Goodnight Mr Heathcote

Once upon a time there was a woman who made an amazing discovery ( to her)… 0f an artist called Phlegm… and the rest, as they say, is history…

A very important part of that history evolves around one building A. R.Heathcote…                                                                    my first urbex….. .         my first hidden Phlegm and Rocket01…      my first Fauna…      It could even be Phlegms first painting spot, got to be a very early one anyway.

Teas and Booms (I hadn’t got a clue at the time)

Early Clem Alice

Tekonta Secta, yes really.                                                     Following a partial demolition of the site, the place became a little more airy,but at least it was easier to photograph the ‘Beauty is a Beast’ in all it’s glory 🙂                                                                   The walls were still quite bare, I would visit regularly just to see if anything new had appeared.

Kid Acne was quite a regular visitor too.

But Phlegm was the busiest I think.

More artists began to visit the site, Perms went large.

The Phlegm and Rocket wall was painted over, initially with a Kid Acne x EMA x Drot collab  (there were tears, I can tell you!) and then this appeared by… mmm ..I wonder…

Dscreet painted one of his signature owls, I was quite giddy about this.

  Absolutely loved this, it was ages before I knew who did it, Jay Sharples.

 Mr Wolf, used to be all over the place.

 Kid Acnes’ woolly mammoth looking at home in the snow.

Colourful collaboration from Mila K and Color Art.

  Never knew for sure, but think this was by Misred.

Two Bob

 Mila K

 There was an attempt to shut the site off, Color  registered his disdain, it was open again in no time.

Prone                                                       Mr Wolf                                                 Kaze

Foundry and Fauna Graphic

Xhastexo and Coloquix

 Zoo

Kyle Hughes Odgers x Kid Acne

Petro                                                   Leeks                                                  Bine x Xhastexo                                       Eugene Booms x Tekonta Secta x CoLor x Phes

Eugene booms biggest character piece to date.

Kid Acnes’ touching tribute to Okie Dulo, a local club owner who died suddenly.

? x Miso                                             Ryder

Boaster from Nottingham paid a visit as did many others from out of the Sheffield area.Even though the place was renowned as a crack den, it remained a very popular spot.

 Angry Face

Xhastexo to the left with an unusual portrait of the Moors Murderers by CoLor and Nameless Nat.

KRSN , from Paris.

Color, EMA, Skint and Sour.

Coloquix                                                                       Marcus Method                                                                                                         Nymph x Sico

Eugene Booms

Skint

J Davies Arts

Xhastexo

Ogosh

Skint

FMB boys

Kosh

Simon Kent

  ? x sico x Skint xSuek

CoLor                                                     Bob                                                               

Kresh                                                                              Teml x Rambo                                            Asap, from the North East.

It was a nightmare going through photos for this, my biggest ever post, I’ll be bound to have put someone out and I apologise for that. I have 6 years of photos from this place, literally thousands. I really had a connection with it, rats,crack heads and all, and I am gutted at it’s loss.

  

I haven’t included pics from the boards or the Niche wall, they’re worthy of a post on their own though, if anyone’s interested.

Below is a link that tells you about the industrial history of Heathcotes, includes pre-graffiti pics http://www.28dayslater.co.uk/a-r-heathcote-cutlers-sheffield.t21572

Sleeep well Mr Heathcote, I for one will miss you.

Brum Brum!

Although it was City of Colours that got me down to Birmingham, I did have a little wander to see some of the other sights of the city, well graff sites that is……How fitting to find Brum in Brum!Found a cheeky Bint around the back of a derelict factory. Wise words indeed.Omeza, a new name to me, really like his style. Large stencil of a child or a small man, you decide. Good little urbex spot well trashed, just how I like it. 🙂Another Omeza stunner, it was a wonderful surprise to find this.Roid MSK, next level.The Infamous Vomet.Lisk Bot, my hero!Super Shady One Amp.Stoe, up and down the M1 on a regular basis I think.Pref,I got chills…Hores? Gent48, wonderful!

Lews and Skank, so clever this, love it!Very special place, some truly amazing work.Everybody loves babies, right?Tame was a 16 year old graffiti writer who died doing what he loved,so sad. Nice to see that this has remained untouched.

So Birmingham, it’s worth a visit, seriously.

Return To The Lego Factory

Had a lovely day out with two friends at one of my favourite urbex/graff spots.The first time I came here it was a cold grey November day and I was on crutches. This time the weather was glorious and I was running round like a spring chicken, well almost! It was great to see that much has changed since my last trip. I’ll apologise in advance for not knowing who most of the artists are. P.S. I have since been informed that the piece above is by Harriet AKA Ruby – Thank you! 🙂I know who these are though an unexpected sight this piece from Sico and Nymph.Eject Ep, love this character. Kombo (?) very colourful whoeverit is. Interesting combination of the old and the new.UKS, I’m a big fan of their work, was chuffed to see this here.Really like this. Love the pigeon, I’m sure I’ve seen his brother in Leeds.Like the colours in this, although the yellow one looks a bit out of place.Found the remains of an old piece that was inaccessible to me when I was on crutches.Another eye-popper.Lurking in quiet spot, I found this gorgeous painted Painted Dog, by CoLor, I wonder how that got there…Unfortunately I did manage to upset some of the locals, Mr and Mrs Swallow couldn’t wait for us to leave. Apparently, they thought we were a bad influence on the kids. I’m sure we’ll be back at some point, hope they’ll be pleased to see us then  😉

 

Away Day to the Infirmary of Derelict Rooms

I do like a trip out and this place was too big an opportunity to miss. I won’t bore you with the history (can’t be bothered to research it!) just know, it’s huge, and it’s incredible how much stuff has been left here. I had to go to the roof of one of the buildings to see this piece by Tekonta Secta. I don’t do heights and was in need of medical attention by the time I’d done.Nice piece by Zero.Corpse local to this area has definitely made this place his playground, quite fitting really. Security is not what it was, that owl’s not fooling anybody. A bit late for that I think.Be afraid, be very afraid. The ghosts of many an urbexer can frequently be seen, wandering the corridors aimlessly, still looking for a way out.Another rooftop, not as high as the first with a glorious Tekonta Secta x Color Art collab.The chapel, with a commemorative piece to the pigeons who gave their all to give areas of this place that distinctive odour of decay.The kitchens and their amazing disappearing appliances. ( On a second trip, most of these had gone.)

Should you ever wake up to this sight, your day is not going well.

Grim reminder of what we come down to in the end. Tools of the trade, I found these shocking on many levels, not least because they were still there and appeared to be in full working order, although on my second visit, they had been effectively disabled.

 

This creation by CoLor Art was done on our first visit….below is the same room on our next.

‘Nuff said.

This Corpse made me jump!Window Corpse.Colourful Corpse, really like this.Peach and CoLor – Opy-totor and Llaphalotl, bonkers. 🙂Tekonta Secta ‘Elipan Species’Yeti, a regular sight around these parts apparently.CoLor Art, making use of the pool with this gorgeous seal.CoLor, Corpse and Peach, an interesting if slightly mental combination.A Horse….in a dark plant room, quite high up on a wall, random.Token arty shot.One of the many many corridors in this colossal place.As we left I spotted this little fellow, don’t know the artist but he’s a really switched on guy! (I’ll get my coat…)Heading for the train station this handsome fellow was lurking in the bushes, Angry Face, awesome end to the day.

Thanks to those who took me around and made sure I got home in one piece, much appreciated 😀

It’s All Going on!

Mars has been revisiting his childhood again, Orville, he’s his very best friend!  😉

 Time? I’m really bad at reading letter pieces, but I do like it.This is something different, I’m guessing not anyone local, love the style.

I worry when Booms goes quiet, but when he then reappears with an epic masterpiece like this, I’m reassured that balance is restored.

How many hamsters can you fit in a phone box, answers on a postcard please to D7606.

Had to revisit this place because my first shots of this awesome Rateone piece were rubbish, think I’ve done it justice now.

Sour, making good use of any space.Tekonta Secta and CoLor, just wonderful.C3 x D7606, becoming regular visitors lately, the more the merrier!Mr Booms and CoLor, a lesson in painting on stairs and the decay of a dead pigeon.

A Coloquix lady being lusted over by a Rateone monster while a jealous Greenz rabbit looks on furiously, it’s like an episode of Eastenders…Not just a Mars favourite, one of mine too, Pinky and the Brain.Jaer,  love the piece but have to say I don’t know who the little fellow is.

One of Kid Acnes’ stabby women, not sure if it’s been doctored but she looks like she’s holding a vibrator to me, or perhaps she’s a ladyboy?Not sure who did this but I have my suspicions.Bob, he’s a devil!Dyson and Rambo, throw up masters at the moment.

On a bit of a catch up spree at the moment, hopefully will get another post up in the next day or two.

Got To Catch ’em All, Can’t Catch ’em All!

Rayna, Skint and Rambo, gorgeous wall in a room with not much of a view and a not so delicate odour of pigeon poop.

Teml at the green, wonder how long this one will last, extremely rapid turnover there at the moment.

Tekonta Secta, love these, seem to miss more than I find though..

Riseone and Rek have made a colourful contribution on the new legal wall  in town.

Mila x Narke another cracker!

Sour, really like the cheeky character, I wonder if he has a name?

The Morrigan and the Puffin by CoLor Art. I described the Morrigan as my favouritest CoLor piece to date, and then he did the puffin, just too good!

It’s not often I’m beaten in my attempts to see a piece, but when there aren’t any stairs, I am! There is a way, but I’m in no rush to have any more broken bones, thank you very much. It’s a shame because there are about 4 pieces up there that I’ll never see, can’t catch ’em all I guess…

Vinyl Marbles

I love this derelict, pigeon poo covered building so it was great to go and watch CoLor Art paint there and give him a tour of the place. It’s fair to say he was quite taken with it, but he wasn’t the only one.

Clem Alice had done a  few pieces here although I don’t think they were particularly recent.

French graffiti artist Ziru had done this piece some time ago, but this was the first time I managed to get a shot of it without shadows.

While the building was ‘open’ this time round Boms came and did this piece which was amazing.

Skint had been and dropped a piece with Suek featuring Skints’ signature character.

Mila K and Narke had done a wonderful piece along side one of CoLor Arts creations.

CoLor Art and Espre had done a piece together. Did I mention that CoLor Art liked it here?

This were the last pieces I saw before the place was sealed up again. I believe I bumped into one of the artists, but he assured me he was just there taking photos…..a likely story!

Welcome to the Hotel California, I mean Sheffield

I honestly don’t know where to start with this one.

Once upon a time there was an artist called Phlegm, he stumbled upon a long abandoned derelict hotel. First he painted on the roof and then on many of the floors and then Kid Acne came and painted too. Then the word spread.

And Rocket01 came and painted.

And Fauna Graphic came and painted.

And Boms came and painted.

And Kers came and painted, can you see a pattern emerging?

And CoLor came and painted, many times.

And Wolf came and painted.

There was even a register where artists could sign in, and most of them did.

There was loads and it was amazing. To have so much creativity come together like this was fascinating to record and I think this is where my hobby developed into an obsession. Skint ,Clem Alice, Narke, EMA, Angel and many more came and painted. I can’t include all the pictures here. If you click on any of the pictures you can go through a slideshow of 20 images. I also made a photo book called ‘Welcome to Woemart Halls’ there is a link where you can read it online to the left of the page, the price to buy is unjustifiable so until I can find a way of getting it printed more cheaply, online is all it will be.

I so wish there had been a fairytale ending to this story but sadly there is not. After about 8 weeks the building was resecured, but not before someone went in and emulsioned over every piece of artwork in the place. To me an absolute travesty.

Graffiti Factory

This is one of those strange places that has been derelict so long it’s impossible to even guess at what it was used for, it’s literally a shell, even the graffiti was old, well most of it.

This was possibly the most recent a Boms and Rocket01 collaboration, that was visited twice  by the local constabulary while it was in production. Apparently they were quite impressed with it…

This Angel piece is from 2008 and it is staggering how undamaged it is after 3 years (4 years now). I thought the character was amazing, but had to be told it’s from the Japanese manga film, ‘Ghost in the shell’, which I’ve still never seen.

Fresh! I don’t know anything about this writer, they seem to stay away from the main spots and only paint occasionally, good stuff though.

(MR) Wolf, just 4 letters, doesn’t often do characters, but always eyecatching, in a smacks you in the face kind of a way!

Around the back of the building, through razor wire brambles and buddleia was this colourful Nero, Boms and Monkie collaboration.

Battling through the undergrowth some more we found this Phlegm piece.

If I’m being honest we didn’t ‘find’ this piece, we knew it was here, we hadn’t known about the Nero, Monkie and Boms one so I guess we found that. We did however fear that we may never find our way back out of this jungle, we did of course, but it was a painful process.

This little tri-telescope was on the inside of the door on our first visit, sadly on subsequent visits I am sad to report that it had been removed probably with a crowbar, a trend that sadly seems to be on the increase.

Tool Box of the World! (Ex)

Although a much loved urbex site for its  industrial history, of late this building has become more famous for its artwork. We were a little bit slow off the mark with this place due to logistical reasons, mainly that the building was in use as an airsoft site at the weekends. But a chance encounter with the owner of that business in a place where we both shouldn’t have been, led to an invite to visit between battles. So we did.

Too Gritty For The City. Local artist Rocket01 had been able to make use of some of this vast space as a blank canvas with amazing results.

A collaboration between Riot68 and Rocket01, a real thing of beauty.

Rocket01, Septik, Ziru, Icole and the Mouarf. I think that other than Rocket the other artists are all french. They painted here and in another derelict building in the city.

Beautiful and terrifying all at once, not for the first time I find myself wondering what goes through artists minds, what an imagination, not sure I would want one like that.

Fauna Graphic had also painted here, this lovely peacock. I love the reflection but the photo is grainier than I would like as it was a late autumn afternoon and the light was poor.

I don’t  know who, but I like it.

Possibly Ziru, but it’s only a guess.

Promised ourselves a return visit when the light was better and it was a little less busy, with less risk of getting shot!