RENOWNED canal boat artist Alan Baillie rose to a new challenge when he was asked to paint a tuk-tuk.
A chance meeting on the Coventry Canal between tuk-tuk owner Gary Cross and Mr Baillie led to him taking on the unusual job of painting the Indian Bajaj auto rickshaw.
After a conversation, Gary gave the artist free rein to transform the vehicle.
Gary said: “The results were spectacular, resulting in a truly cultural crossover, featuring Indian elephant gods, traditional canal roses, a rampaging tiger, a Nepalese eye and local representation with a stunning image of Tamworth Castle and Ladybridge.”
Both were delighted with the results, with Gary reserving some space on his tuk-tuk for a return visit from Alan soon.
“I can understand why people become addicted to body art through tattoos as a way of expressing themselves,” he said. “Instead, I’m using my tuk-tuk to express my love of canal art and Asian culture by using Alan’s amazing craftsmanship, and I’m already thinking of future joint projects!”
Alan, who has travelled the canal network for decades creating stunning artwork, was also responsible for painting the Aqueduct pub mural at Llangollen, North Wales. This attracted nationwide media attention, due to its three-dimensional representation of a Welsh dragon pulling a narrowboat across the World Heritage Site construction.
