ. I moved here with my progressive school of thought instead of places like Irvine or any other high-priced community because I want my tax dollars to do something for a community that needs them.
You seem to know these kids that are writing on our walls better than me, even though when I catch them they tell me that their parents are going to kill them.
They indeed have "friends" and are only trying to impress them by "getting up". I know the school of thought; I had friends that were taggers too.
You speak as if these kids were forced to write their names on the walls–It's a decision that they've made and not the fault of society.
It's also not my fault they choose to ditch school to vandalize instead of getting an education.
I wasn't born with a silver spoon in my mouth, but I worked my ass off in school while holding down three jobs. So please don't tell me how hard these kids have it.
But...I am planning on attending the graffiti art show at Santa Ana College, hoping to see some real talent on canvas.
This message is to - Anonymous. I've been a high school teacher in Santa Ana for years. After school programs? DOZENS. Teachers and Coaches who go the extra mile, not just for athletes, but for any kid who needs someone? TONS. There is more support for troubled kids in this community than any other of which I am aware - although I'm not sure why - because property isn't safe. I've had my car keyed, my windshields broken, threats made against me - and I stay after school every single day - without pay - to tutor and to counsel any kid who needs it. But according to you - it's OK for someone who is having a bad day to ruin my property. It's not their fault. It's not their bad parents' fault. It's not the community's fault. It must be my fault. Stop making excuses. There is no excuse for vandalism. None. Until the community recognizes that, and instills respect for others, then ... well, what can I say? At least you'll still have something to feel sorry for yourselves about.
the graffiti makes this place real. Im fine with it...means theres real shit going on around here. Im ok with raising my kids in a "real" unsheltered neighborhood...because there is no shelter for them in the real world..... Imagine no graffiti in NY...it wouldnt be the same. the graffiti doesnt make that city any less desirable...instead..i think the realness of the city attracts people. Lets keep this place real..and they will come. Im hear....youre here...more will come. Dont trip
Hello Anonymous,
Thank you for your post.
Do I honestly think that graffiti will ever go away? Not at all. Do I hope for it to go away. Not at all.
My biggest issue is that no one is doing "quality" graffiti in Santa Ana.
Graffiti in Santa Ana is done by one of two groups: the taggers and the gangs.
Taggers are those that are seeking validation and have no respect/talent what-so-ever.
In other cities, there are those that label themselves as taggers and do quality work, just not here.
Gang graffiti is petty and ridiculous as these 'writers' squabble over 'territory' like animals until someone gets shot.
Graffiti artists are those that create to provoke thought and challenge their audience to see past the onslaught of advertising we are exposed to everyday.
Just look at all of the billboards, buses and outdoor ads you are bombarded with on your commute to work tomorrow.
What gives Disney or Verizon the right to shove a giant ad in your face? Because they paid OCTA a hefty sum to do a vinyl wrap on a few of their buses?
Our world is headed in the direction as portrayed in The Minority Report as John Anderton (yes, I've watched that movie several times) made his way through the mall fighting several intrusive ads. :Scary:
A true graffiti artist sells you nothing, only asks you to think/challenge the norm.
As far as comparing NY graffiti art to Santa Ana...I see how you are trying to say that graffiti gives the city 'character', but I'm sorry my friend, there's just no comparison.
Here's some proof my friend.
I don't know about Santa Ana, but where I live, there is a municipal ordinance against graffiti in a public place. This places the onus on the property owner for clean-up, which isn't fair, and is rarely enforced, but still ... it provides a way to act against the graffito-nazis. I track graffiti in my neighborhood. If it isn't removed immediately, I have a pre-printed postcard I send to the property owner citing the ordinance and asking them to remove the graffiti within the seven-day time period required by the ordinance. It almost always is removed. In other cases, e.g., utility boxes or places that are more public and that don't seem to be monitored well by the city, I remove it myself, or spray over it myself with a paint that matches the original paint as closely as possible. With graffiti on wood, rough sandpaper usually does the trick. With concrete, a steel brush sometimes works. Sometimes I do this at night; sometimes in the day. It's gratifying to have people come by and thank you as you're doing it. Over the last year, it's made a huge difference, and I am only one person. I suppose in some areas there might be a risk of retaliation if the tagger spots you, but I don't consider this a big issue where I live. People may wish to consider doing the same in their neighborhood.
what a bunch of hypocrites....
i'm 17 years old and yes a graffiti artists or how you would say a "tagger" i've been actively involved in graffiti since i was 14.when you first start you don't really have a style unless its been taught to you but over time you evolve it into your own.and the reason you haven't probably seen the more artistic pieces are you don't know where to look.take the path less traveled like Robert Frost once said like an alley in downtown
#1. If you have no style to begin with, maybe graffiti art isn't your calling.
#2. When I was 17, I wasn't writing on people's property...I was hookin' up with the ladies. Maybe you should consider growing up. Being 17 and still calling yourself a tagger/vandal/graff "artist" seems kinda juvenile. How about getting a job and learning the value of a dollar? Then maybe you'll realize the financial repercussions of your so-called "art".
#3. Robert Frost wrote "Road Less Traveled", but nice try.
ahahahahahahahaha!
dummy.
WHY DO YOU FUCKERS SAY THAT SANTA ANA GRAFFITI FUCKEN SUCKS?GET REAL SANTA ANA HAS TRUE FUCKEN GRAFFERS AN IM NOT FUCKEN TALKING ABOUT THOSE FUCKEN LAME ASS PUSSY FUCKEN TOY CREWS IM FUCKEN TALKING ABOUT PNS PCB ANC AKS SM KND....FOR ONE YOU BITCHES ARE FUCKEN BITCHING ABOUT HOW TAGGERS YARE MAKING THE CITY OF SANTA ANA LOOK BAD WELL FUCKEN MOVE TO ANOTHER CITY NO 1 IS FUCKEN TELLING YOU TO FUCKEN STAY HERE I GOT NO FUCKEN PROBLEM WITH SEEING A TRUE GRAFFER GETTING UP AN IM NOT TALKING ABOUT A FUCKEN TOY GETTING UP I GOT NO PROBLEM SEEING A WALL OR A STOP SING BEING KILLED AN WIHT MARKER OR CAN...REAL TALK YOU BITCHES ARE BETTER OFF DOING YOUR OWN SHIT AN LEAVE THE FUCKEN GRAFFERS ALONE
FGSDUAJKBGASJKGBASJKLBVASJDBGAJSKBGJASKBVXMGASJGIWGHSIGNASDGHASKL
tool
how about you all fuck your selfs and move to a better white area like Irvine turds....
how about fuck all of u...
"how about f*ck all of u..."
Doesn't that pretty much sum up the "message" of Santa Ana's crappy (tagger) graffiti (notice I didn't follow the word graffiti with the word "art")?
Etching on glass, writing on light poles, carving into trees isn't art–especially if the "art" comes at someone else's expense.
I love how this blog post has angered so many trolls (or is just one?), but not one of them has been able to prove me wrong.
Trolls, do you even read other posts on this blog, or is this page bookmarked among several other sites that you troll on?
I'm going to guess the latter being that you've never commented on some of the other posts about "quality" graffiti in Santa Ana.
See, I don't think all graffiti in this city sucks, just 99% of it, which probably included yours–sorry.
But hey, if you're any good, then prove me wrong. I'd love to do a post about "Why Santa Ana Graffiti Rocks". Send me pics if you want to prove me wrong–that is, only if your work is on par with the work in the posts below.
http://santiagostreetlofts.blogspot.com/2008/06/ooh-colors.html
http://santiagostreetlofts.blogspot.com/2008/05/anomaly.html
Until then kiddies, stay in school cause illiteracy is for fools!
Graffiti is lame, taggers are lame...destruction of property is just that and it's just an attempt to get some attention for person that deserves none. Institute severe corporal punishment for crimes like this...they won't do it again.
there are talented taggers in SANTA ANA, but out 10 taggers only 2 or 3 really have art skills and there art is overshadowed do to all the "lame art" as u said ,in the city ...but u should also try to find it around your area because i know of many spots around Santiago that contains real graffiti art...and i am a tagger; i have a job, a girlfriend,and i understand the value of a dollar...
you guys made some good points on how some taggers suck and this is coming from a graffiti artist himself i admit there is some taggers that push it by writing on peoples property i personally dont like when people tag on my house but it's usually gang graffiti but the people who usually write on peoples property are the ones beginning to do graffiti but as you progress in style you evolve mentally and realize it's fucked up to mess up peoples property i know lot's of graffiti artist that have gone to jail and came out and went back to jail but most of them are actually trying to take their skills in graffiti and use it some are making shirts and some turned to tattoo artist some put their focus into music or they even enrolled in the art institute so don't attack all taggers as you said because some actually try to do good you can check out some of their graffiti at the GCS store on broadway where the owner of the graff shop lets them display their canvas artwork i myself was arrested for graffiti and it cost me money for restitution fines and yes i did realized when i turned 18 i was going to jail and paying money for some full colored art that i put on a wall i realized it was pointless to me now so i switched to canvas graffiti art and stencil shirts
Well I'm excited you've evolved to canvas and I think you said it best that "it's fucked up to mess up peoples property".
I have to say that your comments are appreciated and probably the best I've read for the "pro" side of the discussion.
That store on Broadway has a lot of potential in educating both the "haters" and upcoming artists.
I hope that should you ever want to showcase your graff art, you let me know so I can hook you up with a gallery space here at the lofts.
haha! ...man theres 2 resolutionS to all these complaints from all you white people, and yall aint got no excuse cuz im pretty sure YOU WONDER BREADS GOT MONEY....
#1- EITHER MOVE THE FUCK OUT!
or..
#2-SMOKE SOME WEED, AND FUCKEN DEAL WITH IT!
..lol damn and then you wonder why us taggers/gang bangers punk on you guys. CUZ YOUR ALL BUNCH OF PUSSIES! always crying and bitching about shit.
lol and like your that good looking to be "hooking up with the ladies". MOTHAFUCKER I THOUGHT YOU WERE A GIRL... "BEN DAYHOE"?? WTF. more like PENDEJO :)
@Anonymous#1 - It's people like you that make the word gentrification sound so damn sweet.
@Anonymous#2 - You're just figuring out the pun of my name? Wow, maybe if you really wanted to insult me you'd call me a PENDEJA.
Seriously, this is how you spend your Saturday mornings? Really? On a blog that gets like 9 readers a day?
WTF LOL ROFL YAFJ.
Santa Ana Graffiti sucks because kids don't get enough attention from there family so they go out with supposely friends and mess around,Graffiti is one of the ways they can mess around, so they'll start crews and later they'll move out of the neighborhood and have the same urge to attract attention so they start or join the crew or gang in that area. It's not because they enjoy writing, it's because they like the acknowledgement they recive from others and others like the same attention so they do it too.... then the younger kids look up to them and follow and it becomes a cycle.THERE IS GOOD GRAFFITI IN SANTA ANA,BUT TO THOSE KIDS IT'S NOT ABOUT THE ATTENTION, IT'S ABOUT OF THE (FAME)!!!!!!!!!! (BIG DIFFERNCE)
SO IF YOU LOOKING FOR GOOD GRAFFITI IN SANTA ANA YOU ARE NOT GOING TO FIND IT NEAR NEIGHBORHOODS MOSTLY LIKELY SOME WHERE THEY CAN TAKE TIME AND RELAX AND NOT WORRY ABOUT ANYTHING,LIKE RAILROADS,LONELY BUILDINGS,DARKS ALLEYS AND HANGOUTS WHERE KIDS FIND PEACE FOR THE DAY AND FROM ALL THE TROUBLES OF THE DAY
*GUTS*
First off let me start by saying fuck santa ana its all about orange where the real graff scene started in the early 90's with real krews like Ek,3D,DTD,FDA,KS, real writers like Slaq,Drama,Boom,Theme,Arby, all from orange.Im sick of these little bitchs from so called santana thinking there hard I've got some hollows for you bitchs next time we run into each other im airing that motherfucker out.So walk carefully when your in orange because will be creeping on you ho's like we did to kbs in main place mall.So you better rock vests in orange cuz that Ar 223 will run your ass down you better pack more then a 9 or your moms 38 this time cuz were going fully auto...........
@Guts,
The problem is that there are too many crappy-ass taggers giving true graff-art a bad name.
Etching in glass = not art.
Writing your crew's name on a wall with a pencil or sharpie = not art.
All of this crap is all over our city. Santa Ana residents think *this* is the meaning of graffiti art...sad.
@anonymous - Since when did violence and graffiti art become one? Too bad we can't channel all that anger and "Orange Pride" into something a little less hostile...like volunteering at an old folks home or the animal shelter...just sayin'
deport the white people. dumb gringos.
los.
stupid gringos. deport the white people.
the white people are the new minorites.
What about the cool stickers on bristol. Dia de los muertos styled skulls and birds and illustrations with type reading MEAT IS MURDER. Someone is making this city beautiful by putting stickers wih art on them.
Fuck the spics and Santa ana
F*ck the racists and ignoramuses.
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