Colse Leungstories

New mural painted to celebrate 'legendary' Big Issue seller Jeff Knight

Colse Leungstories
New mural painted to celebrate 'legendary' Big Issue seller Jeff Knight
Screenshot 2020-10-08 at 14.48.04.jpg

One of Bristol's most popular Big Issue sellers has been immortalised on the city's streets with a new mural.

Jeff Knight has been on his pitch in Stokes Croft for two decades and now he's on the wall in a city centre street. 

He was painted by Harriet Wood, one of eight graffiti artists, whose work depicts different visions of Bristol.

52-year-old Jeff is certainly well known and loved in Bristol.

"People tell me 'Jeffrey, you're not selling the Big Issue, you're selling yourself' and I say 'Yes!' It's true. I'm a good character, you know."

The Big Issue supports up to 200 people who sell the magazine across Cheltenham, Gloucester, Bath, Bristol and Weston-super-Mare.

Nearly all have returned to the streets following the easing of lockdown with some now taking cashless payments.

Christo Grazebrook from Big Issue says: "To have someone like Jeff selling the Big Issue in Bristol makes our job a lot easier because it really raises the profile. He's such a positive character, everyone knows him."

Graffiti artist Wood, known as Hazard0ne, was asked to paint an iconic image of Bristol for a competition, and her friend, Jeff, immediately came to mind.

She has pieces displayed in Barcelona, New York and Mexico - and now one of her favourite people a little closer to home.

Source: https://www.itv.com/news/westcountry/2020-10-06/new-mural-painted-to-celebrate-legendary-big-issue-seller-jeff-knight

Iā€™m a diversity consultant and a design and communications consultant. I help people and organisations develop vision, communicate and deliver cultural change.