TOLEDO, OH (WTOL) - So here's a question for you.
When is graffiti art and when is it vandalism?
A group of artists have gathered in Toledo this weekend to give us their answer.
Their urban canvas is a building along Adams Street next to Manos Greek Restaurant.
Rob Lawson has a full-time job is in custom home décor.
But he's occasionally commissioned by businesses to get out his spray paint and tag a building.
"Letters on a wall. That's graffiti. It's being in the moment and enjoying what we're doing while we're representing a culture," said Mr. Lawson.
Graffiti can give blighted areas new colorful life.
But artists realize tagging can be a negative nuisance to a community.
Their message this weekend is that graffiti is good but only legal when you have the permission of a building owner.
"If I can continue to build more permission walls I can take those kids out of graffitiing illegally and put them in a safe environment," said graffiti artist Chad Watt.
Keith Sodapop came from Chicago.
He says it's important for graffiti artists to get out in the community in order to gain acceptance.
"It's always good to get in contact, have a relationship with people who have the property to be able to paint and establish a good relationship with doing murals," said Mr. Sodapop.
It's good advice when a wall is your canvas and a neighborhood your landscape.
