Rural Scotland lit up by stunning street art

Artists Will Barras and Amy Winstanley take a break from painting an old barn at East Knockbrex Farm, near Newton Stewart. Picture: Colin Hattersley

HOUSES, barns, and industrial buildings across rural southern Scotland have been transformed by murals from some of Europe’s top street artists.

A large hay shed near Newton Stewart, a former electricity sub-station at Stranraer and a pottery in Meikle Dyke have all been transformed with huge multi-coloured artworks.

Iain Service, owner of the Newton Stewart shed, said: “I have a real sentimental attachment to this barn, it’s been here all my life and I remember stacking the hay in there on hot summer days when I was a boy. But it had reached the end of its life and I was about to knock it down when I heard of Rural Mural.

“I thought this would be a great way to give it a big send off, a real final party. I’ve encouraged the artists to be as bold and bright as they want so the old hayshed can really say something – make a big statement – before it finally goes. It deserves a final fling!

The artworks are part of the Spring Fling Rural Mural project, led by Amy Whiten and Ali Wyllie of Glasgow street art and graffiti gallery Recoat.

Whiten said: “We’ve got an amazing combination of nationally and internationally-known street artists working with some incredibly talented people from the region to create the murals – and the results are fantastic.”

Leah Black, Spring Fling Director, said: “Spring Fling is all about bringing art to the widest possible audience, and there couldn’t be a better way of doing it than Rural Mural. It’s colourful, fun and something that everyone can enjoy. We hope the murals will be a real attraction for visitors to the region, especially during the Spring Fling open studios weekend.”

A grain silo, a set of aircraft fuel tanks and a horse blanket are among the next pieces to be worked on by artists.