Category: Murals

A vibrant new mural has appeared at The Tarradale Chippy in Muir of Ord. It’s the latest piece in Mikeysline’s ongoing campaign to spark conversations about mental health and suicide prevention.

The charity commissioned artist Marc Delaye, of Fresh Paint, to create the piece. As a result, it now works as a highly visible reminder of the support services Mikeysline offers across the North of Scotland.

The artwork is playful and whimsical. A character resembling Willy Wonka takes centre stage, dressed in his signature purple jacket and top hat. But instead of sweets, he’s tucking into a bucket of chips. Meanwhile, he stands in a fantastical forest of twisting trees, purple and pink foliage, and oversized lollipops. Bright red and white toadstools dot the scene, and a large bumblebee hovers nearby.

This mural adds to a growing collection of Fresh Paint artworks that highlight Mikeysline’s presence across the region. Similar murals already stand in Inverness, Wick, and Thurso. Earlier this year, for example, a piece featuring Scottish singer Callum Beattie went up in the Inverness Victorian Market, further spreading the charity’s message.

Overall, Mikeysline has become a vital resource for residents across the Highlands, Islands, and Moray. In particular, the organisation works to dismantle the stigma around mental health, encouraging open, honest conversations with anyone facing emotional distress.

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[VIDEO EMBED STAYS HERE]

Video via CARZAR Creative

Marc Delaye: a mural painter in the Highlands since the 1980s

I’m Marc Delaye, and I run Fresh Paint. Fresh Paint is about commissioned murals — people come to me with their ideas, and I try to paint their vision. I’ve pretty much always done it. In fact, I started back in the late 80s. I meant to stop at one point, but I just carried on, because there was demand for it up here in the Highlands.

Like we said earlier, graffiti is a bit like a black eye to the culture. When you say the word “graffiti,” it’s an umbrella term that also covers things like people writing on graves, or racist graffiti. However, what I’m doing has nothing to do with that.

I think there’s always been a lot of misunderstanding around the art form. In particular, people often confuse the medium with the style of painting.

That perception has changed over time. Some things have shifted, and some haven’t. For instance, a lot of businesses have started targeting a younger audience. That’s more what we did here, in a sense — like signage. It’s the old-school way of doing it, full of imperfections. Overall, I think that’s what makes it connect with people.

Right now, you can see a lot of young artists in America painting vertical lettering on the sides of buildings — 30, 50 metres high. But I’m too old for that.

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