Advertisement
Art

Street Art: John Sheehy’s expressive works have hit Somerset House

The Big Issue’s Street Art page gives talented, marginalised individuals an outlet for creative expression

‘I SHALL ALWAYS BE THERE’

By John Sheehy

It’s been a tough road for Sheehy, but the regular Irish-born contributor to Street Art has seen his expressive works gain much-deserved recognition and acclaim.

After experiencing periods of homelessness and suffering mental health problems, John began to paint in 1999, aged 51, at a creative group run by The Big Issue in Vauxhall, London. His first major exhibition was staged at London’s Studio Voltaire in 2017, and he’s also had pieces displayed at Somerset House and The British Museum. Last year John sold three paintings and gifted two other pieces to The Arts Council Collection, the UK’s largest national loan collection of modern and contemporary art.

Support our street artists over at The Big Issue Shop.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertising helps fund Big Issue’s mission to end poverty

SIGN THE PETITION

Will you sign Big Issue's petition to ask Keir Starmer to pass a Poverty Zero law? It's time to hold government to account on poverty once and for all.

Recommended for you

Read All
'This has been my shelter': Powerful exhibition spotlights artists with experience of insecure housing
Art

'This has been my shelter': Powerful exhibition spotlights artists with experience of insecure housing

'It's an emergency': Why artist Stuart Semple is giving £30k of art supplies to 50 schools in one day
Artist Stuart Semple
Art

'It's an emergency': Why artist Stuart Semple is giving £30k of art supplies to 50 schools in one day

Connections are the art of the matter
Big Issue vendor Dave Martin creating abstract artwork at a table, surrounded by examples of his colourful geometric prints. Beside him is an illustration of a person using a smartphone for contactless payment, symbolising digital inclusion, with logos for giffgaff and Big Issue Group and the tagline ‘Connecting people to their potential’.
Advertorial

Connections are the art of the matter

10Foot, Tox and Fume's art exhibition shut down after 'f**k the King' graffiti
Graffiti

10Foot, Tox and Fume's art exhibition shut down after 'f**k the King' graffiti

Most Popular

Read All
Renters pay their landlords' buy-to-let mortgages, so they should get a share of the profits
Renters: A mortgage lender's window advertising buy-to-let products
1.

Renters pay their landlords' buy-to-let mortgages, so they should get a share of the profits

Exclusive: Disabled people are 'set up to fail' by the DWP in target-driven disability benefits system, whistleblowers reveal
Pound coins on a piece of paper with disability living allowancve
2.

Exclusive: Disabled people are 'set up to fail' by the DWP in target-driven disability benefits system, whistleblowers reveal

Cost of living payment 2024: Where to get help now the scheme is over
next dwp cost of living payment 2023
3.

Cost of living payment 2024: Where to get help now the scheme is over

Citroën Ami: the tiny electric vehicle driving change with The Big Issue
4.

Citroën Ami: the tiny electric vehicle driving change with The Big Issue