Blackburn Open Walls

When I joined the walking tour last weekend, I got speaking to the guide about street art and she told me about Blackburn Open Walls, a festival that's been running for the last few years.

I decided to go this week as I won't have as much free time once I start my new job and what a day (and specific moment) I chose!  This is the third time I've turned up at a piece of street art/installation just as the artist has  finished their work.

I was admiring the beautiful image and noticed a man staring at it drinking a can of beer whilst leaning against the wall.  There was something about the way he was looking at it that made me think he was the artist - and he was!  He said he had just cleaned up and was having a drink to celebrate!  Funny to think I managed to turn up in the 10 minute window he was stood there!

I asked him if he wouldn't mind me taking a photo of him and he was very obliging.  He told me he was originally going to paint an angel on the wall and hired a water tank and an underwater model so he could try to replicate the movement as if she was flying.  The model apparently dived in backwards and he got the perfect image straightaway!  Little did he know when he planned the piece that the building used to be a swimming pool!  Difficult to see from my photo but the whole wall shimmers too.

I took hundreds of images and everywhere I went people were commenting on how beautiful the images were and pointing out directions to other pieces of street art.  A lady I was chatting to by this main image had been helping the artist and helpfully drew me a little map to find the rest of the street art.  She also told me about a Festival of Making on Saturday so I'm going to go back as I had such a lovely time.  I'm going to save one of my favourite pieces of street art till then when I can re-photograph it as Saturday will be my 365th blip!  I will definitely put more than 3 hours in the car park as I ran round Blackburn as quickly as I could with a swift 10,000 steps - and I still have so many more to find.

I'm certainly recognising the style of street artists now and know which ones also have work in Manchester.