Part of the joy of discovering new places is to meander without any fixed itinerary, and taking the time to notice and enjoy the place’s smaller details that make up life there, taking in the atmosphere and talking to people. The beauty of street art is that you find it in the most unexpected places, often returning life to what were run down or dingy areas – it invariably puts a smile on my face due to either its message or humour, often both.

Glasgow has been a revelation to both of us but this post is solely about its street art which has been fun finding.

The most impressive mural to me is the one by Smug, Sam Bates, in what was once a delapidated car park, depecting all sorts of local ‘residents’ found in parks and green spaces, as if appearing through cracks in the wall, throughout the seasons. The longer I spent looking at it, the more detail I found, right down to the identical reflection of the church facing the wall in the squirrel and wolf’s eyes and the berry on the ground which the blue tit is eyeing.

Glasgow seasonal residents

Autumn residents, mural, Glasgow

Close up of Autumn

Winter residents, mural

Spring

Summer fright!

This fun one of a taxi floating at the end of a bunch of colourful balloons is so detailed, the artist, Rogue-One, even painted the bricks onto the brick wall! Thank you to all the drivers who stopped to give me space to step back and photograph this taxi in the narrow lane way.

Balloon Taxi mural by Rogue-One, Glasgow

Alleyways, underpasses, whole sides of buildings, Glasgow is rich in street art, commemorating famous but also every day people or activities.

Girl with magnifying glass, by Smug (Sam Bates)

Celebrating sustainable energy, by Rogue-One and Art-Pistol, 2014 – Glasgow

Celebrating sustainable energy, by Rogue-One and Art-Pistol, Glasgow

Cranston House entrance

Are Ye Dancing,, Cranston House, Glasgow

“Dr Connelly I presume”

Billy Connolly 75th birthday , by Rogue-One, Glasgow

Glasgow’s tiger by Klingatron and Art Pistol

The Clutha bar, Glasgow celebrating local patrons and Architect Charles Rennie Macintosh

Woman in black, Glasgow

Woman in black, Glasgow

Spaceman by Recoat and Ali Wylie, Glasgow

Badminton player Kieran Merrilees as part of the 2014 Commonwealth games

Part of the 2014 Commonwealth games, outside Partick train station, Glasgow

Glasgow Royal College of Science & Technology

Glasgow Royal College of Science & Technology

Glasgow Royal College of Science & Technology

Glasgow Royal College of Science & Technology

St Enoch cradling her beloved Mungo, by Smug, Glasgow

Close up of Mungo clutching his mother

Saint Mungo’s robin which he brought back to life

Saint Mungo, by Smug – 2016

Saint Mungo mural, Glasgow

A history of transport mural

Squirrel near Kelvin River

Hand shadow puppetry mural, Glasgow

Hand shadow puppetry mural, Glasgow

I always love looking back when visiting a place or travelling generally, as it gives a different perspective or at times reveals a new mural. I wonder which mural will turn out to be your favourite.

If you enjoy street art too, I wrote blog posts on street art in George Town – Malaysia, in Santiago – Chile and in Reykjavik – Iceland.

– Anne