Original Message ----------------------------
Subject: Thankyou
From: "Karen"
Date: Tue, April 7, 2009 6:51 am
To: booking@melbournestreettours.com
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Dear Mike and Doyle and fellow artists of Blender Studio;

Thank you for an informative and inspiring day. I really enjoyed the tour,
unlike the jounalist in the Herald sun stating 'hours of trudging', it
felt more like flying - time. I also appreciated talking to you and fellow
artists, Drew, Haha (everybody!) and seeing your bustling haven of
creativity.

Thank you once again,
Karen (Kaaren)

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We met at Federation Square. There were seven of us including two guides. The guides were young and were quite recognisable as street artists.

Monkey, a world-renowned street artist, and Adrian Doyle, a published street art historian and Director of the Blender Studio complex, began the tour with a brief discussion about the architecture of Federation Square and the history of the site as a prominent street art location in the early Melbourne street scene.
The guides then led our group to a hotspot in the scene, Hosier lane. With their depth of local knowledge, Doyle and Monkey revealed all the art and history of the area. From early illegal graffiti works through to commissioned graffiti pieces for the vibrant restaurant and bar scene that has linked itself with this movement. Also, close by is the Citylights Project, which operates from this precinct.

Until Never Gallery, in an adjacent lane, was our next destination. On show was Kill Pixie an international renowned gallery and street artist. In the same complex we visited a number of artist’s studios, many of whom have made the successful transition from the street to the art gallery.

The tour then continued through a myriad of creative mazes, galleries and laneways. Both, Monkey and Doyle showed examples of their own street work! We had an insiders view on every thing from the art to the best coffee house. The quality of the street art was mind blowing.

Coffee break was an outdoor bar/café, called Section 8. While we were there we bumped into more street artists executing a large scale mural for a local business. Doyle introduced us and we discussed their working methods and philosophies on street art, which I found extremely insightful and revealing of a very elusive and sometimes secretive art movement.
Through a maze of back ally’s we were introduced to more stunning art en` route to the Blender Studios.
Blender is an amazing space, credited for being at the centre of the early street art movement, with a complex of about 12 studios many of them filled with Australia’s best street artists. Including; Ha Ha, Drewster and Vexta.
Manny artists were working as Doyle gave the tour of the Studios, the Blender Laneway Street Art project and Michael Koro Galleries. We got to talk to the artists as they were making their work.

At the culmination of the tour we enjoyed a beer, wine, coffee or tea in the studios, (I personally shared a beer with Ha Ha!) and we were able to see his work in progress and latest creations! 

This is a really unique tour. I felt like I was getting insight into a secret world. It was extremely interesting and the tour guides were great guys, with such in depth knowledge of this very unique and influential scene.

Benjamin Steel - Street art lover