It was nearly a year ago local street artist Garf, (responsible for the much art around Exmouth including the Giraffe and Dentist, many Dinosaurs and the RNLI Welly Trail), entered a competition to paint a major mural in Exeter.

The commission came out of COP 26 in Egypt for two murals with positive messages about the climate crisis, one in Cairo and one in Exeter.  

Garf’s entry was short listed and went up for a public vote. That’s when the people of Exmouth came in and voted in their thousands for the Garf, Exmouth Banksy’s design. 

Garf who has produced over twenty street art pieces across Exmouth is hosting his first ever solo art exhibition, showing prints of recent artwork, some are from interior commissions that have not been seen publicly before and some are new ideas that have not been produced, (yet).

You can see his work in the Bin Yard at the back of Exmouth Indoor Market this Bank Holiday Weekend, Fri, Sat, Mon and Tues. 10am-5pm.

Garf, real name Gary Cook said: “I was so thankful to everyone that took time to vote online, and pleased to be able to get my art on a wall in the centre of Exeter.” 

"That was last October, but since then there have been many hurdles for the organisers to get over, including, a heavy duty anti-graffiti coating on the old mural that meant it could not be painted over.

"In the end the mural started three weeks ago and will be finished this week. “There is always a nervous anticipation when you start a project like this.

"I had been looking at my design on a small screen all this time and now was the time to make it big. It’s been fun work with many passers-by stopping to discuss the issues the design addresses.”