A spectacular new mural has been revealed on the side of an iconic Isle of Wight building, marking the end of a huge three-month art project.
Scroll down to see photos of the mural
The mural on East Cowes’ Columbine Building celebrates the reintroduction of the white-tailed eagle coupled with the vivid history of technological innovation in the area.
The 12m by 65m mural, led by renowned artist Alice Malia and supported by a team of eight Island-based artists, was officially unveiled yesterday (Friday, August 16).
Supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England, the mural features a striking 8m-high depiction of the white-tailed eagle and the hidden seagrass meadows of the Solent.
It also showcases three significant innovations associated with the town: the Princess Seaplane, the Black Arrow Rocket and the hovercraft.
The mural's creation, which began in April, was not without its challenges.
The team had to contend with unpredictable weather and varying surface textures, some of which were the original brickwork of the building while others had been recently restored.
The artists drew a massive grid on the side of the building to guide their work, spending the first month laying out the design before any paint touched the wall.
On a good day, lead artist Alice told the County Press, the team would spend around six to seven hours on-site, depending on how many coats of paint were needed and which section was being worked on.
Reflecting on the project, Alice said, “It’s astonishing that it comes out looking like my drawing; it’s exactly how I imagined!
“I think I might have painted the biggest wall on the Island!
“The team I worked with was phenomenal. It's amazing that I was able to put together such a skilled team.”
This was not the first time Alice had worked on a mural of this scale, with experience working with Ink Dwell in the USA, creating artwork on 11-story tower blocks.
For the IW project, Alice worked closely with the East Cowes Heritage Society to research the area’s history and with Stephen Egerton-Read from Forestry England on the white-tailed eagle conservation project.
Stephen said: “It’s fantastic that these iconic birds are now settling into the landscape and to see the pleasure they bring so many people.
“We are delighted to know that these impressive birds helped inspire such a stunning mural and that they are making it back into our cultural heritage.”
The mural’s location ensures it will be a prominent feature in East Cowes for years to come.
Visible from across the River Medina, particularly from the Red Funnel ferry, it is expected to be more noticeable when the cross-Solent operator’s terminal development gets underway, and the area is cleared of machinery.
Ross Edmunds, area regeneration manager for Cowes and East Cowes, added: “This piece of artwork is in recognition of the successful sea eagle release programme on the Isle of Wight.”
“It will also serve to recognise the hard-working people (past and present), who have worked and still work in the Columbine building, to produce internationally significant innovation.”
“Ross was really keen and was a champion of this project, pulling strings, and it wouldn’t have been possible without him,” Alice said.
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