In the world of art, passion and creativity pave unexpected paths. For Glasgow-based artist Boiiing, his journey began with childhood doodles, evolving into vibrant murals, and now, a unique collaboration with First Bus.
This partnership marks First Glasgow’s venture into fashion, presenting a streetwear collection inspired by Scotland’s bustling bus routes. Teaming up with creatives like artist Boiiing, they aim to inspire under 22-year-olds to explore their cities through a range capturing the energy of the ‘Free to Explore’ campaign.
Beyond fashion, this collaboration serves as a platform for self-expression and exploration, igniting creativity in young commuters. As Boiiing draws inspiration from Glasgow’s cultural tapestry, sustainability takes centre stage, reflecting a shared commitment to responsible practices.
Here, we delve into Boiiing’s creative journey and his exciting collaboration with First Bus…
Can you tell us about your journey as an artist and how you got started in your career?
Art has always been my thing; I was always drawing when I was wee. I drew a highly acclaimed cat in P2, loved drawing the Titanic, and was obsessed with lamp posts for some reason. When I was really wee, I wanted to be an electrician because I didn’t see being an artist as an actual job – maybe that explains the lamp post obsession.
Being creative was never presented to us as a career at school, but thankfully, my mum always saw my interest and suggested that I pursue design at college. So, I studied Visual Communication in Glasgow and then Fine Art down in London. I worked in art-related roles in galleries and art centres for a good while until I pushed myself to move more into painting murals.
I started my mural journey at SWG3, given the opportunity to paint on some big weird metal box thing, for which I’m very grateful – people saw my first work and asked me to work for them at their restaurants, bars, offices, homes, and out in the wild too. Having a studio at SWG3 was an amazing way to be introduced to people in the street art community, and I soon became a part of it in my own way.
How did the collaboration with First Bus come about, and what was the inspiration behind your designs for the streetwear range?
I was approached with the concept and thought it sounded like a lot of fun. I could really see how my designs could work with the project. I like to think of my work as being playful and having a sense of fun and energy, and that totally tied in with the aims of the project.
When I saw the wheels on the bus video, which was part of the ‘Free to Explore’ campaign, I thought – YES! I like my work to have a sense of humour where it can, and the campaign definitely did.
It’s important to me to express some humour in my work – I think it’s part of the fabric of Glasgow and Scotland – like if you’re talking, it better be funny, or you better stop talking. People are measured by their patter and not other superficial things, and I kinda like that attitude.
The patterns featured on the streetwear range are inspired by the textile coverings of bus seats. Can you share more about your creative process in developing these designs?
There were a lot of influences for the designs, but one was dissecting and rejigging some iconic seat covers for inspiration, and I used that as influence when I started to draw the designs. There was lots of experimenting with different flows and colourways to get the right energy for the collab.
When they originally asked me to use only the First Bus colours, I was slightly sceptical of what I could achieve with that, as I imagined only 3 or 4 colours I could think of on the buses I could recall. But they sent me the company palette, and it was very colourful, which was amazing to work with and gave me a lot of freedom to explore.
What do you hope young people will take away from wearing your designs as part of the ‘Free to Explore’ campaign?
The aim of the campaign is to encourage them to use their free bus travel – and explore, so definitely that. But I think for me the campaign is a good example of collaboration and different creatives working together to make something happen because there were a lot of aspects to this campaign in the designing and constructing the merch.
So, I hope it can inspire some people creatively, especially young people who maybe like myself weren’t informed that creativity can be part of your career at school. Everyone I worked with on the project was really creative but were all doing really different roles, so I think it’s a good example for young people who want to do something creative with themselves, that there are so many ways to go and the possibilities are endless.
Glasgow is known for its vibrant cultural scene. What is your favorite cultural spot in the city, and why does it hold significance for you?
I love a big gallery with loads to see, so Tramway is a fave and there is a beautiful garden at the back – and I remember once sitting there as people did Tai Chi in the garden, the sun was setting and the golden light was reflecting off of the Gurdwara’s gold roof in the background – and I just thought wow this is beautiful, and peaceful.
For similar reasons I love Kelvingrove Park and the galleries there, loads of art and history and absolutely stunning surroundings. Glasgow could do with another giant art museum I think, like a lot of other cities in Europe have – there’s loads of room, we just need some generous artsy benefactor to fund it.
Sustainability is an important aspect of the collaboration, with Trakke crafting eco-friendly accessories. How does sustainability factor into your artistic practice, and why is it important to you?
In my street art practice, sustainability always plays a role, it’s a conscious commitment to minimise my environmental impact. As a mural artist and designer, the materials I use are essential considerations in maintaining a responsible approach.
When it comes to materials, I prioritise eco-friendly options. Selecting paints with lower toxicity levels not only aligns with my commitment to sustainability but also ensures that my artistic expression doesn’t harm the environment. It’s a wee step towards reducing the footprint of my creative process.
The First Bus ‘Free to Explore’ range is now available at Aberdeen’s Shiprow and Glasgow’s Barras Market for FREE to celebrate free bus travel across Scotland for Under-22’s
Find out more via First Bus’s social channels.
