Octopus Mural

• Subject: Octopus mural
• Medium: Masonry paint
• Completion Date: May 30, 2015
• Completion Time: 6 days
• Dimensions: 7m X 3m
• Background: Sea and bubbles

Firstly my octopus design was submitted and accepted by the Friends of Concord Beach in Canvey Island, Essex headed by Colin Letchford. Day one at the beginning of the Whitsun holidays, in front of the children’s crabbing pool, I set about scaling up my original drawing to the size of the seawall by drawing a grid then transferring my drawing ready for painting.

The subsequent four days were spent painting the image in between chatting to the general public, who were most encouraging and enthusiastic especially the children who helped to paint sections of the sand. My daughter Kelly helped on day two by painting the fish and some of the octopus’s markings. Finally on the sixth day I added the text, which was designed on paper and cut out using cardboard, I then drew around the templates and hand painted each letter on tiptoes! My first attempt at sign writing.

During the painting process both the Echo and Yellow Advertiser newspapers sent a reporter to record my progress. An article was printed in each of them. The local mayor even took a photograph of me in action which was posted on MP Rebecca Harris’s Facebook page.

The new octopus mural is a fantastic addition to the superb art along the sea wall by Concord Beach on Canvey Island.

Congratulations to Jane High, a local artist based at Hadleigh Old Fire Station and well done to the Friends of Concord Beach for raising the funding.

The new mural is designed specifically for children and sits along side the fantastic Canvey history mural that was painted last year – Rebecca Harris