Menace to Masterpiece: Graffiti Artists Defy Stereotypes

Part of T.R.U.E. Skool’s mission involves preventing illegal graffiti through education. For aspiring artists, they hold how-to classes and abatement and juvenile offender programs that teach young adults the difference between vandalism and graffiti art. To Dollhausen, that difference lies in attaining permission and understanding the legalities of graffiti.

“This is an art form,” Dollhausen said. “Although there will always be the underground aspect to graffiti, what we teach is not about tagging or vandalism.”

Matthew Wisniewski/Curb
Free wall space for local graffiti artists, the Graffiti Mural Project, at Mother’s Fools Coffee House in Madison.

Jon Hain, the owner of Mother Fool’s Coffee House in Madison, said although the community was mainly supportive of his Graffiti Mural Project that provides free wall-space for local graffiti artists, some people had reservations

When the project began in 2001, he said a few area residents worried that allowing graffiti on the wall might spur vandalism elsewhere in the community. Contrary to their concerns, Hain said he noticed a decrease in illegal graffiti in the area since the introduction of the wall. According to Hain, if more businesses followed his lead, more communities would experience a reduction in the tagging that currently costs businesses money for removal.

“There are a lot of people who want to express themselves [through graffiti art], but it’s always a criminal activity,” Hain said. “As a way to prevent the [illegal] graffiti that we all agree is problematic, we should embrace the idea of having [free] walls all over the city.”

Hain, who said he has had a long-standing interest in public art, was introduced to Don Wettach, the original artist of the Mother Fool’s mural, through the local alderwoman, Judy Olsen. Hain had expressed interest in offering public graffiti space, and Wettach had approached Olsen, requesting a public place to display his work. The three of them met and began the Mother Fool’s Graffiti Mural Project.

Mother Fool’s graffiti wall rotates images as often as once a week to create a constantly changing mural on the side of the coffee shop. Since the first mural was painted, the wall has featured images ranging from political figures to the statue of liberty after September 11, 2001 to a birthday cake celebrating the fifth anniversary of the project. Each image is as uniquely meaningful and equally as stimulating as the other.

“I enjoy graffiti art,” Hain said. “Unfortunately, since its illegal, artists often don’t have time to develop their themes. Making it legal gives them a chance to really develop their art.”

Overall, Hain said he has received positive responses to the murals. Some fans have told him that they purposely walk by the wall as often as they can. Dollhausen said she sees this turning of gray walls into masterful works of art as playing a large role in community building.

“Graffiti can be a kind of community beautification,” she said. “It can play a role in improving the space we live in and getting young people involved in the community.”

Graffiti art, with its unique canvas, exaggerated characters and lettering that is sometimes virtually illegible to the untrained eye, is not exactly considered conventional art. However, Hain said part of what makes graffiti special is the fact that sometimes artists paint graffiti murals that people just plain don’t like.