Murals Painted in Chelmsford for Concrete Canvas

Murals have been painted in Chelmsford as part of the Concrete Canvas festival. Dotted around the centre of the town, they add to street art already painted the year before.

This year several more locations received artworks. They included some major international names such as Thailand’s Alex Face and the American artist Shephard Fairey. Both were joined by the likes of D*FACE and My Dog Sighs, themselves some of the UK’s biggest street art stars.

Alex Face from Chelmsford creating his work in Chelmsford town centre

Festival in Chelmsford

Adding to the list, an impressive list of street artists and illustrators. Some creating walls and others painting as part of the closing event ‘paint jam’ taking place in the town centre. In total over 40 artists took featuring a mixture of street artists, designers and illustrators. The event itself, stemming from an idea by ‘The London Police’. Street artists who are themselves from Chelmsford.

Permanent Murals

These are the murals painted on established buildings and walls. The High Street gained three murals from Alex Face, D*Face and Morcky. Surrounding streets such as Market Road, Bond Street and Stonebridge Walk also got works added as did the facade of Chelmsford Market and the Multi Storey car park.

Alex Face – High Street

Alex Face is known for his baby character which he often paints with a ‘third eye’. It is inspired by his own daughter and his artworks will often contain a subtle environmental meaning

Aspire – Bond Street

Aspire is an artist known for his street art portraits of birds

Brave Arts – Market Road

Brave Arts portrait on the side of a toilet block on Market Road

DFace – High Street

One of the UK biggest street artists. D*Face is known for his pop art style.

Morcky – High Street

Morcky’s work above Allegro Music on the High Street

Mr Penfold – Market Road

Mr Penfold’s abstract patterns on the side of the toilet block on Market Street

My Dog Sighs – Chelmsford Market

An eye from My Dog Sighs. He has incorporated the logo of the Chelmsford market into this piece

My Dog Sighs will often paint a reflection in the centre of the eye. For this work in Chelmsford he painted portraits of the London Police, local artists who inspired the festival

Philth Blake – High Chelmer Multi Storey

A difficult wall to photograph but Philth Blake has created another of his nature inspired murals on the side of the multi story

Shepard Fairey – Stonebridge Walk

This poster creation was created by Shephard Fairey especially for the festival and then sent over to be installed locally

Riverside Hoardings

Wooden hoardings close to the leisure centre on the riverside saw a few works painted onto them. Cryola, Gnasher and Eyesaw joined with Mr Penfold, My Dog Sighs who had already created permanent pieces around the town.

Cryola

Eyesaw

Gnasher

Mr Penfold

My Dog Sighs

Paint Jam

The Chelmsford Concrete Canvas festival ended with a paint jam in the town centre. It featured a small number of artists creating public works during the day. They were joined by stallholders from local artists to create a mini arts centre for visitors.

Woskerki

Benzi Brofman

Neonita

Brave Arts

The Concrete Canvas festival took place in Chelmsford from 22-27 May 2023 with most murals painted during this time. We visited the festival on 27 May 2023 and all photos are from then.