The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Vision of beauty in Perth
ART: US sisters and Perth octogenarian unveil colourful murals in city centre
American artist Kelsey Montague shows off her striking mural on Mill Street in Perth which she has completed after three days’ work. Kelsey can count acclaimed chart-topper Taylor Swift as one of her fans. Picture: Steve MacDougall.
Two street artists from very different backgrounds unveiled their latest works in the centre of Perth yesterday.
One is an internationally renowned Instagram star from the US, who counts chart-topper Taylor Swift among her fans.
The other is an octogenarian protest artist, whose unofficial murals have earned him the title of Perth’s answer to Banksy.
Kelsey Montague spent three days painting a vibrant design of leaves and colourful flowers on a building in Mill Street at the invitation of Perth and Kinross Council, while local artist Ian Imrie has placed a picture of a sad-faced cat on nearby Guard Vennel to draw attention to the state of the streets.
It’s not clear how his latest artwork will be received in the corridors of the power but Mr Imrie has run into a series of disputes with the local authority over his designs in the past.
Kelsey and her sister Courtney, who are both from Colorado, said they had taken inspiration from their surroundings for their giant painting.
Kelsey said: “Something I really love about Scotland is how it is really green.
“When you’re coming out of Edinburgh and you go to Perth, it is a beautiful drive.
“I also wanted to capture all the colour you get here.”
She said she had also been inspired by her grandfather, who was also an artist.
He always included birds, of various sizes, somewhere in each of his works and the sisters took great delight in finding them.
Kelsey’s first street artwork, in New York, was of a pair of wings. Her designs have captured the attention of thousands of people, including bigname celebrities such as Taylor Swift.
While the Montague sisters were creating their gift to Perth, Mr Imrie was also making his mark. One piece depicts a cat and the other a gorilla.
He said: “The reason for installing the artworks is to draw attention to the state of the vennel.
“The one of the fearful cat is to say that not even an alley cat would inhabit that area because of the state of it.
“The painting of the gorilla sends a subliminal message regarding the planet.”
More on the Montague sisters’ work can be found on their website.