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WEBVTT SEARCH FOR GREEN THUMB BEHINDTHE FLOWERS.TOM: YOU CAN FIND THEM SPROUTINGUP FROM WALLS AND COVERINGWINDOWS, PAINTING ON FENCES ANDAT STATE LAST.THIS BIZARRE TAG IS CATCHINGEYES AND DRAWN ATTENTION, BOTHGOOD AND BAD.CLERICS IF YOU ARE GOING TO SEEGRAFFITI AROUND, AT LEAST IT ISSOMETHING NICE TO LOOK AT.TOM: IT WASN'T SO NICE AT THENAKED LOUNGE COFFEE SHOP.>> I THINK THAT IT'SDISRESPECTFUL.I MEAN THIS IS AN OLD HISTORICBUILDING YOU KNOW AND IT'S RIGHTON OUR PROPERTY AND ON OURWINDOW.TOM: IT'S OFTEN CHALLENGING FORINVESTIGATORS TO IDENTIFYGRAFFITI ARTISTS WITHOUT VIDEOOR WITNESS ACCOUNTS. >> OFTEN TIMES, THOSE PEOPLE AREDOING IT UNDER THE COVER OFDARKNESS OR IN TIMES WHEN THEREARE NOT PEOPLE THERE TO SEETHEMTOM: THERE IS A POPULAR STREETARTIST IN NEW YORK KNOWN FORPAINTING FLOWERS, BUT WE CHECKEDWITH HIM, AND THESE AREN'T HIS.THAT ARTIST, MICHAEL DE FEOCREATES STREET ART BOTH SIMPLEAND BEAUTIFUL.>> SOMEBODY HAS DECIDED TO COPYTHAT IMAGE AND DO IT IN ARECKLESS WAY.TOM: DAVID SOBON IS THE FOUNDEROF THE WIDE OPEN WALLS MURALFESTIVAL, WHICH IS IN PARTDESIGNED TO COVER WALLS GRAFFITIARTISTS TYPICALLY TAG.>> IF WE CAN CREATE A BEAUTIFULPIECE OF ART ON THAT WALL THECHANCES OF IT BEING HIT BYGRAFFITI AGAIN ARE PRETTY SLIMTOM FIGHTING HARMFUL TAGGING

Advertisement Graffiti or art? Painted flowers pop up around Sacramento Two flowers were etched into a Midtown business's window Share Shares Copy Link Copy

A graffiti artist has tagged multiple areas around Midtown Sacramento with what appears to be flowers.And while they're not particularly beautiful, nor are they very ugly -- they are illegal. This bizarre tag is catching eyes and drawing attention, both good and bad."I think it’s pretty, personally," Midtown resident Amanda Gallagher said. "If you’re going to see graffiti around, at least it’s nice to look at."However, the tagging appeared to cross the line after the Naked Lounge coffee shop had two flowers etched into its windows."I think that it’s disrespectful," employee Shari Simpson said. "I mean this is an old historic building, and it’s right on our property and on our window."At the end of the day, the flowers are graffiti -- not sanctioned art. It’s often challenging for Sacramento police investigators to identify graffiti artists without video or witness accounts. The culprit has the luxury of being able to pick the time and place they want to commit the vandalism."Oftentimes, those people are doing it under the cover of darkness or in times when there are not people there to see them," Sgt. Matthew McPhail said. "There can be some difficulty in trying to identify who is responsible."While graffiti used to be associated with gang activity, McPhail said nowadays, tags are often the work of upcoming artists trying to make a name for themselves.There is a popular street artist in New York known for painting flowers named Michael De Feo. However, KCRA 3 checked with him, and a representative said De Feo isn't responsible for the Sacramento flowers."Ensure it's clear that the graffiti that's popping up in Sacramento is not Michael's work," wrote the studio director.The organizer of Sacramento’s mural festival Wide Open Walls, David Sobon, said they’re working to paint legitimate art throughout the city in an effort to help deter graffiti. "If we can create a beautiful piece of art on that wall, the chances of it being hit by graffiti again are pretty slim," Sobon said.The mural festival brings in artists from around the world into Sacramento to paint art on building walls throughout downtown and midtown Sacramento. It runs from August 10 to 20.