‘Water water Everywhere…’
PUBLIC MURAL ART PROJECT ‘ART IN THE ARCHES’
Elizabeth Marina, St Helier, Jersey
Six artists have been selected to design and produce a triptych of murals for Jersey’s Elizabeth Marina arches in St Helier. The project aims to bring colour and life to this much-loved site that looks out across Elizabeth Harbour and Castle. The project has been developed by ArtHouse Jersey in partnership with Art in the Frame Foundation with kind permission of Ports of Jersey and is sponsored by Jersey Water with the support of the Jersey Community Foundation with funds from the Channel Island Lottery.
Each artist will work under the coordinating supervision of mural artist Ben Robertson, and will each be allocated three arches to paint through a design process that will involve a series of workshops with local community groups coordinated with The Harbour Gallery Jersey. Each artist will be assigned a community group to work with over two sessions where you will guide a session exploring the theme, encouraging people to make their own work, which you will use as part of your inspiration for the murals.
The artists are Will Bertram (Jersey), Robert Allen (Jersey), Lucy Oates (UK), Zara Le Cornu (Jersey), Oli Nightingale (Jersey/ Spain).
‘Water water everywhere’ … is the strapline for this inaugural iteration of the project with the community groups and artists being asked to consider our relationship with water both in the past, present and future.
About the artists
Will Bertram is an artist from Jersey. His work focuses around drawing, taking inspiration from Jersey’s unique and varied coastline, global events, climate change and pop culture. Will’s love of the sea has involved regular sea swims, discovering its benefits to mental health, wellbeing and the fascination we have with it.
“Water is such an important part of life in general, but being a sea swimmer and surrounded by the sea in Jersey it’s a part of my daily life, my routine and a constant source of joy and inspiration. But, it is something to be looked after and treasured in the ever-changing world we live in. I’m so excited to create something that celebrates the beauty of being surrounded by water, hopefully emphasising our need to protect it.” Will Bertram.
Robert Allen is an artist and teacher living and working in Jersey. He studied sculpture and drawing at Falmouth College of Arts and Nuova Academia Belle d’Arte in Milan between 2002 and 2006. He has exhibited in over 50 solo and group exhibitions in the UK, Italy and the Channel Islands. He exhibits his contemporary landscape paintings and drawings every year in various exhibition spaces and galleries.
“It is an honour to be chosen as one of the artists for Art in the Arches. The coastline of Jersey has been a continual source of inspiration for my artwork, especially the changing tides and the harbours around the island. I am excited to leave a visual mark on Jersey that will hopefully be seen for years to come.” Robert Allen.
Lucy Oates is an multi award winning visual artist based in Bristol. Lucy’s practice revolves around working closely with and for communities to produce and create site specific artworks. Creating visually striking pieces that feature intricate and bold patterns, layers of collage, resulting in compositions that are visually stimulating, Lucy’s intention is to uplift and enhance a space. A winner of the Arts Council DYCP award, Lucy is growing her methods and skill sets to produce functional and interactive public art pieces beyond murals.
“The opportunity to contribute to the beautification of such a beloved site as Elizabeth Marina is incredibly inspiring. I believe that art has the power to transform spaces, evoke emotions, and foster a sense of belonging within a community. Being a part of this project combines my love for art with my desire to positively impact local communities.” Lucy Oates.
Zara Le Cornu is a 22 year old artist born and raised in Jersey, currently studying Painting and Visual Arts in Milan. She’s primarily a painter, using lots of oils for landscapes but also acrylics in her abstract work. She loves to experiment with new mediums and is excited to see where this mural project will lead.
“I’m really excited to be working on this mural project and to have the chance to collaborate with other artists and share ideas and thoughts. I already know this project will be a colourful collaboration leaving a legacy for the community to enjoy in years to come.” Zara Le Cornu.
Oli Nightingale is a Jersey-born illustrator and painter based in Spain. He’s worked on loads of fun projects, from satirical cartoons to murals. Recently, he’s all about vibrant colour and form while celebrating wholesome themes like nature and community.
“A big thank you, ArtHouse Jersey and Jersey Water! It’s such a pleasure to be selected to take part in ‘Art in the Arches’. I’m really looking forward to returning home to take a deeper ‘dip’ into our shared connection with water in all its forms and seeing what visual expression follows.” Oli Nightingale
