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'Flintshire Banksy' creates tribute to Connah’s Quay fisherman

Nov 11 2010 by Kathryn Quayle, Flintshire Chronicle

Flintshire Banksy creates tribute to Connah’s Quay fisherman

AN ARTIST whose identity remains shrouded in mystery has been busy creating his latest masterpiece in Flintshire.

Known as Random, the artist – dubbed the Flintshire Banksy – has been leaving portraits of ordinary people across Deeside since last summer.

His latest offering is a portrait of ‘The Salmon Fisherman’, which has appeared on a green buoy in the Yvonne’s Cafe car park in Dock Road, Connah’s Quay.

The fisherman who is the inspiration for the piece, who refers to himself only as Keith The Salmon Fisherman, has been fishing for 35 years.

He said: “Random approached me in the yard to see if he could put one on the side of the buoy.

“The next thing he asked me if I would mind if he did one of me. I don’t like having my picture taken, but he caught me completely off guard.”

Although Keith knows the identity of Random, he is keeping quiet.

“It will eventually come out in the open, but I would never say who he is.

“I will say that he that he is extremely talented, skilled and very modest. He spends about 30 hours on each piece and told me it takes 25 hours to do the paintings and four or five hours to put them up.”

Keith is a big fan of Random’s work and said people living in the area are fascinated by his creations.

“It is local people in the pictures and they are a real talking point,” he said. “I am looking forward to seeing the next one.”

Cafe owner Yvonne, Keith’s wife, said: “I love it, it’s really good and very clever. I’m looking forward to seeing what might pop up next.”

Other work which has appeared across the county includes a black and white portrait of an old miner and an image of Father Christmas which appeared on the old B&Q building in Queensferry.

A tribute to a steelworker also appeared along the River Dee cycle path opposite the old Corus building in Shotton.

The artist has been likened to Banksy, the pseudonym of a British urban artist, political activist and painter, whose identity is unconfirmed.

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