Bright handprints create artistic forest mural in Somerstown, bringing to life tower blocks site boundary

Portsmouth City Council hosted the Forest of Somerstown event, inviting everyone with a connection to the area to add their handprint to a large mural, and to enjoy free cake and hot drinks.

Grown-ups and children wrapped up in hats and coats to brave Saturday’s cold winds and bring some colour to the corner of Earlsdon Street and Melbourne Place.

The event was part of the Portsmouth City Council’s Somerstown Street Gallery project.

This community art project, which has already seen involvement from a number of local artists, schools, community groups and organisations, aims to cheer up the site hoardings around Horatia and Leamington Houses as they undergo deconstruction.

Kat Bement, council engagement officer, said: ‘We’re engaging people with what is happening, getting some local artists along to create their own murals.

‘There’s handpainting, we’ve got people doing wreath making workshops - they’re absolutely loving it.’

Engagement officers Tim Raw and Molly Penney organised today’s event.

Molly said: ‘We’ve had a couple of hundred, predominantly parents bringing their children.

‘Really enjoying it, we’ve had children do about 50 handprints.’

The Forest of Somerstown mural aims to reflect and celebrate the community spirit that runs through Somerstown while setting a precedent for the increased green space and biodiversity in the development to come.

Artist Mark Kellett, who contributed an astronaut mural at the Horatia House site, said: ‘It’s been amazing, it’s been really nice - I grew up around here so it’s been good to work with the community.’

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Another mural at the site, entitled ‘My Grateful Face’, grew from a collaboration between The Grateful Arts Club and artist James Mankiewicz.

Charla Grant, founder of The Grateful Hearts Club, launched the community Grateful Arts creative project earlier this year while working with the young people of Portsmouth charity Motiv8.

She said: ‘This is a new community project for me - gratitude in action, giving back to the community.

‘Art is such a great vessel to carry messages, and it’s nice to work with other people and collaborate - our city, we’re great at collaborating and this is proof of that.’

Several representatives from Karakusevic Carson Architects were also in attendance to exhibit their plans for the site’s development.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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