A new mural has gone up in Stokes Croft painted by over 20 different artists in Bristol highlighting ‘hope, restoration and transformation’.
The main artist behind the project, Emma Holloway, believes the street art “connects to the bigger picture of what’s happening in Bristol".
It was created over a two week period and the first half was completed last year but due to coronavirus restrictions, the second half took longer than anticipated to finish.
The mural was commissioned by E5 church where you’ll spot the painting on the side of the building.
Emma, who will also be painting at Upfest next year, said: “Everyday it is seen by families who live nearby, NHS workers on their way to work, those living in the Compass, a homeless shelter next door, those enjoying the local music, art, restaurants and cafes in Stokes as well as visitors to Bristol from all over the world.
“The wall of multi-coloured, multi-faceted gemstones represent the diversity of E5 church and the worldwide church. It’s a big mix of cultures, races, ages, social classes and walks of life.”
The butterfly on the mural represents “metamorphosis and spiritual rebirth”.
They would like the art work to bring a “hope-filled vibe” to the area.
The team is urging members of the public to get involved with their work, take a picture with the interactive butterfly and post images on Instagram to help spread their message.
“We’ve had so many positive comments over the last year about how much people like what we’ve created from people saying it makes them feel happy just looking at it, to ‘It’s like a journey, like we’re all in process of transformation’”, Emma said.
