Nu & The Gang: Meet the artists behind our North Road Murals

Our Brighton North Road store has new murals, painted by local disabled artists. We asked three of them about the places, people and ideas behind their work, and what got them here.
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Nyz

Nicolas, or Nyz to friends, designed the mural in our accessible changing room.

“I’m a disabled British-American painter and amateur microscope photographer living in Brighton. I designed the disabled changing room mural of the North Road; it was painted by Moss Bone. They did a great job and I’m so thankful to them for taking this on when my health declined.”

 

The mural brings together drawings and collages of Brighton that Nyz has made since moving here three years ago. 

 

“The main inspirations were Hove Lawns at dusk, and Dyke Road Park during the daytime. The park has a little area of trees just south of the tennis courts, and if you sit under the tree and face towards the ocean you will get a similar view to the mural. I really liked the idea of someone sitting on the bench like they’re sat underneath a tree.”

 

“I decided to make the sky dark and the plants bright to add a timelessness to the mural, as if you’re in a calm dream.”

For Nyz, painting has become a way to visit places that aren’t always within reach.

 

“These days my paintings are a way for me to inhabit a place I really want to be but can’t go to.”

 

Find Nyz on Instagram at @nyzfirkins.

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Moss Bone

Moss is a queer and disabled artist from Brighton, now based in Hove, and best known for stickers that celebrate disabled and queer identities.

“We as disabled people deserve to have a bit of fun with our self expression and I try to facilitate this as best as I can through my products.”

 

“For me, there is no better feeling than being at a market and selling my work, and someone comes up to me and says a variation of ‘Oh my god you have ____ stickers?? I never see the condition I have represented on anything! Thank you so much!’ This genuinely is what keeps me going the most.”

 

What would Moss tell their younger self?

 

“Your disability and pain is not all in your head. Please keep going.”

 

And the Lucy & Yak connection?

 

“Lucy and Yak honestly have some of the softest tshirts which have become my daily uniform, and having clothes that are soft cotton with stretch waistbands, that are still cute?? Unheard of!”

 

Find Moss on Instagram at @moosbone.art

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2EyesBlind

St Leonards-on-Sea artist 2eyesBlind paints big: huge murals, massive canvases and colour everywhere.

“I like to see bright bold colours and patterns in place of boring blank spaces. I take inspiration from music, pop culture and the unusual shapes I see due to my sight condition.”

 

It didn’t start with confidence.

 

“‘I can’t paint.’ Words I used to say to myself a lot. But thanks to my partner, who helped me understand that nothing has to be perfect, you just have to try, I started to experiment with drawing and painting.”

 

Their advice to their younger self?

 

“Challenge your inner critic, it only tethers you to your past failures.”

 

And Lucy & Yak is personal for them too.

 

“It makes me feel good that my partner now found clothes they feel good in, so I celebrate the brand for helping my partner celebrate themselves.”

 

Find 2eyesBlind on Instagram at @2eyesblind

Title

Nyz

Nicolas, or Nyz to friends, designed the mural in our accessible changing room.

 

“I’m a disabled British-American painter and amateur microscope photographer living in Brighton. I designed the disabled changing room mural of the North Road; it was painted by Moss Bone. They did a great job and I’m so thankful to them for taking this on when my health declined.”

 

The mural brings together drawings and collages of Brighton that Nyz has made since moving here three years ago.

 

“The main inspirations were Hove Lawns at dusk, and Dyke Road Park during the daytime. The park has a little area of trees just south of the tennis courts, and if you sit under the tree and face towards the ocean you will get a similar view to the mural. I really liked the idea of someone sitting on the bench like they’re sat underneath a tree.”

 

“I decided to make the sky dark and the plants bright to add a timelessness to the mural, as if you’re in a calm dream.”

 

For Nyz, painting has become a way to visit places that aren’t always within reach.
 

“These days my paintings are a way for me to inhabit a place I really want to be but can’t go to.”

 

Find Nyz on Instagram at @nyzfirkins.

Moss Bone

Moss is a queer and disabled artist from Brighton, now based in Hove, and best known for stickers that celebrate disabled and queer identities

.

“We as disabled people deserve to have a bit of fun with our self expression and I try to facilitate this as best as I can through my products.”

 

“For me, there is no better feeling than being at a market and selling my work, and someone comes up to me and says a variation of ‘Oh my god you have ____ stickers?? I never see the condition I have represented on anything! Thank you so much!’ This genuinely is what keeps me going the most.”

 

What would Moss tell their younger self?

 

“Your disability and pain is not all in your head. Please keep going.”

 

And the Lucy & Yak connection?

 

“Lucy and Yak honestly have some of the softest tshirts which have become my daily uniform, and having clothes that are soft cotton with stretch waistbands, that are still cute?? Unheard of!”

 

Find Moss on Instagram at @moosbone.art

2EyesBlind

St Leonards-on-Sea artist 2eyesBlind paints big: huge murals, massive canvases and colour everywhere.

 

“I like to see bright bold colours and patterns in place of boring blank spaces. I take inspiration from music, pop culture and the unusual shapes I see due to my sight condition.”

 

It didn’t start with confidence.

 

“‘I can’t paint.’ Words I used to say to myself a lot. But thanks to my partner, who helped me understand that nothing has to be perfect, you just have to try, I started to experiment with drawing and painting.”

 

Their advice to their younger self?

 

“Challenge your inner critic, it only tethers you to your past failures.”

 

And Lucy & Yak is personal for them too.

 

“It makes me feel good that my partner now found clothes they feel good in, so I celebrate the brand for helping my partner celebrate themselves.”

 

Find 2eyesBlind on Instagram at @2eyesblind

Next time you’re on North Road, come and see their work in person. And if you’re in the accessible changing room, take a seat on the bench. It might feel a little like sitting under a tree in Dyke Road Park.