STREET ART A word with Exeter’s favourite artist

“The birds have offered an escape for people”

STREET SPIRIT

Steve McCracken’s graffiti art has now officially got cult status in Exeter. He’s been painting his exuberant creatures onto any given doorway or wall in town for a couple of years. But in the last few months, his art has taken on new meaning as locals found much-needed joy in his colourful creations. And once you start noticing them, you’ll find you start to see them everywhere… By Harriet Noble Photos by Jade Hoksbergen

Painting flamingos because, why not? H is art may be bold stuff but Steve is a modest, unassuming chap if ever there was one. We’re sitting in his current exhibition space where his explosive graffiti-style art is hanging incongruously above old dome-shaped hairdryers. We could be in a hip East London gallery but it’s actually the old Headstart salon in the Guildhall Shopping Centre.

Steve’s outdoor paintings around the streets of

Exeter have understandably gained him a lot of fans recently; they’re bright, bold and life-affirming. Just what we need now. He loves painting birds, and the connotations associated with those creatures means they have almost become symbolic in recent months. From painting on hoardings, doorways, pasting up temporary pictures every

Wednesday, he’s now become sought after by businesses wanting him to paint on their premises, like the mural at The Oddfellows.

Whether it’s down at the Quay or on Gandy Street, his art is out there for all of us to see – and that’s the joy of it.

above and left: Steve and his colourful friends

In his own words, Steve tells us how he’s been changing the streets of The “text bits” are everything to me. Exeter, one bird at a time... Bringing my thoughtsand writings into my paintings has always been There has been a real positive reaction to my street works. leave ideas and thoughts open for the viewer to make up their own mind I think the birds have offered an escape for people. Something fun on subjects is as important as the text itself, leaving views open to the and bright during these times. I often get messages from people saying subject of what the painting is about. thank you and from families saying they go out looking for them. I have what it has been about. Also using the paint to cover up sections of text to even been round to people’s houses to paint I am starting to discover artists down here them on their garages. I want to offer passers-by a space even for just a few seconds where they have no worries or pressures... time for them to be themselves with no worries. After that, people can take what they want from my birds and read in it what they will. “I’ve even been round to people’s houses to paint on their garages” too which is exciting. I love finding other artists’ work in the street and the possibility of new collaborations. I have a pop-up shop/exhibition running until 18 October – maybe longer – in the old Headstart Salon in the Guildhall Shopping Centre which I open every Saturday and by Birds have always been a part of appointment. my work. I am also looking forward to starting back at Canopy Market, Kings Cross They are part of our everyday lives. I love their form, flow, motion London where I have a stall the first weekend of every month selling my and the feeling of freedom and exploration they have. Birds are so giclee prints and greetings cards and where I perform live painting. recognisable to everyone which gives me the opportunity to bring my I am also in the very early stages of writing a children’s book using the own take on them and paint expressively. bird characters from the street. And I am also planning a collaboration

The birds have developed into characters and have their own names, exhibition in Detroit with American Street Artist Luis Rosenfeld which is for example there is, “Marvin the Magpie, “Percy the Pigeon”, “Stu the very exciting. n Owl” and “Sid the Seagull”. For more: www.stevemccrackenart.com

FOOD & DRINK

NIBBLES FROM EXETER’S FOOD SCENE

© NICK HOOK Thank cod Amelia and Tom Williams-Hawkes have opened up a fish deli

Open wide

Online cooking classes with a proper chef? Yes please

LARKING ABOUT A new virtual cookery platform called Larks Live has launched, bringing revered chefs, bakers, wine experts and food and drink producers directly into everyone’s kitchens through live, interactive online classes.

Whether participants are looking to learn basic cookery skills, expand their repertoire of daily family meals, or learn how to recreate showstopping dishes to impress friends and family, they will be able to engage with an interactive, step-by-step class led by an expert.

From the comfort of home, attendees can cook alongside the chef in real time to get the full sensory experience, while asking questions to the expert, just like they would at a cookery school – or they can observe the demonstration and replicate the dish another day.

“We wanted to create a cookery platform that would bring a sense of community to people so it wouldn’t be just a functional experience,” says co-founder Clodagh Murphy.

“You don’t have to cook along on the day – you can just watch with a glass of wine if you like, but we find that around 80 per cent of our participants like to cook along with the chef.” For more: www.www.larks.live

ONE FOR THE DIARY

14- 20 October

DIGITAL CHOCOLATE FESTIVAL A whole week of eating chocolate you say? The delicious Exeter Chocolate Festival might have been cancelled because of you-know-what but nothing’s going to stop Exeter folk enjoying chocolate this October! Enter the Digital Chocolate Festival with choccie masterclasses, meet the makers, guided chocolate tastings, cacao meditations and lot’s more yummy content. The event is taking place live on Facebook. For more: www.celebratecacao.co.uk

© NICK HOOK

Fresh from the sea

WHAT’S THE CATCH

All hail the new fish deli in Topsham! Amelia and Tom Williams-Hawkes from The Salutation Inn added another string to their bow (or should we say fin?) and have opened a fish deli called Salt.

Salt, as you may expect, is a-plenty in this joint; customers have a choice of nearly 60 lines of the stuff, along with a multitude of fresh, sustainable fish caught that day from local shores including everything from Teignmouth shellfish to skate wing and red gurnard. Expect loads of goes-with-fish condiments too, such as barrel aged soy sauce, Sea Magik epsom salts, and even lavender and rock salt candles from the Recycled Candle company.

For those unsure how to cook fish or just a bit pushed for time, there are also prepared home meals such as fish pie and Sicilian fish stew.

“Our passion for fish has always been here but the idea for our new shop was born in lockdown when we wanted to continue to provide for the community and support our local fisherman,” says Amelia.

“We are opening in times when sustainability and local produce are even more prevalent in our hearts.”

The deli is onsite at the Salutation Inn – they transformed one of their front lounges – and they ran it first as a lockdown shop in May before opening up officially as a deli in September.

What’s it been like opening during this tricky time? “We were lucky as the reason we openedwas of course lockdown and this was when the idea was born and, as a family, we decided to go for it,” adds Amelia.

“We truly feel that being part of the community and encouraging local shopping which had a good boost during lockdown can only serve us well... fingers crossed.

“Weekends are definitelybusier but we hope once people know we are here they shall incorporate this into their Topsham shop. The support from the local community has been excellent.”

For more: www.salutationtopsham.co.uk