Meet The Artist behind the beautiful NHS mural on Valley Road in Sheffield

Bubba2000, as he likes to be known, is a freelance artist from the Steel City.

He is a firm believer in the art and not the artist, which he describes as, "Don’t look at me, look at what I do,”

The 43-year-old is a former Sheffield DJ who started drawing for comic books from the age of 17 and also did storyboards for films and music videos.

When he became bored with that career, he went to university and made contacts with all sorts of artists.

He has now been making art in the city for around 25 years.

“ I just decided to go on my own," Bubba said. “It’s been a case of picking it up and putting it down.I n recent years I thought, life's too short - give it a go.”

Bubba never studied art and sees himself as an illustrator.

“The style I did going back in the late 90s, people would frown on it and look down on it. They didn't think it was 'proper art'.

"It is only in recent years that other artists have come to the fore and people have gone 'oh yeah'.

"Styles change like music and fashion, things come back around."

Remaining anonymous is important to Bubba; he just wants people to enjoy his art rather than the person who created it.

He said: “'Proper' artists don’t like me because I’m not a proper artist and graffiti artists don’t like me because I’m not a 'proper' graffiti artist.

"So I just do my own thing. Leave me alone, I’m not hurting anyone. I feel if the mortgage is paid and the cat is fed, I’m happy.”

Bubba spent years trying to get his work exhibited. He was just on the verge of exhibitions in London and Sheffield when lockdown came.

His latest creation is the NHS mural on Valley Road in Heeley. It’s Bubba’s largest one to date and, while that created its own issues, the artist sees every problem as a learning opportunity.

“There is a message behind the mural," he said. "If I can put a smile on people's faces, then mission accomplished.

"I’m talking to people who wouldn’t normally meet and the mural overlooks quite a few people's gardens. I wondered if they were going to be ok with it but they were so sweet. It’s a lovely community around there. People were stopping to have a little chat.

"These are lovely people. It belongs to them now as long as they keep enjoying it.

"The response from the NHS workers has been great but I just made a picture. Those guys are out there risking life and limb.”

Bubba says he can never tell what artworks people are going to like. He’s spent hours and days before on pieces that have been met with indifference. But he always prefers to get his inspiration from the heart.

“I did a piece when Aretha Franklin died. It was a sketch and took around three hours. People loved it. You don’t know what people are going to like. Always be honest with what you're doing,and why you're doing it - and for the right reasons”

Bubba believes in completing what you’re doing to do then moves on.

“You’re only as good as your last job,” as his mother says. He is currently working on a Tom Hardy artwork.

Bubba's work can be seen on instagram #Bubba2000art.

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

In order for us to continue to provide high quality and trusted local news on this free-to-read site, I am asking you to also please purchase a copy of our newspaper.

Our journalists are highly trained and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the most rigorous standards in the world. But being your eyes and ears comes at a price. So we need your support more than ever to buy our newspapers during this crisis.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers - and consequently the advertising that we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you helping us to provide you with news and information by buying a copy of our newspaper.

Thank you

Nancy Fielder, editor