Portsmouth street artist Skyla finishes first work in Somerstown Street Gallery around Horatia House and Leamington House tower blocks

Skyla Swan's work will be followed with artwork by local street artists, schoolchildren, charities, youth clubs, professionals and amateurs who will decorate the site boundary around Horatia House and Leamington House, which are being brought down just metres from where Skyla grew up.

Skyla's proud grandparents sat in their front garden to watch their granddaughter painting her fresco to cover 72 m sq of the Horatia House hoardings on the Park Street stretch of the site.

‘We are so proud,’ Skyla's grandma Florence Harvey said. ‘We went over many times to watch Skyla working on the mural. It looks amazing and it's nice to see something bright to look at in the area.’

Skyla - street art name #SouthseaOceanArtist - said: ‘The homes and green space the council will build to replace Horatia and Leamington Houses, after the blocks come down, will be really important for this area.

‘I’m really proud that I've been able to use my artwork to bring a nice vibe to the area and I'd love to see other local people getting involved in Somerstown Street Gallery.’

Cllr Darren Sanders, cabinet member for housing and preventing homelessness, was full of praise for the painting by University of Portsmouth computer animation student Skyla.

‘The scale and quality of Skyla's mural is fantastic,’ Cllr Sanders said. ‘Her painting represents everything we want from this project because it’s a great example of how local creativity can have a positive impact on people's lives.’

The council is still appealing for more artists, schools, charities and community organisations to come forward to work with them to decorate the hoardings with their local artwork.

The site boundary also includes Somerstown Self-Portrait Gallery - nearly 650 self-portraits by local children and adults.

Email [email protected] if you would like to get involved.