SCOTTISH artist Morag Macpherson has made her mark on the city of Newcastle in spectacular fashion, helping to create a giant mural that is now decorating one of the best-known buildings on Tyneside.
Working with the artist Tellas from Rome, Macpherson has designed and created a giant mural on the wall of the famous Toffee Factory building as a gift to the city of Newcastle.
The Factory was so named because Maynard’s sweets were manufactured there for many years, and the refurbished building now hosts more than 20 digital and creative businesses.
Kirkcudbright-based Macpherson was asked to do the mural as part of the Spring Fling Rural Mural (SFRM) arts programme.
Macpherson previously worked with Tellas to complete a giant mural at Meiklewood Farm, Ringford, Castle Douglas, by the A75. Now she and her Italian collaborator have completed the second part of the SFRM project in a very different location.
SFRM is part of Spring Fling, a visual art and craft open studios event which will see almost 100 artists and makers across Dumfries and Galloway open their doors from May 28 to 30.
Murals will be one of the main attractions as visitors from around the world travel between studios.
The theme of this year’s SFRM is “exchange”, and because it is taking place during Scotland’s Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design, organisers have decided to take Rural Mural into an urban setting in major UK and European cities. Berlin and Glasgow will soon see murals within their boundaries.
Macpherson said: “This has been fun to create and we very much hope that it’s something that people in Newcastle will enjoy.
"The response we’ve had from people on the street while we’ve been working has been excellent.”
The work has taken place in collaboration with Newcastle’s Unit 44 gallery whose director Danny Hughes said: “It’s a really exciting project – to have artists coming here from Italy and Scotland to create a large new piece of public art for the city is superb.”
Paul Bush, director of events at VisitScotland, said: “In 2016, the Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design, we are delighted to be supporting Spring Fling’s Rural Mural project, which will provide a fantastic platform for local Dumfries and Galloway artists to work with international talent, and to showcase their work to a wider audience.”
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