Guess What? Not All Street Art is Banksy

This may come as a surprise to many of you, but not all street art is "a Banksy." Even if it has a whimsical saying attached to it about optimism in the modern age, or a child done in black and white shaded drawing depicted doing something sweet. Even if you think it's one, or really wish it's one on the wall of that place down that street.There's one piece that's been popping up around Los Angeles for the past six or so months that people really like to think is "a Banksy." It's a little girl holding a bucket writing with the words "You're Never Too Young to Dream BIG" in hot pink seemingly coming from her chalk.

In December 2011, the street art blog Melrose and Fairfax spotted one on, appropriately, Melrose, and attributed it to Mr. Brainwash (aka MBW). Not surprisingly, MBW was about to open his big ol' art show. And he's been known to have an affiliation with the elusive British street artist himself.

So much of one, in fact, that there's been some speculation (largely debunked/hotly debated/mostly joking) that Banksy was Mr. Brainwash or vice versa, largely stemming from the hype and mystery that was the Oscar-nominated "Exit Through the Giftshop" film.

From Melrose and Fairfax:

Oh, by the way: Not a Banksy.

The same piece was spotted in Westwood earlier this month, a couple of months earlier near Runyon Canyon, and just this week in Larchmont.

The latter (which also came into our email tip box this week, was researched, and deemed not a Banksy) really had Larchmont Buzz a-buzz. They giddily write:

"And if you know anything about Banksy, it’s kind of cool that he was here…and gone," they conclude. Actually, if you know anything about Banksy, it's that this isn't his work. But hey! It's fun to imagine the hoodied Brit stealthily getting his art and message up after creeping past Larchmont's cute little indie shops increasingly corporate chain stores.