Andrew Burns Colwill is one of Bristol’s finest artists, whether painting on canvass or enormous walls like this one in Cheltenham Road. A man so full of character, who has lived life to the full, is kind and thoughtful, and in the limited opportunities I have had with him, is great company. His talent is immediately obvious, and he tops my list of artists in Bristol.
Andrew Burns Colwill paints quite a lot of commissions like this one, but because they aren’t in the usual graffiti/street art spots, they can often go unnoticed and without fanfare. This piece is very much themed around Bristol and Isambard Kingdom Brunel in particular, with a portrait of the great engineer himself, the SS Great Britain, the Clifton suspension bridge and The Great Western Railway. The piece is called ‘The pen is mightier than the sword’ and in the current context of rioting around the country, how resonant these words would seem to be.
The full piece is difficult to photograph, because it is painted on two sides of the building, and it is four stories high. ABC uses a clever device at the ground-floor level with the draughtsman’s hands included as part of the artwork, painting the archways, as if it were a work in progress.
Above that are scenes of the 19th century docks and railway. The top two floors are more contemporary in style and speak of the present day.
There is quite a lot of trompe l’oeil work on the upper levels, with four extra windows painted alongside the existing real ones. The arts are heavily represented with pens, brushes, pencils and written music adorning the walls. Two young people complete the scene alongside a dove of peace. This is a truly magnificent mural painted in Andrew Burns Colwill’s understated wash style. Awesome. Bravo!
Natural adventures 