As you walk through the back alleys of the Fort Sanders area of Knoxville, you realize it is home to more than just college students and homeless people. These overgrown alleys are a showcase of a secret art form that is generally misunderstood: graffiti.

Graffiti typically has a bad connotation. Gangs do graffiti. Delinquents do graffiti. It's illegal. It's a way to mark territory and promote violence and intolerance. However, some of these spray painted murals aren't the labor of gang members; they're created by artists who just want to spread their work to the general public.

Nate Owens, 21, is a resident of Fort Sanders. He is a painter and an admirer of the local art. He spoke of it with a great passion.

"Graffiti is a means of expression," he explained. "One of the best things a graffiti artist can do is tag a train car. It's like taking your personal artwork and sending it out all across the country, spreading it around."

But there also are stationary pieces that are just as impressive. Grande Forest Alley, the alley between Forest Avenue and Grand Avenue in Fort Sanders, is home to one of the most original works of spray paint art.

Located across Twentieth Street from the Crowne at Campus Pointe apartment complex, Grande Forest Alley is a huge painted mural, depicting a man-horse hybrid in a sandy, desolate environment scattered with dying trees. The signature seems to read, Name, for the artist who created this masterpiece.

You see this blank, bland wall and think 'why not use that blank canvas to express myself?' NoisePerhaps you have heard of Banksy, one of the world's most famous current graffiti artists. A native of Britain, his pieces scatter the globe from London to New York City to the West Bank. His works satirize politics and life.

Some call him a guerrilla artist; even Time Magazine tells the story of him sneaking his own version of the Mona Lisa, donning a yellow smiley face, into the Louvre. One of his most famous works of art in New York City depicts a rat adorned with a tie, an umbrella and a briefcase full of money, with text that reads, "Let them eat crack," a jab at the large difference between wealth and poverty.

While most of the graffiti in Fort Sanders is not exactly mocking society, it still follows the basic principle of self expression. Laurel High School, located at the corner of Laurel Avenue and Sixteenth Street, is home to many of Fort Sanders' artists. The school's bus and garage both have large, impressive graffiti tags. One person preferring to go by his tag, Noise, mentioned the inspiration for his artwork.

"You see this blank, bland wall and think 'why not use that blank canvas to express myself?'" he said. "Why paint on an easel in the park when you could put it up for everyone to see? Whether it's a hand style, burner or throw up, it's still art. It's just all about getting it out there for everyone."

He also explained the thrill of tagging. Usually, the artists only have about 15 to 20 minutes to finish their piece, and somebody must keep watch the entire time. If it looks like someone is heading in their direction, the lookout yells and everyone flees. After an hour or two, if the coast is clear, they will return to finish their artwork.

There is graffiti all over the world, yet it is still a very underground practice. Many of the artists who actually take the time to do graffiti are talented and have a deep passion for their work. Whether they're drawing their full tag, called a "burner," a mural or a stencil, they are still expressing themselves and their beliefs for all of the public to see. If you're walking through the Fort, keep an eye out for its hidden masterpieces.