Binomen Art – Citrus

Left: Citrus Spelled Out with Juice Sacs (Vesicles); Right: Parts of Citrus – Cross Section

Our morning grapefruit (Citrus) is the subject of this Binomen Art post. Citrus are a type of hesperidium, a modified berry with a tough rind. Of late, part of my morning routine is to segment one half of a grapefruit. Segmenting is removing white partition between the carpels. Doing so removes the bitterness and you are just left with the sweet wedges composed of juice sacs, which are fluid filled hairs! According to Introductory Plant Biology (5^th Edition): “Numerous outgrowths from the inner lining of the ovary wall become saclike and swollen with juice as the fruit develops.”

Left: Citrus Spelled Out with Juice Sacs (Vesicles);  Right: Citrus on a Frosty Morning

Wildstyle Graffiti- University Apple Store

Left: Eras Heavy Metal Face; Right: Inverted King and Skeleton – Time and Money

Location: NE 45^th St and 9^th Ave NE

Description: The lettering is in the Wildstyle, a intricate form of graffiti typically composed of interwoven and overlapping letters. The letters are “so transformed as to be rendered arcane to the eyes of non graffiti artists.” Yep, it is arcane, but I love the look.

Artist: Eras is the creator of the face. The 404era flickr photostream says: “This is a tribute to Royo, Frazetta, Bizley and all of those dope fantasy artist that graced the covers of Heavy Metal magazine.” Also, see more of his work at the Fatcap (Worldwide graffit blog). We didn’t realize we already had captured a few Eras works (Lo Fi Performance Gallery – Mural and Seattle Downtown Mural – Echoes of Sylvester? (not gone)). More Wildstyle examples can be seen on Keusta.net.

Left: Location on 9th, West Side of Apple Store; Center: Center Part of Wall; Right: Eras Face


Wildstyle Graffiti Examples; Decoder Required. Left: Normal; Right: Miniaturized.

Wildstyle Graffiti Examples; Decoder Required. Left: Normal; Right: Miniaturized.

Mural – North Ave Mural, University District

North Ave Mural Scenes

Location: NE 50^th St and University Way NE, University District

Descriptions: A very “flat” mural that depicts the liveliness and characters of the University District and, celebrates the farmers’ market held nearby. Read about the unveiling in 2013.

Artist: Heidi Barnett

North Ave Mural Scenes

Graffiti – Tubs Building

Tubs Faces

Location: NE 50^th St and Roosevelt Way NE, University District

Confession: I actually went for a tan or two (really)- back in the day - in this notorious and very closed establishment TUBS (1982 – 2007). It featured hot tubs and tanning beds. It seems like for years it has been under the threat of being torn down, but still persists. The graffiti on it wasn’t quite as compelling as I was thinking it would be.

Tubs Graffiti – Miniaturized


Left: Tubs Tower – Black and White; Right: Tubs West Wall from Across the Street

Mural – The Rainbow of Diversity

Left: The Rainbow of Diversity Mural Central Part; Right: View of Mural from Sidewalk

Location: 4058 Rainier Ave S, on the west wall of the Darigold Creamery in Rainier Valley, Seattle.

Description: The mural, painted in 1998, celebrates the racial and ethnic diversity of Rainier Valley. The mural is described in detail at The Rainbow of Diversity, which describes the murals as by Carlos Callejo, Deborah Bigelow, and Joan Robbins. The mural draws upon the brilliant Mexican muralism tradition. The mural is broken into five “panels”, with the namesake of Seattle, Chief Sealth in the middle panel, extending his arms and inviting viewers to the party. The mural contains many Seattle icons:

• panel 1: 1960s Seattle with Jimi Hendrix, the monorail, the Space needle
• panel 2: Rainier Valley Cultural Center
• panel 3: Chief Sealth and Sick’s Stadium
• panel 4: Old Columbia School, Columbia City with it’s distinctive bell tower [ref: HistoryLink]
• panel 5: J.P. Patches? and possibly the Rainier Valley Railway with its cowcatcher [ref: HistoryLink]

The Rainbow of Diversity Mural
Top Row, Left to Right: Scenes from panels 1 -3
Second Row, Left to Right: Scenes from panels 4 and 5, Central Panel (3) Blur

The Rainbow of Diversity Mural, Darigold Creamery West Wal

Mural – Pho Bac Hoodie Girl

Left: Pho Bac Mural Girl; Right: Central Part of Mural

Location: 3300 Rainier Ave S on the side of Pho Bac in Rainier Valley, Seattle

Description: A girl walks down a sidewalk on Rainier Avenue. She is wearing headphones and a green hoodie with the Sonics logo.

Left: Pho Bac Mural, East Side; Right: Pho Bac Mural Blur

Mural – Martin Luther King Jr.

Catfish Corner Martin Luther King Jr. Mural

Location: 2726 E Cherry St on the east wall of Catfish Corner in the Central District of Seattle.

Description: A 1995 portrait of Martin Luther King, Jr., by James Crespinel. Next to the mural is the King quote: “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”

Catfish Corner Martin Luther King Jr. Mural – Black and White

Mural – Twilight Exit

Left: Bewildered Deep Sea Diver?; Right: Bow of a Boat?


Location: 2514 East Cherry St. on Twilight Exit west wall in the Central District of Seattle

Description: A deep sea diver, in a sea of cards and monsters.

Twilight Exit Mural Scenes