Home > News > Oldest graffiti store in UK supports International Women's Day street art

Oldest graffiti store in UK supports International Women's Day street art

A CARDIFF graffiti store is calling on women to pick up a spray can in celebration of International Women’s Day.

The store sells specialist aerosol cans for graffiti artists and will mark 20 years since opening in July.

International Women's Day street art

International Women’s Day street art at the Millennium Boardwalk

There are three “legal walls” in Cardiff which artists can spray on, they are in: Hailey Park in Llandaff North, Sevenoaks Park in Grangetown and Millennium Walkway.

The council authorises Oner Signs to grant permission to artists who want to spray on those legal walls. Oner Signs hand out forms at the store and ask artists to fill them out before they are allowed to spray legally.

Street artists painted the Millennium Boardwalk wall on March 5 as part of a Paint Jam event organised to raise awareness for International Women’s Day.

Keiron Jones, the owner of Oner Signs and a graffiti artist for 30 years, said: “I was very happy to help promote the event and give artists a discount on the paint.

“If you come to use you fill out a form and this makes sure no one sprays over other people’s art or uses bad language.

“For instance, we had an artist – Ant Brave Toaster – who passed away just before Christmas and someone did a piece for him on the Millennium Walkway this weekend.

“We don’t want anyone to paint over that, there are unwritten rules in the graffiti scene.

“On International Women’s Day we want more women get involved in graffiti. We helped out the organiser of the event as it was for a great cause and in the heart of the capital.”

International Women's Day street art @sophynails

International Women’s Day street art @sophynails

Sophy Robson, the artist who sprayed the No.1 Mum painting above, said: “I thought it was a fantastic event, there was good positive vibes and lovely sunshine weather. We even had music laid on by The Hold Up.

“I’m new to the painting scene but I love when other women and kids come up and take photos or ask questions. It means they are engaging with what you are creating. It’s also great to meet other artists and get inspired by them.

“People were taking pictures of the No.1 Mum painting I did and sending it to their mum!”

International Women's Day street art @georgieartist

International Women’s Day street art @georgieartist

Oner Signs is one of between 30 and 40 graffiti stores in the UK.

Mr Jones said: “People used to buy from hardware stores but now graffiti has become world wide companies have started making paint for the scene.”

Artists from across the country came to Cardiff to spray the formerly grey 340ft wall.

International Women's Day street art

More International Women’s Day street art

You may also like
Nazi posters and swastikas stain route of anti-racism march
Bringing art to the streets of Cardiff
A picture of the graffiti outside the store.
Clean-up confusion means Roath graffiti stays for months
Petition to save Cardiff’s graffiti ‘hall of fame’ from Champions League final adverts