San Francisco, CA “We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars street art.” -Oscar Wilde I’m a sucker for stencils, but post all sorts of street art surprises. These are photos I’ve taken unless otherwise credited. new TWTR.Widget({ search: 'street art OR stencil', id: 'twtr-search-widget', loop: false, title: 'Who else found a ', subject: 'Sidewalk Surprise?', width: 250, height: 300, theme: { shell: { background: '#777777', color: '#ffffff' }, tweets: { background: '#ffffff', color: '#444444', links: '#59a5d1' } } }).render().start(); Tumblr (3.0; @sidewalksurprises)http://sidewalksurprises.tumblr.com/<img src="http://6.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_kry4t0O51f1qzabuwo1_400.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>hello my dear followers, visitors, and accidental readers!  i apologize for my absence these last months.  but rest assured— the sidewalk surprises are stockpiling, and there will be loads of tantalizing street art coming your way again starting next month (09 Nov).  until then, please enjoy the hold <a target="_blank" href="http://8tracks.com/gainsf/dancing-in-the-rain">music</a>.</p>http://sidewalksurprises.tumblr.com/post/220548241http://sidewalksurprises.tumblr.com/post/220548241Thu, 22 Oct 2009 19:41:24 -0700<img src="http://5.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_kr1urkkhZt1qzabuwo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>Thanks to my friend <a target="_blank" href="http://www.festizio.net/">Keane Li</a> for submitting this delicious find! LET THEM EAT CATS, indeed!</p>http://sidewalksurprises.tumblr.com/post/220534641http://sidewalksurprises.tumblr.com/post/220534641Thu, 22 Oct 2009 19:25:31 -0700catssan franciscostreet artsubmission<img src="http://19.media.tumblr.com/kXKklZKxvqp2o1jxcZFPc8YBo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>from my friend Scott.</p> <p>Related:</p> <p><a target="_blank" href="http://sidewalksurprises.tumblr.com/post/98059548/given-all-that-is-going-on-in-oakland-right-now"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3297/3455198228_dce4f6c1bf.jpg" align="middle" height="308" width="380"/></a></p>http://sidewalksurprises.tumblr.com/post/157389275http://sidewalksurprises.tumblr.com/post/157389275Thu, 06 Aug 2009 13:35:44 -0700politicssan franciscostencilstreet artsubmission<img src="http://15.media.tumblr.com/kXKklZKxvqpqrc4dwjZIHObRo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>Hydrant Frogs (via <a href="http://flickr.com/photos/crow_soup" target="_blank">crow_soup</a>)</p>http://sidewalksurprises.tumblr.com/post/155438353http://sidewalksurprises.tumblr.com/post/155438353Mon, 03 Aug 2009 22:35:40 -0700animalssan franciscostreet artstencil<img src="http://19.media.tumblr.com/FExuUyTcdq9jfww4puFBiifVo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>(via <a href="http://aperea.tumblr.com/" target="_blank">aperea</a>)</p>http://sidewalksurprises.tumblr.com/post/155269294http://sidewalksurprises.tumblr.com/post/155269294Mon, 03 Aug 2009 18:09:10 -0700<img src="http://15.media.tumblr.com/36RiT8AANqcqs7ur57au8Nxko1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p><a href="http://graffiti-travels.tumblr.com/post/149230202/weeee" target="_blank">graffiti-travels</a>:</p> <blockquote>Weeee!!!</blockquote>http://sidewalksurprises.tumblr.com/post/154927383http://sidewalksurprises.tumblr.com/post/154927383Mon, 03 Aug 2009 07:54:51 -0700<img src="http://12.media.tumblr.com/36RiT8AANqdhymdqPQw9Eewdo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>(via <a href="http://graffiti-travels.tumblr.com/" target="_blank">graffiti-travels</a>)</p>http://sidewalksurprises.tumblr.com/post/154927315http://sidewalksurprises.tumblr.com/post/154927315Mon, 03 Aug 2009 07:54:42 -0700<img src="http://7.media.tumblr.com/kXKklZKxvqnzg1tuKN2ouQADo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>here kitty, kitty</p>http://sidewalksurprises.tumblr.com/post/154518527http://sidewalksurprises.tumblr.com/post/154518527Sun, 02 Aug 2009 17:03:17 -0700san franciscostreet artstencilGAcat<img src="http://10.media.tumblr.com/kXKklZKxvqnzehpcm3U6RM0Do1_400.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>crowned in san francisco, ca</p>http://sidewalksurprises.tumblr.com/post/154517885http://sidewalksurprises.tumblr.com/post/154517885Sun, 02 Aug 2009 17:02:02 -0700crownroyaltychildrenstreet artstencilsan franciscoGA<img src="http://6.media.tumblr.com/kXKklZKxvqnxq65gftKU5C0Uo1_400.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>this is neither a stencil nor a sidewalk, but the sentiment remains:</p> <p>“you won’t be young forever”</p>http://sidewalksurprises.tumblr.com/post/154496246http://sidewalksurprises.tumblr.com/post/154496246Sun, 02 Aug 2009 16:15:11 -0700youngforeverwindow<img src="http://20.media.tumblr.com/kXKklZKxvqnxnvcrMvqC9Vhdo1_400.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>“i wish my brain had a map to tell me where my heart should go”</p>http://sidewalksurprises.tumblr.com/post/154495410http://sidewalksurprises.tumblr.com/post/154495410Sun, 02 Aug 2009 16:13:23 -0700stencilstreet art<img src="http://18.media.tumblr.com/kXKklZKxvqmjfrgmVilN2JUCo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>“You are the thread I wish to pull”</p> <p>San Francisco, CA</p>http://sidewalksurprises.tumblr.com/post/153889749http://sidewalksurprises.tumblr.com/post/153889749Sat, 01 Aug 2009 16:47:24 -0700San Franciscostreet artstencilloveGA<img src="http://15.media.tumblr.com/d3lLUsxegqlvn9j7PFbNOnZdo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p><a href="http://kittyjesper.tumblr.com/post/153836906" target="_blank">kittyjesper</a>:</p> <blockquote> <p><a href="http://belgradestreetart.tumblr.com/post/153606548/wooster-collective-found-in-the-noose-of-the" target="_blank">belgradestreetart</a>:</p> <blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.woostercollective.com/2009/07/found_in_the_noose_of_the_fountain_of_yo.html" target="_blank">Wooster Collective: “Found In The Noose Of The Fountain Of Youth…”</a></p> <p>jerm IX:</p> <p>“the first two lines from this piece are from a suicide note i wrote in jail at 16. i have found solace in letting go of my darkest pains on the streets in the form of poetry and for some reason this came out of me today. i am so thankful to have survived that attempt at ending it all.”</p> </blockquote> </blockquote>http://sidewalksurprises.tumblr.com/post/153889272http://sidewalksurprises.tumblr.com/post/153889272Sat, 01 Aug 2009 16:46:23 -0700belgradestreet artstencilpoetryprisonpolitics<img src="http://6.media.tumblr.com/kXKklZKxvqmjcjxpiYwxNaMyo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>Construction in Oakland, CA</p>http://sidewalksurprises.tumblr.com/post/153888730http://sidewalksurprises.tumblr.com/post/153888730Sat, 01 Aug 2009 16:44:54 -0700Oaklandstencilstreet artconstructionpoliticsGA<img src="http://18.media.tumblr.com/57QK9SvrIql2wkk5wn8UfrQjo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>I’m not sure if I like the boots or the stencil more!:)</p> <p>(via <a href="http://dirtylittlestylewhore.tumblr.com/" target="_blank">dirtylittlestylewhore</a>)</p>http://sidewalksurprises.tumblr.com/post/153252813http://sidewalksurprises.tumblr.com/post/153252813Fri, 31 Jul 2009 16:20:32 -0700animalsfashionstreet artstencil<img src="http://22.media.tumblr.com/kXKklZKxvql2wg3uhfTt7sCao1_400.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>I had to do a little research to figure this one out. Please forgive my book report:)</p> <p>CCCP is the Cyrillic equivalent of USSR.  The symbol was popularized during the communist era and still used today by some Russians.  An Italian punk band named themsleves after CCCP and thus, the symbol also has a punk following. My guess is that this particular stencil is street art in support of the punk movement, but the image reminds me of Yuri Gagarin, the first human in outer space & the first to orbit the Earth. He showed his Russian pride by wearing CCCP on his helmet</p> <blockquote><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2545/3776547152_631cecbe89_o.jpg" alt="yuri gagrin" align="center" height="390" width="292"/></blockquote> <p>Related:</p> <blockquote><a href="http://sidewalksurprises.tumblr.com/post/152093634/uprise" title="Related, on Flickr" target="_blank"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3478/3756793570_dd435ba2a0.jpg" alt="uprise" align="center" height="390" width="293"/></a></blockquote>http://sidewalksurprises.tumblr.com/post/153250973http://sidewalksurprises.tumblr.com/post/153250973Fri, 31 Jul 2009 16:16:00 -0700san franciscoCCCPstencilstreet artcommunistpoliticspunkmusicuprise<img src="http://18.media.tumblr.com/kXKklZKxvql1f723styzGvpeo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>San Francisco truly is the Wild West.</p>http://sidewalksurprises.tumblr.com/post/153229314http://sidewalksurprises.tumblr.com/post/153229314Fri, 31 Jul 2009 15:35:18 -0700street artsan franciscostencilspanishGAfaces<img src="http://6.media.tumblr.com/kXKklZKxvql1d0y2mtbpnVJTo1_400.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>Adios Gringo</p>http://sidewalksurprises.tumblr.com/post/153228460http://sidewalksurprises.tumblr.com/post/153228460Fri, 31 Jul 2009 15:33:37 -0700san franciscostreet artstencilGAspanish<img src="http://21.media.tumblr.com/kXKklZKxvql1c8pbzlAt4aNco1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>Adios Gringo</p>http://sidewalksurprises.tumblr.com/post/153228065http://sidewalksurprises.tumblr.com/post/153228065Fri, 31 Jul 2009 15:33:00 -0700san franciscostreet artstencilGAspanish<img src="http://8.media.tumblr.com/kXKklZKxvql0h5bmQSrHBgxvo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>Eclair Acuda’s stencil’s are my favorite.</p> <p>And also elusive. Does this one mean reading books will kill you? ;)</p>http://sidewalksurprises.tumblr.com/post/153215809http://sidewalksurprises.tumblr.com/post/153215809Fri, 31 Jul 2009 15:08:49 -0700San FranciscoGAstencilstreet arteclair acudagunsbooks