Students brighten up a corner of the town centre

A CORNER of Warrington town centre has been brightened up by young artists from Priestley College.
Using some of the world’s greatest street artists as their inspiration, they created pieces that now adorn the walls and windows of empty shops as well as the alley that links Bridge Street to Warrington Market.
Trader Steve White, the muse for one of the paintings by Nathan Hill, welcomed the students’ artistic talents.
Shoppers now enjoy telling him they’ve spotted his portrait when they pop into his shop for shoe repairs and engravings.
He said: “It’s great to see something so positive happening in the area.”
Twelve art and design students created pieces ranging from a painting of a majestic magpie to a scattering of three dimensional bugs.
Former St Gregory’s High School pupil John Atkins, 20, imprinted a large stag onto corrugated metal, which looks dead or alive depending on the angle from which it is viewed.
“I worked on it for over four weeks to get it right,” he said. “I love street art so this was a great opportunity for me.”
Town centre manager Barry McGorry said the project was just one way the council and others were aiming to regenerate parts of Warrington.
Culture Warrington said it was keen to develop a Street Art scene in the town and has been working with a number of artists and groups to identify locations that could be used.
Derek Dick, exhibitions and services manager Warrington Museum and Art Gallery, said: “It was great to be working with Priestley again and the standard of work that has been ‘pasted up’ around Warrington is of an extremely high standard.”
Priestley tutor Gary Jones said: “Ultimately the most important thing is that street art is accessible to everyone. It’s not elitist and you don’t have to pay to see it so we really hope the people of Warrington enjoy what the students have created.”
Pictured: Trader Steve White features in one piece of the street art by student Nathan Hill.