Bristol artist brings taste of the seaside to the streets of Knowle in coronavirus lockdown

The people of Bristol can no longer go for a day at the seaside, thanks to the coronavirus lockdown.

And that’s especially ironic for the residents of one particular corner of Bristol, with close links to the seaside.

The residents of a large part of Knowle West, live in roads named after the seaside resorts of Cornwall, Devon and Somerset.

And now they can't go to the coast, a Bristol artist has decided to bring more of the seaside to them.

Claudia Collins has started creating beaches on the street corners of those roads named after beach resorts, complete with deckchairs, sandcastles, wind breaks and buckets and spades.

Artwork on Padstow Road. Credit: Bristol Live

Claudia has also got funding from the Filwood Community Centre to pay for a batch of special Knowle West postcards - so those in lockdown can send postcards to loved ones they can’t go and visit, pretending they’re on holiday.

The postcards created for Knowle West residents. Credit: Bristol Live
Almost all of the streets in the area were named after West Country beach resorts. Credit: Bristol Live

It’s not the first time Claudia’s off-the-wall ideas have turned heads- last year, she had a tattoo that was started in the UK and completedin America’s Bristol which sits on the border of Tennessee andVirginia.

She's now got scenes from both Bristols tattooed on her leg.

As part of the cultural mission, Claudia took a suitcase full ofBristol-centric gifts from the original Bristol, and swapped them withBristolians in the US. And there's more to come from Bristol-mad Claudia.