This week, Sofia tells us to be BOLD! I decided to focus my response on bold colors, but Sofia noted in her challenge, “It can also be a veiled message, a different style. A new direction, taken sometimes in such a soft way it feels like evolution, or abruptly, a cut with the past… Things change all the time; boldness, it’s one of those signs.” You can read her entire challenge post here.
My first statement of bold colors is a mural painted on the side of a historic railcar at the Fargo Visitor’s Center at Main Avenue and Broadway in Fargo, North Dakota. The artist is Stan Koshka, a well-known Fargo artist. His work is characterized by its bold colors and often whimsical style. He has created numerous murals and public art pieces throughout the Fargo-Moorhead area.
Neon signs are designed to be bright and bold. We visited the Ignite Sign Museum in Tucson, Arizona, a few weeks ago. The signs feature former businesses in Tucson collected by a sign maker in the community. I also learned that neon isn’t the only gas used in these colorful signs. Neon produces reds, argon produces blues, and other gasses are responsible for various colors. In a future post, I’ll have many more examples of these artists’ work in argon and neon.
On a tour of Miami, Florida, last month, we were driven through the Wynwood District, a formerly industrial city section. In the early 2000s, visionary developers began transforming the area, attracting artists and creatives. Wynwood is most famous for its colorful murals and graffiti art, particularly the “Wynwood Walls,” an outdoor museum showcasing large-scale works by renowned street artists.
Many of the murals contain cartoonish elements. The style of the figures in this mural is an example. The Monopoly-like character and the ice cream cone dollar sign are typical of many pop art and cartoon-like styles we saw on our trip through the Wynwood district. I will feature more of these beautiful murals in a future post.
For a time, Lynn and I owned this boldly colored Mustang. We used it to visit sights in Arizona. Early one morning, we headed out to explore a historic mine near Wickenburg. I filled the tank with gas before our trip, and I believe the sun decided to compete by showing bold colors of its own.
That’s all for this week! It’s been great fun looking at everyone’s take on the BOLD challenge, which is far more wide-ranging in subject than my limited take on colors.
I will host the challenge on Saturday, March 1, and it will go live at noon Eastern Standard Time. I am looking forward to seeing your responses to my challenge next week. If you’d like to start your own challenge-response but aren’t sure how check here.
John Steiner
Journeys with Johnbo 
A vibrant take on the BOLD challenge, John!
From neon signs to murals and even a boldly coloured Mustang, you’ve covered a wide spectrum of striking visuals. Looking forward to your challenge on March 1—it should be another colourful adventure!
Thanks, Philo!
Welcome, John.
Quite bold John, I like the street art and signs. A fabulous car to drive about
I do miss that car!
Love the flying saucer mural, John. You had fun finding these.
I wish I had more time to walk about the Wynwood district when we were there. Thanks, Jo!
I love neon signs and I think you’re the only one to feature them for this challenge. Excellent street art too, that would be a dream visit for me, John!
Thanks, Sofia! I expected to see more neon in the responses. They make a bold and colorful statement!
Me too!
There are a lot of BOLD pictures in this post John. I especially like the neon museum and your red mustang.
Great minds think alike with the BOLD graffiti! LOVE it.
Go bold, and you did! Excellent photos. I especially liked the street art you shared.
I wish I had a longer time to walk about the Wynwood district in Miami. There were so many beautiful murals that didn’t photograph well from a bus window.
The train mural takes it to a new level. Very highly developed technique. Thanks for these bold dashes of color and a muscle car.
I’m glad you like my selections, Rebecca!
Love the bold train mural, John! Wynwood, Florida did it right with their planned street art. Nice job capturing from the bus!
Thanks, Terri. It was quite a challenge and I left many photos unprocessed due to their lack of quality.
Great examples John. I love the murals and neon sign.
Thanks!
I adore bright colors, and art. The car and the photo with the alien spaceship are my favorite!
Thanks, Harmony!
[…] Lens-Artist Photo-Challenge John:…Bold […]
Great selections John. Graffiti and murals, single handedly support the global spray paint can industry. 🤷♂️😵💫
They do, indeed!
Love the street art, John! And you bold car…
Thanks, Ann-Christine!