North Shields is experiencing a vibrant resurgence, and at the heart of this artistic transformation is local artist Anthony Downie. His striking mural, “North Shields No4”, part of the fantastic Elevation wall mural festival, is located on Trevor Terrace next to The Gunner, and has not only added another splash of colour to the town but also sparked a deep conversation about community, art, and the unique character of North Shields’ beloved back lanes.
Anthony, who only started painting in 2022 after stepping away from digital illustration due to the rise of AI art, has found his true calling. “I just wish I’d been painting for all those years,” he reflects, his passion for the craft evident.
His journey to painting the mural began quite cheekily. Spotting a post about the Elevation Walls project, he “mocked up an image of one of my paintings on a big gable end in North Shields” and sent it to their Instagram account with a winky face. “I had to show what connection it would have to North Shields,” says Anthony, “but wanted to think beyond the obvious connections like the coal and the fishing industries.” This bold move paid off, leading to a successful application process.
The mural, a celebration of North Shields’ back lanes, resonates deeply with Anthony. “It’s just about daily life, isn’t it? I spent a lot of time as a kid playing in back lanes,” he recalls fondly. He wanted to challenge the common perception of North Shields, which often defaults to its fishing industry. “Everybody seems to love back lanes, but they just get so little recognition, you know, they’re so unassuming.” His aim was to capture the ‘golden hour’ of light, the ephemeral beauty found in these often-overlooked spaces.
The reception from the community has been overwhelmingly positive. Anthony describes it as “absolutely fantastic,” recalling an Instagram user who posted a photograph of his paintings on display in The Biscuit Factory. “The caption underneath said ‘I saw these beautiful paintings in The Biscuit Factory, loved them and then I was driving through North Shields and saw this!’ They immediately knew it was one of mine” he says. This instant recognition is a testament to the powerful connection his art makes with viewers. The mural’s legacy is already being shaped. Anthony’s work has sparked a desire to further beautify the back lanes. He and his partner, Alyson, have already discussed some ideas to brighten up their own back lane hoping to make it “as vibrant as possible.”
Beyond the visual impact, the mural serves as a poignant reminder of North Shields’ evolution. Anthony, who lived in North Shields until 2013 and returned in 2019, has witnessed its transformation firsthand. Whilst he acknowledges that ‘gentrification’ is a complex issue with both positive and negative consequences, Anthony feels that most of the changes up until this point have been for the benefit of the local community as a whole.
His unique style, instantly recognisable, focuses on capturing the feeling of a place rather than just its physical representation. He finds inspiration in the everyday, often during walks with his children or dog. “I’ll walk past something, I’ll stop, I’ll look at it, I’ll take a photograph and then that’s the beginning of the project journey,” he reveals. From there, a sketch is born, and it’s the sketch that drives the painting, never the original photograph.
For Anthony, his mural is more than just a painting; it’s a personal landmark. The decision to leave the mural to weather naturally, as suggested by the owner of the house, Kirsty, further adds to its enduring appeal. “It gives it a life of its own,” he agrees, envisioning a future where “in 30 years time the remnants of it will still be there. I’m so pleased that in years to come my boys will be able to walk past and say my dad did that!” he beams.
Anthony’s work within this festival will stand as a testament to his artistic skill and his unwavering dedication to his community. His personal investment in North Shields elevates the project’s significance for the community, making him not just an artist painting a wall, but a local resident enriching his home town. This powerful form of self-expression, intertwined with civic duty, exemplifies how public art, when created by artists with deep local ties, can transcend mere decoration to become an integral part of a community’s narrative, fostering a sense of collective ownership and pride that extends far beyond the visual impact of the murals themselves.
This was amply demonstrated soon after the painting was completed – Anthony, his family and other local residents gathered to have their photos taken in front of the mural and the following day, the owner of the house, Kirsty, organised a small street party with music from local community singing group ‘Mariners and Marras’ who entertained the crowd with their unique mix of sea shanties and North East working songs.
As our chat comes to an end, it is obvious how much Anthony believes that public art can have a huge influence on positive regeneration of an area. “Comparatively, the cost is a drop in the ocean but the impact is massive,” he says, emphasising its importance. He recalls a website from years ago which only displayed urban graffiti and writing on public walls and one image in particular stood out to him. All it said was ‘Art saved the city’s soul.’ “That’s always stuck with me. Art makes an area feel loved,” he says. “It’s one of the reasons why I wanted to do this painting. It’s in North Shields, it’s of North Shields, it IS North Shields.”
“North Shields No4” stands as a vibrant testament to Anthony Downie’s talent, his deep connection to North Shields, and the enduring beauty found in the most unexpected of places.
Elevation is a community arts charity founded by local residents and powered by volunteers. To mark the town’s 800th anniversary, the Elevation wall mural festival has brought together eight talented artists to create a series of large-scale public artworks over the summer of 2025. Selected by a panel of community members, the artists were set the challenge of capturing the spirit of North Shields. Find out more about the Elevation North Shields 800 Mural Trail.
Elevation has been documented and promoted in collaboration with I Love North Shields (www.ilovenorthshields.com) and Sira Studio (www.sirastudio.com).
Photographs by Wayne Bordoli Photography (Facebook)
More articles in this series:
Wall Murals are Coming to North Shields!
Painting the Town: Elevation Mural Festival Update
Other murals in the Elevation North Shields 800 mural trail:
The Siren – Prefab77 – Albion Road
The Chase – Nina Valkhoff – Norfolk Street
I Beg That Sound – Ricky Also – Brandling Terrace
The Spirit of Shields – Mark One87 – North Shields Football Club
