The Saturday market on Portobello Road in London is one of those fun experiences that everyone should have.  A long leisurely stroll will lead you through antiques, junk, collectibles, food, street art, street performers, and lots of people watching!  

From the Balzer Designs Blog: A Visit To Portabello Road
From the Balzer Designs Blog: A Visit To Portabello Road From the Balzer Designs Blog: A Visit To Portabello Road
From the Balzer Designs Blog: A Visit To Portabello Road
From the Balzer Designs Blog: A Visit To Portabello Road
Perhaps because I lived in New York City for so long, I find the hustle and bustle of an outdoor urban market incredibly exciting.  So much visual stimulation — colors, shapes, text, and icons.

Some things to take away from these photos:

  • Check out the masterful shadowing of the train car windows in the last graffiti photo.  Simple and effective.
  • Mixing of fonts in a single sign. From printed signs to street art, everything that grabbed my attention had a mixture of fonts.
  • Hand painted clothing — from shoes to hoodies.  You can do that yourself!
  • Art is everywhere!  Are you looking up?  Down?  Really observing as you walk down the street?
  • Businesses are using a lot of "street art style" art on their businesses.  This is a great opportunity for artists to make a living.
  • Humor is a powerful thing.  I recently listened to a podcast talking about "adding value" to people's lives and humor was listed as a value.  I see it all over these photos.
  • Red, red, red!  Almost every single one of these photos has red in it.  Does that mean that red is an overused color or does that mean I'm attracted to red and so I took photos when I saw it?

What are you taking away from these photos?

Thanks for stopping by!

Julie Fei-Fan Balzer

Based outside of Boston, Julie Fei-Fan Balzer is a painter, printmaker, and collage artist who constructs vibrant compositions. Her artwork investigates the interplay of identity and perception, inviting viewers to take a longer look. Julie works in layers, both physically and metaphorically, exploring what is visible and what is concealed. Passionate about connecting with and inspiring other artists, she shares her expertise through in-person workshops and her online classroom at MyArtPractice.com. Julie's achievements include high-profile clients, multiple publications - including her book, “Carve Stamp Play” - and exhibits in New York City and throughout Massachusetts. She is a graduate of Brown University.

36 thoughts on “A Visit To Portabello Road

  • I just love seeing London through your eyes! I’m UK borna nd bred and have just come back from an arty trip to London. On your recommendation I had a birthday tea at the Rosewood Hotel – spectacular!!!!!!
    Thank you for your inspiration! <3

    Reply
  • I just love seeing London through your eyes! I’m UK borna nd bred and have just come back from an arty trip to London. On your recommendation I had a birthday tea at the Rosewood Hotel – spectacular!!!!!!
    Thank you for your inspiration! <3

    Reply
  • I just love seeing London through your eyes! I’m UK borna nd bred and have just come back from an arty trip to London. On your recommendation I had a birthday tea at the Rosewood Hotel – spectacular!!!!!!
    Thank you for your inspiration! <3

    Reply
  • I just love seeing London through your eyes! I’m UK borna nd bred and have just come back from an arty trip to London. On your recommendation I had a birthday tea at the Rosewood Hotel – spectacular!!!!!!
    Thank you for your inspiration! <3

    Reply
  • I just love seeing London through your eyes! I’m UK borna nd bred and have just come back from an arty trip to London. On your recommendation I had a birthday tea at the Rosewood Hotel – spectacular!!!!!!
    Thank you for your inspiration! <3

    Reply
  • I just love seeing London through your eyes! I’m UK borna nd bred and have just come back from an arty trip to London. On your recommendation I had a birthday tea at the Rosewood Hotel – spectacular!!!!!!
    Thank you for your inspiration! <3

    Reply
  • You’ve convinced me. I need to go. I also want to search out all the pockets of this in the US cities I visit; like the graffiti alley in Cambridge that you blogged and blogged. I’m in Boston a lot and I find that city very inspiring.

    Reply
  • You’ve convinced me. I need to go. I also want to search out all the pockets of this in the US cities I visit; like the graffiti alley in Cambridge that you blogged and blogged. I’m in Boston a lot and I find that city very inspiring.

    Reply
  • You’ve convinced me. I need to go. I also want to search out all the pockets of this in the US cities I visit; like the graffiti alley in Cambridge that you blogged and blogged. I’m in Boston a lot and I find that city very inspiring.

    Reply
  • You’ve convinced me. I need to go. I also want to search out all the pockets of this in the US cities I visit; like the graffiti alley in Cambridge that you blogged and blogged. I’m in Boston a lot and I find that city very inspiring.

    Reply
  • You’ve convinced me. I need to go. I also want to search out all the pockets of this in the US cities I visit; like the graffiti alley in Cambridge that you blogged and blogged. I’m in Boston a lot and I find that city very inspiring.

    Reply
  • You’ve convinced me. I need to go. I also want to search out all the pockets of this in the US cities I visit; like the graffiti alley in Cambridge that you blogged and blogged. I’m in Boston a lot and I find that city very inspiring.

    Reply
  • I think the color red is exciting! It did what it was supposed to do. It grabbed your attention!
    Great photos. Thanks for sharing !

    Reply
  • I think the color red is exciting! It did what it was supposed to do. It grabbed your attention!
    Great photos. Thanks for sharing !

    Reply
  • I think the color red is exciting! It did what it was supposed to do. It grabbed your attention!
    Great photos. Thanks for sharing !

    Reply
  • I think the color red is exciting! It did what it was supposed to do. It grabbed your attention!
    Great photos. Thanks for sharing !

    Reply
  • I think the color red is exciting! It did what it was supposed to do. It grabbed your attention!
    Great photos. Thanks for sharing !

    Reply
  • I think the color red is exciting! It did what it was supposed to do. It grabbed your attention!
    Great photos. Thanks for sharing !

    Reply
  • What a fun place to visit!

    Reply
  • What a fun place to visit!

    Reply
  • What a fun place to visit!

    Reply
  • What a fun place to visit!

    Reply
  • What a fun place to visit!

    Reply
  • What a fun place to visit!

    Reply
  • Thank you, Julie. Reminds me of past visits to Portobello Road and makes me look forward to more in future!
    Nothing wrong with RED, is there?

    Reply
  • Thank you, Julie. Reminds me of past visits to Portobello Road and makes me look forward to more in future!
    Nothing wrong with RED, is there?

    Reply
  • Thank you, Julie. Reminds me of past visits to Portobello Road and makes me look forward to more in future!
    Nothing wrong with RED, is there?

    Reply
  • Thank you, Julie. Reminds me of past visits to Portobello Road and makes me look forward to more in future!
    Nothing wrong with RED, is there?

    Reply
  • Thank you, Julie. Reminds me of past visits to Portobello Road and makes me look forward to more in future!
    Nothing wrong with RED, is there?

    Reply
  • Thank you, Julie. Reminds me of past visits to Portobello Road and makes me look forward to more in future!
    Nothing wrong with RED, is there?

    Reply

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