Get Rebellious with this Moss Graffiti Guide

Get Rebellious with this Moss Graffiti Guide

Art isn't meant to be celebrated just in museums! Create precious, sustainable moments of living art with the tips to making Moss Graffiti below. Picture walking down the street and seeing a span of growing artwork mossed onto a wall, or inside your house or on a building.

It isn't just pretty, it's good for you and about as low maintenance as it gets.

If you're looking for some peaceful new decor to bring a relaxed vibe into your home or an outlet for your rebellious spirit, moss art might just be the way to go!

 

DIY-MOSS-Graffiti-colonial-house-of-flowersCREDIT: STREET ART UTOPIA, Carly Schmitt

Moss Graffiti – Living Artwork

The cool thing about moss graffiti (also called eco-graffiti or green graffiti) is that it is living. Different from spray paint, paint-markers or paints moss "paint" can grow on it's on. It is living, fresh and considered guerrilla gardening.

Traditional graffiti usually has a negative impact on communities as many people see it as vandalism. This  new style of graffiti has been spreading through cities around the world, turning brown, white, or dull brick walls into greener, brighter, and more alive spaces for people to see. 

 

 

moss-graffitt-instagram
SEE MORE: DIFFERENCE IS HAPPY

 

Organic-Art-Moss-Everbloom-MemphisSEE MORE: EVERBLOOM DESIGN MEMPHIS

Find Inspiration

Now you know if you thought graffiti was limited to spray paint, it's time to think again. You're ready to embrace this phenomena. So, where can you find inspiration? Actually, Instagram and TikTok are a great resource. Simply refer to the hashtag #MossGraffiti for a look at some incredibly detailed, organic artwork from around the world. 

The ones above are some of my favorites. 

The Art of Moss Graffiti and How to Do it Yourself CREDIT: THURSD.

According to The Art of Moss Graffiti and How to Do it Yourself on Thursd, artists "create graffiti using moss, which is completely harmless to buildings. These creative artists create a paint-like mixture of moss and other ingredients and paint it on vertical surfaces using stencils or creating art freehand."

the-art-of-moss-graffiti-and-how-to-do-it-yourself/CREDIT: MOSS GRAFFITI, LIVING ART

 

Does it Really Grow?

Absolutely! We know from making chairs and moss boards in the flower shop that it works. There are lots of DIY articles and videos showing how to make it in the blender. I have never tried the blender but you simply mix the moss with yogurt, water, buttermilk, some people add in beer and corn syrup you can create a paste that can be applied with a brush.

We've been doing this for years to terra-cotta pots for a "timeless" look that makes them looked aged. I have also made a moss wall in Savannah, Georgia for a fashion photoshoot for Paprika Southern Magazine (image below). Ralph Cowart from Southern Manor Retirement Inn commissioned a rectangular moss unit for their Alzheimer's hall. The residents love the a multi-sensory artwork. 

Unlike living plant walls, which we are really into too, moss walls don't need light and water. Often they natural preservatives replace their moisture making it the perfect green solution for busy people on the go, artists who want their work to live on it's own  and outdoor spaces or rooms starved of natural light.

 

moss-art-graffitti-colonial-house-of-flowersSEE: CHOF MOSS ART IN SPRING FASHION IN BLOOM, PAPRIKA SOUTHERN MAGAZINE

MOSS-WALL-CHAIR-COLONIAL-HOUSE-OF-FLOWERSSEE: CHOF ART WALL IN SPRING FASHION IN BLOOM, PAPRIKA SOUTHERN MAGAZINE 

Here is a Moss Art Recipe 

1 or 2  handful of moss
2 cups of yogurt (or buttermilk, if you like)
2 cups of water
Half a teaspoon of sugar

 

Step 1
Wash moss to removing as much soil from the roots as you can
Step 2
Break the moss into small pieces and put in a bowl or blender
Step 3
Add buttermilk or yogurt, and the water (Note: some people add sugar here)
Mix until smooth
It needs to be a paint-like texture, almost a paste just not as thick. If it is too runny it will drip when painting your design. If it's too thick, add corn syrup 
Step 4
Use a paint brush to apply the moss-paint to the surface
Step 5
If possible, check on your design weekly to either apply more moss-paint or to encourage growth by spraying with water. (This is more likely in a dry climate.)

 Moss-Art-Japanese-RoadCREDIT: JAPAN TODAY

Moss Graffiti History 

Moss as street graffiti and as home wall art may be trending now but it's history goes back a long way. For example, monks in Japan have grown moss walls in temples for thousands of years to quiet the mind and create the sensation of expansiveness. 

Moss wall art may be a hot new home decor trend, but its history goes back many years. According to Inhabitat, monks in Japan have grown moss walls in temples for thousands of years, as the gentle green facade helps to quiet the mind and create "the sensation of expansiveness."

 

GROW-MOSS-GRAFFITI-Credit: Anna GarforthCREDIT: ANNA GARFORTH, CREATIVE BOOM 

Other Guerrilla Gardening Warfare Examples

Seed bombs and shotgun shell sprouts are other weapons in guerrilla warfare for urban gardenistas and green street artists. Moss graffiti is an excellent tool because it can quickly created and adapted to make statements indoors and outdoors, too. 

 

 

Moss-Graffati-Artist
CREDIT: 13 INCREDIBLE EXAMPLES OF MOSS GRAFFITI AND HOW TO CREATE YOUR OWN

 

MOSS-ARTCREDIT: MOSS GRAFFITI, HONESTLYWTF

 

 

Moss-Graffitti-Art-Colonial-House-of-Flower-Home-and-garden-Decor
CREDIT: INHABITAT 

 

In summary, Moss graffiti is awesome. This refreshing new form of street art is replacing spray paint with greenery and as a fan of art in public spaces and unexpected organic art at home, I can't wait to see this become more popular. If you know us, then you know we've been moss obsessed for years. 

And if you’re interested in creating moss art yourself, check out this box of Mood Moss and Living Wall Moss Frame to get started! 

 

YOU MAY LIKE: 

 

SHOP-COLONIAL-HOUSE-OF-FLOWERS-MOSS
SHOP: MOOD MOSS BOX

 

MOOD-MOSS-HOME-DECOR-COLONIAL-HOUSE-OF-FLOWERS-ORGANIC-LIVING-PLANT-GARDEN-DESIGN
SHOP: MOOD MOSS FRAME, BOBO

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