City Centre finds

So onto the city centre now and I decided to let the Gromit Unleashed app guide me to the Gromits. I knew I wouldn't be able to do them all in the one go, so I decided to let technology lead me! So the first Gromit I found was right at the top of the harbour, where the fountains are and again, where two years ago a Gorilla stood!

 This is Salty Sea Dog - Gromit Number 14, ready for a life on the ocean waves. With his eye patch, sword and skip cap he looks like he could be sailing on the Jolly Roger out into the Caribbean! This Gromit was designed by Peter Lord CBE - who is co-founder of Aardmaan Animations. He is a British film producer famous for The Pirates! In an Adventure with scientists! He was given the Freedom of Bristol in 2006. He thought creating a Pirate Gromit was too irresistible an idea!

Gromit Number:       14
Gromit Artist:           Peter Lord CBE
Gromit Sponsor:      Veale Wasbrough Vizards
Gromit Location:      Cascade Steps

Where's Wallace?

Sometimes, where the Gromit's are situated is quite intimidating going in to. This one, was also the place of a Gorilla two years ago, and even then I hated walking in to this hotel wearing my flip flops and casual clothes!

This one is a cutie though! This is Where's Wallace? and he is situated in the Bristol Marriott Royal Hotel - in the lobby area. He is designed by Martin Handford, the illustrator and author who created the famous Wheres Wally? series of books. I guess he wanted Gromit to look like his famous Wally character and with his red striped top, beanie hat and specs, he is a very good resemblance. I like him!

Gromit Number:        8
Gromit Artist:            Martin Handford
Gromit Sponsor:       Bristol Royal Marriott Hotel
Gromit Location:       Bristol Royal Marriott Hotel

That's SIR Gromit to you...

Further down the road now and to St George's Bristol, close to the Cabot Tower. This Gromit was hidden away down a side street, somewhere I hadn't been before, but in a pretty little spot next to a small park.

This is Sir Gromit of Bristol - Number 6 on the trail. He is dressed in his armour, ready to proudly defend his castle! He is designed by Ian Marlow - a professional sculptor based in Somerset who also has a flair for writing children's short stories - one such about Gromit as  Knight who saves Queen Guinivere from an evil tyrant!

Brave Gromit! All hail thee!

Gromit Number:           6

Gromit Artist:               Ian Marlow

Gromit Sponsor;          CAMB Machine Knives International

Gromit Location:          St George's Bristol

The Original Gromit!

Inside the Bristol City Museum sits the very first Gromit - Gromit Number 1 on the trail, and he is called Newshound.

He sits in the entrance way to the museum and is designed by Wallace and Gromit creator Nick Park CBE. Nick is the four times Oscar winning director of Aardman Animations - the main drivers behind this charity campaign of Gromits. He is also a Patron and Trustee of the charity at the centre of Gromit Unleashed - The Grand Appeal.

This Gromit (and Wallace) shows the classic Wallace and Gromit and Nick Park wanted to portray this in his statue. Gromit is covered in Newspaper headlines, all which show a clever pun to keep us smiling.

Gromit Number:         1
Gromit Artist:             Nick Park CBE
Gromit Sponsor:         LDC
Gromit Location:        Bristol City Museum

Two in one

Next a wee walk down the road to the Bristol City Museum where I was lucky to pick up two Gromits in one go!

This little beauty fits in with the Ancient Egyptian exhibition currently on at the Bristol City Museum. This is Tutan Gromit and he is Gromit Number 2 on the trail. He is designed by Dale Evans who is a Cardiff based artist. She was inspired by the Egyptian pieces in the museum and thought that had Gromit lived in Egypt 3000  years ago, he would have been a god!

Gromit Number:        2
Gromit Artist:            Dale Evans
Gromit Sponsor:       Brewin Dolphin
Gromit Location:       Bristol City Museum

Gromit Hunting Day...

Next on my hit list was Elton Road, just off the Clifton Triangle and up from Barclays bank. This one, although off the main drag, was framed in it's own little area and really stood out! I had to wait a while to actually take a photo of it because it was so popular! 

This is another of my favourite Gromits, mainly because he looks a little sad! But there is also a little bit of comedy about him. This is Vincent Van Gromit! He is number 4 on the trail and designed, once again by Laura Cramer (who also designed Five a Day Dog). He is designed with artist Vincent Van Gogh - hence the bandaged ear, but Laura painted this Gromit thinking about how Vincent Van Gogh would have painted Bristol. 

Gromit Number:         4

Gromit Artist:             Laura Cramer

Gromit Sponsor:        County Contracters

Gromit Location:        Elton Road 

Gromit Hunting Day...

Across the road from the Victoria Rooms and in the Royal West of England Academy, was my next Gromit. In my opinion, this Gromit wasn't in a particularly good location - squashed into the corner of the entrance way to the Academy. Not easy to see and not really in a prominent position for lots of people to be looking at. 

This is Bushed - Gromit Number 3 on the trail and, as I said previously, is situated in the Royal West of England Academy. This Gromit looks like he's been roaming in the bushes looking for Wallace as he is a little green! His creator David Inshaw, is an artist specialising in painting - he is most famous for painting The Badminton Game in 1973. He wanted to paint Gromit to look like a topiary bush - I think he achieved this! 

Gromit Number:       3

Gromit Artist:           David Inshaw

Gromit Sponsor:      Airbus

Gromit Location:      Royal West of England Academy