In this post, I’ll venture further outside the city centre to explore some of Glasgow’s murals that grace buildings and gable ends away from the busy heart of the city.
Similar to the artworks in the city centre, new works are constantly springing up, while others are disappearing. Consequently, I’m aware that this post could quickly become outdated. However, some of these murals are likely to stand the test of time. So, I encourage you to see them in person while you still can. Meanwhile, I hope you enjoy my photographs. Let’s begin with a visit to the vet!
Beechwood Vets – Cat and Dog
Located on Glasgow Road in Baillieston, about 7 miles east of Glasgow City Center, Beechwood Vet Practice decided to bring some colour and charm to their surroundings in the wake of the COVID pandemic. They commissioned the talented Rogue One to transform a bare wall in their parking area, resulting in a light hearted mural bound to appeal to anyone. What I particularly love about this artwork is its three-dimensional perspective, making it hard to perceive the original flat surface the artwork was painted on..
There was a point initially where we thought it might be a bit frivolous, but we thought if it makes someone smile, and heaven only knows we need a smile, then I thought we should just do it.
Russell Lees, clinical director, Beechwood Veterinary Centre
St. Thenue
Just outside the city centre, on Abercromby Street, you’ll encounter a huge mural of St. Thenue (also known as St. Enoch), adorning the gable end of a building. A local housing association commissioned the mural, with artist Mark Worst delivering the stunning results. The artwork complements SMUG’s equally huge mural in the High Street, depicting St. Mungo’s mother.
The mural Illustrates St. Thenue being guided across the Firth of Forth by a Shoal of trout. The patterned shawl she wears features 29 motifs. These motifs are a tribute to the 29 Women who died in the 1889 Templeton factory disaster in which a wall collapsed onto a weaving shed. The workforce was composed almost entirely of East End Glasgow women and many were buried in the ruins.
Mark Worst, Artist
I wanted to include this photo (not my own) because it shows the artist on his cherry picker painting St. Thenue as the mural nears its completion. I’m still in awe of the ability to create these paintings on such a huge scale. Click or press the photo and it will take you to Mark’s blog, which contains more details about this mural, and more of his art.
‘Daffodil King’ Mural, Govan
Govan Housing Association decided to celebrate its 50th anniversary with a massive mural on Govan Road. The mural pays tribute to the ‘Daffodil King’ Peter Barr, who was born in the area, and is credited with bringing the daffodil back into fashion in the late 1800s. The mural, painted by SMUG, is typically huge, taking up the entire gable end of a four story building.
Every year since 1912, the Royal Horticultural Society’s Peter Barr Memorial Cup is awarded to individuals who have contributed significantly to the world of daffodils.
Behind the girl, SMUG has included the ocean liner Empress of Britain, launched in 1905 and built in Govan by the Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company. The girl was named Georgie in honour of Georgie Hay, a longstanding committee member of Govan Housing.
Merkland Court Murals, Partick
At Merkland Court, three gable ends once featured promotional murals for the 2014 Commonwealth Games. Yardworks, in consultation with Partick’s local community, decided to replace them with new artworks representing the cultural symbols of Partick. Artists Mark Worst and Voyder undertook this task, resulting in the remarkable murals showcased below.
Painted by London street artist Voyder, the mural above brings to life the cartoon characters Sheriff Lobey Dosser, evil baddie Rank Bajin, and Elfie, the ‘only two-legged horse in the west’.
Partick-born Bud Neill created the cartoon, which ran in the Evening Times in the 1940s and 50s. Bud went on to become one of Scotland’s greatest cartoonists. The dialogue drew heavily on the Glasgow vernacular and was often only comprehensible to Glaswegians. Despite this, his work has achieved cult status beyond Glasgow.
Voyder and Mark Worst collaborated on the central gable end wall to create a portrait of Merlin the magician, who according to writer Adam Ardrey, was from Partick. Inspired by classical images of Merlin, it uses lettering inspired by an old medieval alphabet book.
The third mural, by Mark Worst, depicts some of Partick’s colourful wildlife in a beautiful array of blues, purples, and pinks.
“The bright colour choices in general for Merlin and nature murals were chosen so they could be enjoyed by people of all ages, but mostly to inspire kids to want to be creative.”
Mark Worst, Artist
SWG3 and Yardworks
Moving further outside the city centre, you’ll discover SWG3 located at Eastvale Place in Glasgow’s West End. This area is well worth a visit, and features a plethora of vibrant and colourful murals, a few of which are shown below.
As part of the Glasgow Riverside Innovation District (GRID) project, SWG3 will soon sit at the heart of a striking graffiti and street arts district, illuminating the neighbouring communities of Partick, Yorkhill and Govan with an open-air gallery trail of large-scale murals.
SWG3 Website
One of the days I visited was exceptionally sunny, which isn’t ideal for photography. Despite these challenges, I’ve still managed to capture a few photos.
Christopher “Sake One” Kinney created this mural for the 2019 Yardworks Festival.
I loved this building adorned with colourful murals, including the octopus, which you can partially see at the right hand side. The sky really was that colour, I haven’t over-saturated! Strong shadows cast by the railway arches immediately behind Eastvale Street reveal the brightness of the day.
Voyder’s impressive mural really stood out, I just wish I knew who is depicted and why he’s holding what looks like a Glasgow underground train! My limited knowledge of art history suggests it’s an allusion to classical portraiture. The challenging lighting situation, with the sun beaming directly behind the canvas, compelled me to get up close and look up.
I don’t know who the artist is, but I like this cartoon-ish bandit.
The mural above celebrates National Playlist Day 2023. Yardworks collaborated with the charity Playlist for Life to raise awareness of the power of personalised music playlists for people living with dementia. Artist Molly Hankinson engaged with individuals living with the condition, integrating their ideas and favourite music into the mural’s design.
I like this one by Bmore Sketchy, aka Steve Blackmore, who is an artist and designer from Erskine. A few people brought their cars to be photographed in front of the mural when I was there.
Eastvale Street
The mural on the right hand side of the building above is by Irish street artist Aches and depicts fellow artist Mark Worst. The left hand design is by KMG, a Scottish artist, illustrator, printer and painter. Note the Grandmaster Flash artwork to the right of the photo, created ahead of his concert at SWG3.
Railway Arches
Adjacent to SWG3 Yardworks, the railway arches line the Clydeside Expressway. Thanks to a collaborative effort between SWG3 and Network Rail, these arches have been transformed into vibrant canvases adorned with playful murals. It’s worth noting that these artworks undergo periodic updates, so some of the pieces showcased here may have already been replaced by new creations.
Glasgow artist Barry Jenkins (better known as Barry the Cat) created the mural in the photo above..
That wraps up part 2 of our mural adventure. I’m sure I’ll be revisiting this ever-evolving art scene as I come across new murals worth capturing. I hope you’ve found these artworks as engaging as I have. If you’re craving more visual inspiration from Glasgow’s murals, be sure to explore the gallery below for some additional photos.
Interesting stuff. I confess to not being aware of the street art scene in Glasgow!