Trail and Error - the search for Professor Pigment

THURSDAY
Today we went on a Trail around Stoke-on-Trent - in search of art!

Our interest started when we saw a cool picture of Peppa Pig in the car park where we park in Hanley when we go to Painty at Portofino. She had a moustache and her surname had been lengthened to PigMENT. We had no idea what it meant - but we enjoyed seeing it each month.



Lady with flower tattoo

Then stories started appearing in our local paper The Sentinel about a mysterious street artist called Professor Pigment who was leaving art work all over the city.

The graffiti was related to Stoke-on-Trent culture and its personalities and heroes, Gordon Banks, Captain Smith (who went down with the Titanic) and even a duck up 'Anley asking about oatcakes :-)

Everyone was speculating who it could be and what he would do next. Then last month I was thrilled to discover one when I went up the road opposite our house. There on the side of a tattoo parlour was a Pro Pig original!
I was so excited I found Pro Pig on twitter and tweeted a photo of it to let him know it was appreciated.

I thought nothing more of it - then one day at the beginning of June I had a message from Pro Pig asking if I would like to attend the premier of his new movie, Trail and Error, on 6th June at the Film Theatre. I replied to say I'd love to - and he put me (and a plus one!) on the guest list. How exciting - I'd never been to a film premier before!

  
 
Before that, on 28th May - Pro Pig launched the Trail and Error - a guided walk around Stoke-on-Trent that took you to 12 of his art works - and three exhibitions of his work along the way.

You could pick up a map at his studio above the Entrepreneur shop in Piccadilly and follow it around the city. We didn't get chance to do it before we saw the film - but after the premier we couldn't wait to try it

The film of Trail and Error explained the story behind our local Pro Pig work - which was very touching. Check out this clip of the film here

Cool t-shirts and hats :-)

So, today we slapped on the factor 50 sun cream and headed out into the heat to do the fist part of the Trail and Error. Although it isn't officially part of it - we started in the car park with Peppa Pigment - just because it as the first one that we saw and we love it!





The beginning of the Trail and Error - ENTREPRENEURS

The actual trail starts inside this cool clothing shop called Entrepreneurs. Upstairs from the shop is the space where Pro Pig has been living, making his awesome art and even sleeping!




Sign half-way up the stairs

In fact there was a sleeping bag on top of an inflatable bed with a sign telling you to touch his shoulder. I'm not sure if it was really him - or a dummy. I didn't have the heart to try to wake him. he's been very busy recently!

Stop 1

The studio was full of his used stencils, photos, clothing, guest books and even toothpaste - as well as some examples of his work on the walls. Love the blue clock one - it's where everyone meets in Hanley as it is so distinctive.

He deserves a nap :-)





We'll meet at the blue clock
 

The Trail then took us out of the shop and round the dusty and hot back streets of Hanley. There behind clubs, next to bins and on car park walls we found the wonderfully inspirational works he had left the city. He is very much interested in trying to inspire and motivate people to rise up and fulfil their potential and not let anyone hold them back.  "Defy the Odds" is his mantra.

 

 

Stop 2 - Edward Smith

Stop 3 -Yes We Can Can

The first outdoor work we were lead to was this of Captain Smith of the Titanic. Even though he commanded the disaster-prone ship he did go down with it to save others...







Then around the corner came Bob the Builder saying "Yes we can can." I love this one :-) A fun way to get the Pro Pig message over - you can do anything you want!

 

 

We found Cupid round the side of a nightclub, just by the bins. The speech bubble coming out of the bin says "Go home Cupid, we're drunk!"



Stop 4 - Cupid





Stop 5 - I Need a Slash

The map then took us to the public toilets in Hanley where we fund this relevant portrait - Stop number 5.

Slash has always been a local hero round here. Welcome to the Jungle indeed! We sidestepped the local gathering of afternoon drinkers to move on to Stop 6.



Stop 6 - Anyone for an Oatcake?

 This one is my favourite - so Stokie to ask if you want an oatcake - they're not available anywhere else. Plus, everyone round here will call you "duck" - whether you are male or female! He's fab :-)

 



Stop 7 - with Kiln Kong

The next stop was at the Potteries Museum and Art Gallery Thee was an exhibition of Pro Pig's work - one of our favourites here was Kiln Kong . There were lots of other paintings - many for sale too.

 

Is to Grow Up to Give Up?

 



We then moved on to the Mitchell Arts Centre where we found Stop 8 - where this inspiring art was placed.

If anyone tells you that you can't do anything - you should reply "Just watch me!" Fantastic!

Stop 9 - Defy the Odds

The afternoon as really heating up by now and we were unbelievably hot! We popped into a handy Greggs for a bottle of water and soldiered on.. to Stop 9 - in another city car park.
This is where we saw this lady and her shopping trolley. Pole dancing or what? Such fun!

However, we were pretty tired and even hotter by now so we decided to go and get an ice cream and call it a day. We will do the rest of the trail tomorrow - so we can really do it justice.

We saw a cool view on the way back to the car - a field of wild flowers planted in front of the brand new multi-coloured Smithfield Building and there in the background a bottle oven from Stoke's proud past. What a great city.

Part 2 next...