Hey there, art lovers and literary buffs! It’s Jossiepops, back again with another mural masterpiece to share—and this time, we're switching it up from musicians and actors to one of Bangor's very own writing legends: Colin Bateman. If you’re not already familiar with Colin's work, get ready, because this mural celebrates not just his words but the essence of Bangor itself. It’s all part of my mission to showcase the amazing talent our city has to offer, from every creative corner.

So why Colin Bateman, you ask? Well, apart from being a highly successful novelist, screenwriter and director, Colin is a Bangor man through and through. After diving into his book Thunder and Lightning, I knew I had to get him up on one of our walls. His storytelling hit home for me, especially since it’s packed with hilarious and relatable memories from growing up in our town. My review? Let’s just say, if you haven’t read it yet, you’re missing out on the Great Bangor Novel.

From taking his writing course to painting his mural, I had no idea how much of Bangor’s history I’d been missing until I read Thunder and Lightning. Whether it’s the laugh-out-loud moments about "that F#%king Marina" or the fact that the local paper, The Spectator, once had a “Rat of the Week” column (seriously, how did I not know this?), it’s a walk down memory lane that’ll have you nodding in agreement and laughing out loud. I was especially hooked by his tales of Bangor’s punk scene and now, well, I’m diving headfirst into it.

But back to the mural! Colin himself stopped by while I was midway through, and though I’m sure he was wondering what kind of job I’d do, I think he left satisfied enough to come back and check out the finished piece. I wanted to capture more than just his likeness, so I added his books beside him, giving the mural some real context. The photo I worked from was taken by Gerry Coe, another Bangor talent, so this mural really felt like a triple threat—three Bangorians contributing to something special for our city.

The reception has been amazing. The mural has drawn great crowds, gotten nods from The Spectator, Sunday World, and I was even lucky enough to chat about it on U105 with Frank Mitchell! Maybe Frank should be the next face to grace a Bangor wall, huh? What do you think?

So, whether you’re a fan of Colin Bateman, love a good story about Bangor, or just want to check out some fresh art, come on down to see the mural. Grab your copy of Thunder and Lightning, take a walk through the streets Colin wrote about, and snap a pic in front of the mural—who knows, maybe we’ll even see Colin back there for a proper photo-op!

Stay cool, folks, and I’ll catch you soon with another piece of Bangor’s growing mural scene.