Coastal street art set to transform Ilfracombe’s grot spots

A street artist has teamed up with Ilfracombe Town Council to create eye catching sea-themed murals for drab areas around the town to brighten it up for both visitors and locals.

Daniel Kehily-Jones of Silk Crystal Studio, based at St James Place near the harbour and his partner Hayley Whetter are preparing to tackle what is hoped to be the first of several Ilfracombe locations.

They have launched an appeal to the community for help and support to continue the campaign and spread it around the town, with a need for donated paints, ideas for areas to work on and for volunteers or community groups that might wish to get involved.

The council and its project officer Neil Ingram have been working with Silk Crystal to identify locations – and the first to receive its coastal themed mural will be the rear wall of Ropery Road car park.

A graffiti covered wall by the steps down to Rapparee Cove is the next on the list and it is also hoped to cover the hoardings next to the bandstand in Runnymede Gardens on the seafront, if permissions can be obtained.

Dan previously worked with the council to paint a mural in Market Arches on the High Street and he said the reaction from the public had been encouraging.

He told the Gazette: “I feel now is the time to really push something forward. The Arches was the proof in the pudding, to get one job done and show people what I could do.

“It will help with tourism and footfall and even for locals it gives a boost – there’s a feeling we are the last to get funding and the town can become negative, so something like this gives the town potential again.

“Most of the public areas we will be doing pastel coastal patterns, so palm trees, coral, sea creatures – anything sustainable and environmentally friendly is the standard I am trying to push forward.

“Once we have done some as an example we can start applying for grant funding and get community groups involved and it will open more doors.”

Above: Daniel Kehily-Jones and Hayley Whetter of Silk Crystal Studio are aiming to brighten up Ilfracombe with coastal themed murals around the town. Credit: Silk Crystal Studio

Neil Ingram at ITC added: “This is a great project which has been positively received by the community and local businesses who have also kindly donated the materials to make this happen.

“Moving forward we are looking to expand and deliver more projects of this type which will align with the ambitions and aims of a soon to be released Ilfracombe Cultural Plan.”

Dan said Silk Crystal also had permission to paint the hoarding in Fore Street, which would be a more lifelike mural depicting Ilfracombe’s coastal heritage, such as smugglers and pirates, which will see a collaboration with visiting street artists from Plymouth.

Silk Crystal has already received donations of paint from local tradesman Doug Bolton and some private donations, but would like to hear from anyone who could donate masonry emulsions for the project, or anyone who would like to get involved.

The team will also be at the Ilfracombe Bio-Blitz event at the Landmark on Sunday, June 9 from 10am to share more on the project.

If you would like to donate paint for the project or get involved, message the Silk Crystal Studio Facebook page or find out more and follow the project progress at www.silkcrystal.co.uk/blogs/projects.

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