In 2009, the street artist known as JPS was on a downward spiral- then a visit to the Banksy exhibit in Bristol turned his life around.
The 37-year-old street artist from Weston-super-Mare, said “Five and a half years ago, I was homeless from drink and drugs, Two of my friends were murdered when I was 19 and I went down a bad path."
"I'm from a tough estate and I lost a lot of friends. I hid my grief through drink, and wasted 12 years of my life" - This seems to be the foundations that have created this great artist!
"Then in 2009 I went to visit the Banksy show in Bristol and I though "hey I could do that. I was into fine art when I was younger, but Banksy inspired me, he saved my life and I respect him.”
JPS credits seeing the Banksy exhibit to helping him get his life back on track: “My life was in the gutter and it's been a long journey out of it. But I feel like my mind has come back.” His work has been featured at the Tate Modern and in a Hyundai advert.
“It's not that I just wanna damage a wall, I'm very careful where I do my pieces.