Art / Street Art
More mystery Mr Men paintings appear
A mystery artist has continued to create images of a Mr Men character in and around a north Bristol suburb.
Sea Mills residents, who have nicknamed the artist Bumpsy, remain intrigued as more Mr Bump paintings appear on walls, bins and even fallen logs.
Some have suggested the figures are to mark 50 years of the Mr Men, who were first featured in Roger Hargreaves’ children’s books in 1971.
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One of the latest Mr Bumps is very hard to miss: a massive one has been illuminated on a bus shelter in Sea Mills Square. Photo by Mary Milton
Rebecca Harbridge and her daughter Elsie-Marie, who live in Sea Mills, are just two of those who have been out looking for the artworks.
Walking alongside the River Trym near Blaise Castle, Elsie-Marie discovered a gift and message from the artist.
“Hi, I’m Mr Bump. If you like me, take me home,” was written on a paper version of the artwork wrapped in plastic.
Five-year-old Elsie-Marie was “so very excited” to take home the Mr Bump artwork she found, says her mum. Photo by Rebecca Harbridge
And it’s not only children who are getting excited about Mr Bump in Sea Mills. Resident Mel Kate Biggles spotted one painted on her garden fence.
“I only recently discovered it despite having previously searched them out in the area without finding that one!” she said.
Two residents have also created online trails for those wishing to visit the artworks. Luke Merrett has found 13 and Mike Hurst’s map includes 11.
Sarah Jane Shafahi, from Lawrence Weston, has gone as far to write a song in celebration of the blue and bandaged character.
“It cheers me up,” she says of the Mr Bump graffiti. “It’s a great reminder of my childhood reading all the Mr Men books.”
Sarah-Jane hopes to perform her composition, “A song for Mr Bump”, for the first time online. Photo by Christine Gary
There is also evidence that Bumpsy may be branching out: an artwork of Mr Greedy has appeared by the Portway on the edge of the Old Sneed Park Nature Reserve.
Or it could be that Bumpsy has a rival. Could there be two Mr Men-fixated artists on the loose?
A tucked away Mr Greedy can be glimpsed from the top deck of the Portway Park and Ride bus. Photo by Mary Milton
Mary Milton is reporting on Sea Mills as part of Bristol24/7’s community reporter scheme, a pilot project which aims to tell stories from areas of Bristol traditionally under-served by the mainstream media
Main photo by Mary Milton
Read more: What is Mr Bump doing in Bristol?
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