People tend to see graffiti and vandalism as the same thing. However, there is a big difference. Spray paint on your door is vandalism because property has been defaced without permission. Graffiti, on the other hand, is an art form that can be legal if there is a place for it. That's what some artists are trying to provide.

It's often said art is in the eye of the beholder, but whether or not you find an image appealing it's hard to ignore the artistic elements found in this form of street art. Local Artist, Rachel Kaiser, explains graffiti artists “take the letters and they create art out of it. They create movement. They use color and pattern”.

This art form isn’t easy. Kaiser says, “lettering is pretty difficult. It’s actually one of the more difficult forms to do”. Lettering itself is difficult, but controlling the spray paint is also a challenge and leaning to use different size caps. It is also usually done free hand so you need to have a plan in mind before starting. On the other hand, one aspiring teen artist, Mark Hall, explains, “if you do mess up, you can always try and fix it. Not a lot of people can notice”.

Working on such a large surface is rare for many artists and is a skill set of its own adding to the challenge. It is particularly had when you have no place to fine tune your skills. These young artists see professional artists doing projects around town and want to join, but Kaiser explains, “if you want to play with the big girls and boys you got to practice”.

With nowhere to go, the Great Falls skate park has become an unofficial canvas for many young people. Yet, some practice their art legally. Hall says, “I do spray paint art which is basically planets on a poster board”. However it's not the same as being able to work on a large public surface. Hall says he would definitely expand his skill set if the opportunity was available.

Plus allowing these teens to use a public forum of expression will provide feedback to perfect their craft. Kaiser says, “other people get to see it and they get feedback from other people whether it’s positive or negative criticism, one encourages them, the other helps them improve”.

Kaiser is in discussions with the park board to legalize graffiti in the skate park so kids finally have a venue of their own. She says, “we have places for kids to play soccer all over town. I don’t see why we can’t have a place for kids to do artwork around town”.

Teens would need to submit a sketch to the board for approval to ensure the art is appropriate, but generally they would be free to express themselves. Hall feels, “if they don't have somewhere to do it where its legal, they're just going to do it somewhere where it’s illegal and they're just going to get in trouble and if there was somewhere to actually do it, kids will go there”.

For this to work, teens will need to accept more responsibility in exchange for the opportunity. Kaiser explains, “young kids like to use those (vulgar) images because they think it’s shocking and rebellious, but really it’s been done forever”. Hall says, “the people who tag stuff for no reason they make it so everyone who does it, it gives them a bad name”.

Providing a public place for legal graffiti art may not eliminate vandalism all together, but the goal is to help it decrease. In the meantime, the ones in it for the art could pursue a long life passion. Hal explains, “say like a tattoo artist or something you know, it gives you a mental view of what it is basically, like how you have to have the image in your mind. It could open a lot of careers if this got around”.

Kaiser is hopeful for a town meeting this spring to discuss legalizing graffiti in the skate park. Funding is one issue. She hopes to raise money to buy the supplies that are safe for skaters and bikers to ride on. It's also hopeful that other local artists will hop on board and help with the project and maybe turn it into a sort of apprenticeship program.