Wonder wall

 

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Candleriggs!  Isn’t that a nice name for a street?

I was heading back towards Glasgow’s Bus Station, trying to make the most of my diminishing time.  I knew that I was in the area of the old covered cheese and fruit markets, now developed into Merchant Square.  A quick ogle at the array of restaurants and it was time to move on.

The tip of a nose, and then an eye, caught my attention as I rounded the corner.  Across a gritty, scruffy, car-parking area I was looking at the most entrancing mural.  It covered the entire wall.

It told a whole and glorious story!

And told a whole and glorious story!

The call of the wild

The call of the wild

All of nature

All of nature

within a single whole

within a single whole

Don't you love this little creature?

Don’t you love this little creature?

And his sad-eyed friend

And his sad-eyed friend

Then there's this inquisitive creature!

Then there’s this inquisitive fellow!

Keeping a watchful eye

Keeping a watchful eye

A luminous

For berries?

Among the toadstools

While amongst the toadstools

The mushrooms lurk

The mushrooms lurk

And the gentle pink flowers

Amid gentle, pink flowers

I thought it was incredibly lovely and stood transfixed, wondering how and why it came to be here.  Then I squeezed between the cars, trying to capture the whole of it.  I left with a huge smile on my face on a dour Glasgow day.

Click on individual photos for a larger image.  I wish I could show you my wonder wall, but the best I can manage is a link to DiscoverGlasgow.org , courtesy of my good friend Jude .  Sam Bates, take a bow!

 

149 comments

  1. Well … almost speechless Jo 😉
    HOW on earth does one tackle a piece like this …
    Great photos you’ve shared !!!

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    1. Do you have some wall art in your posts so I can compare, Gallivanta? (just teasing, though I’d love to see it, if you do 🙂 ) It was such a surprise to me. I totally loved it.

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      1. No, I hadn’t 🙂 I was trying to think who else was posting wall art recently and it was Rommel.
        I’m over there admiring now. It’s that funny old blogging world again, isn’t it 🙂

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    1. I loved it, Smidge. A guy called Sam Bates is responsible. I’d never heard of him but that’s no surprise. There’s a link at the bottom of the post which shows the whole wall. Glad you could share it with me 🙂

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      1. I’m not an artistic type so this kind of thing really captures my imagination. I’m in awe of people who can visualize this and make it happen.

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  2. What treasures! The love and care put into telling this colorful story. I love it. So much. And I LOVE the name Candlerriggs. In fact, it could just make its way into my next novel . . .

    Blessings,
    ~ Cara

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  3. Wow! A wonder Wall this is indeed Jo! I love it, absolutely fantastic artwork. All my favourite British woodland scenes, even down to the red squirrel. Everything. Thanks so much for sharing it, you’ve made my day, really 🙂

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  4. That is the most realistic and captivating mural I have ever seen. Isn’t travel totally rewarding when you stumble across these unexpected treasures. Thank goodness for the digital camera.

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  5. A wonder wall indeed. Apparently painted by ‘Smug’
    “This piece was created during the Merchant City festival in 2013, and depicts the four seasons in a picturesque Scottish country scene, featuring an array of animals, including a polite nod to the infamous photobombing squirrel. The use of seasons is slightly ironic, as Glasgow often experiences these four seasons in one day.”

    http://www.discoverglasgow.org/murals-ingram-st-car-park/4579467044

    Clever you for discovering it! I think you have captured it very well.
    Jude xx

    now what is this ‘infamous’ photobombing squirrel?

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    1. Thank you so much for that, Jude. If I don’t do my Googling straight away it doesn’t happen! I’ll check out the link and then incorporate it into the post 🙂

      Now you’ll have to Google photobombing squirrel. Life!

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    1. Brilliant, isn’t it, Jill? Jude just kindly Googled for me so I’m going to put the link in to explain its origins. (which I should have done myself!) 🙂

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