2017 is the third year of Waterford Walls festival. They say there are 40 artists working in the streets, some names are already familiar from the previous years. This year’s festival hosts artists from five continents – Australia, both Americas, Africa and Europe.
In the picture below: Sarah Jane Hanton, Visual media and event manager, and Gabe McGuinness, Assistant project manager.
I start with the New Street Gardens, a temporary community park built on the derelict site in 2014. Edel Tobin, founder of the Gardens, is also the founder of the Waterford Walls festival. There is plenty of wall space for artists and their projects. My opening image is the work of Caoilfhionn Hanton, 19 years old artist from Tramore, Waterford. Caoilfhionn is a veteran of Waterford Walls.
(Click on the images to enlarge them if you want to see more details)
These Love Hearts are the work of Kevin Bohan , Ireland.
Louise McKenna, Waterford based artist.
SHUK , Ireland.
ADOR, Fance, and SHUK.
I am leaving the Gardens and walk up the hill, in direction to the Barrack Street. There I find a few more works.
ADOR, France. The Cloud. I love this character 🙂
OMIN, from Dundalk, Ireland.
The side wall of Bobby’s Bar is particularly loved by artists. This time there is a stunning work of SONNY , British born artist based in South Africa. Electric Fury!
I turn to the Major’s Walk.
ANIMALITO LAND, brilliant artist Graciela Gonçalves Da Silva from Argentina.
Looking down to Stephen Street I see another work. CRUINNIU WALLS – Louisa Donnelly & Ciara McKenna, Ireland.
I walk down the hill again, but cannot get a closer picture because of the parked cars. Next to CRUINNIU’s work, I see the Irish graffiti godfather RASK, from Drogheda, giving a lesson (workshop?) to a lone student.
There is another work of SHUK in Michael Street.
It had been raining almost every day during the festival. Some artists from ‘dry’ countries had a hard time in Waterford helplessly watching paint drip down their works. The artists from the Emerald Island were not bothered.
VERZ, artist based in Belfast, working away in the rain.
I am heading to the Patrick Street where, according to the Festival map, I will find SMUG and FIVE8 working on their projects. No such luck, but I see another artist who has just started working. It is Jonny McKerr, or JMK, from Belfast.
The artist works in a steady pace, regardless of the weather.
This is the final image. Beautiful.
James Earley’s work still stays unfinished.
Thank you for taking the tour around Waterford Walls. You might love to visit Graffiti Lux and Murals blog by Resa McConaghy from Toronto, Canada and enjoy the ephemeral art of murals.
More works in my next blog post.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Making memories 
mindblowing stuff
Thank you!
How beautiful; and what a pleasure that must have been to host all those talented people. I had to have a little giggle regarding ‘paint dripping’ due to the weather; and yet even those with a little ‘drip’ are still fabulous! Thank You for a wonderful post, Inese.
Thank you so much for your comment, Carolyn. We had a wicked weather that weekend, and many paintings have those long streaks of paint all over the place 🙂 It doesn’t make the paintings look worse. Just adds to the story 🙂
My favorite walls were the corner trees, dark background with vibrant designs popping out! 😊 xo 💕
Yes, this one was stunning xx ❤
This street art is splendid, and I’m so pleased to see it encouraged.
Thank you so much Sarah! Yes, it is even sponsored. Most of the artist have sponsors among the local businesses.
This is such a great way to “humanize” a city.
Yes, indeed. Now all the grey cement walls have a name 🙂
Reblogged this on sherriemiranda1 and commented:
I think this was in Ireland. Very cool art! Art for the people! 😉 ❤
Peace, love & Art for all,
Sherrie
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Amazing photos of amazing art. Well captured!
Thank you! there are some big names there. I will post the other one soon.
Sure beats graffiti.
Thank you!
Fantastic works, thanks for sharing these. Do they paint over previous work directly or is it an ever increasing collection in town?
Thank you! They sometimes paint on the previous year’s work, but some paintings stay since 2015. I think it has something to do with the agreement between the artist and the city.
Incredible images and incredible art! I am constantly amazed at how much goes on in your part of the world! It is always so much fun to see what is happening through your camera!
Thank you so much! Yes, a lot is going on here in summer 🙂 Waterford Walls is a new festival and there is plenty to work on.
At the end of your kaleidoscopic post on Waterford Walls, you have used the word ‘ephemeral’ for murals. Aren’t they spectacular like flowers, then, and as enchanting?
Thank you for your comment. Most of the murals are short-living. Imagine putting in so much work and soul, and see them disappear forever. Some works are created in the early hours of morning and painted over by authorities in the afternoon 🙂 Of course our festival works stay longer, but some of the last-years works are already gone, repainted by another artist.
Ooooo, I always love the creativity of these walls! Such imagination that people can express….jealous once again! 🙂
Thank you! 🙂 We have got many splendid works this year.
Magical and inspiring as ever…:)
Thank you! The city looks so much nicer.
Wonderful talent and presentation! What a joy it must be to have such festivals available. g
Absolutely stunning, amazing and impressive! I do love Street Art 🙂
Those artists are fantastic!
Ciao
Sid
Stunning murals! So much art around you – your head must be buzzing with inspiration, Inese! 😄
Wish you a beautiful and creative week! 😄😘xxxxxxxxx
Thank you Sarah! It was a busy time, and the rain didn’t help at all 😦 If the weather was dry, everything would go according to my plan, but in fact everything went different. It took the artists much longer to finish their paintings, and some were left unfinished 😦 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Wonderful work – from you as well. The parked cars problem forced you to give the wall context
Thank you Derrick! There is one mural with lovely swans, but it is always obstructed by cars. I will have to wait for an opportunity.
Absolutely wonderful art. It reminds me so much a France.
More photographs tonight. It is a great addition to our gray walls.
Heavens, that sounds like a lot of work, Inese. I can’t say I like all of it but there are some magical works. I especially love your last image, and that cheeky chappy at the start. 🙂 🙂
Thank you so much! The cheeky boy is the artist’s younger brother, I guess 🙂 More works in my blog post tonight. xx