 | | Image: Tom Groves |
Damos is 20 and for the last seven years he's been involved in the graffiti scene in Bristol. Part of the reason why so many artists love this genre is because of the 'burn' - where the artist try to outdo each other with colour, graphics and the scale of their images. Organised graffiti means that a wall is not vandalised and there are some areas in the city where artists can freely paint what they like. One of the best examples can be found underneath the M32 motorway near the Eastville turn off. The Bristol graffiti scene has seen some artists rise to fame: from the media-shy Banksy whose images still adorn the city, to up-and-coming Sickboy. Both these artists have helped put Bristol firmly on the graffiti map and the city is widely respected. Damos tries to be unique and he tries to please himself, a lot of his work is inspired by the music he listens to and the people he meets: "Bristol has created me and still influences me," he says "I see a lot of different things in my life. I take personal experiences and put them onto a wall, just a little brief encounter, or meeting with someone inspires me to paint a character or a mural." One of the things that graffiti artists want is for their work to be respected and left unaltered "When I go past my work I always, always look at it. It always makes me feel great.
 | | Damos tries to be unique. Image: Tom Groves |
"If the picture lasts for ages, I get more attached to it 'cos I know it's there and it's almost like a little piece of me just stood there saying 'hello, I'm doing good, I'm still here'." | 
