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If you've noticed some splashes of colour appearing in the arches at Elizabeth Marina then you'll have seen the first few stages of a project called 'Art in the Arches'.
Five local artists have been commissioned to design and create triptych murals – pictures in three parts, which together make up one image – in the arches down the slip at Elizabeth Marina as part of a project aimed at educating and inspiring people about the importance of water.
Commissed by ArtHouse Jersey and sponsored by Jersey Water, the artists have been getting their tools out progressively over the last week with the theme 'Water, water, everywhere' in mind.
Led by local visual artist, Ben Robertson, workshops were held with each of the artists and local community groups such as Menships, Art Bombs, Never Too Old and Art in Focus at The Harbour Gallery earlier this year to generate some inspiration.
As the artists work towards the deadline date of Thursday 19 September, Express got an update from each of the artists on their progress..
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Will Bertram is a local artist whose work focuses around drawing.
A lover of the sea and its benefits to the mind and body, having just started work on his set of murals, he is in the process of laying the foundations for his water design.
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Much further along in his process is local artist and teacher Robert Allen, who studied sculpture and drawing at Falmouth College of Arts and Nuova Academia Belle d’Arte in Milan.
He exhibits his contemporary landscape paintings and drawings every year in various exhibition spaces and galleries and has showcased over 50 solo and group exhibitions in the UK, Italy and the Channel Islands.
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Bristol based award-winning visual artist, Lucy, was also chosen by ArtHouse Jersey to bring her bold patterns to the Marina.
She has yet to touch-down in Jersey but is due to begin her work in early September.
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Jersey-born Zara, currently studying Painting and Visual Arts in Milan, is bringing her oil and acrylics to Jersey once more to create abstract murals around the water theme.
Already adding colour, she will continue to head to the Marina to complete her work over the next few weeks.
Now based in Spain, Jersey-born Oli is an illustrator and painter who has worked on many types of project. His vibrant and colourful style should bring something eye-catching to the three arches he's been assigned to.
“It's incredibly exciting seeing these murals starting to come to life," said ArtHouse Director Tom Dingle. "Being able to contribute to the atmosphere and landscape of this already loved area of Jersey is an exciting opportunity for all involved.
"Public art, and murals in particular, can encourage a heightened sense of community, while inspiring creativity and can be a powerful tool for helping to make towns more vibrant and engaging places to live. Along with this particular selection of talented and diverse creatives we will, in our own way, aim to do just that for Elizabeth Marina.”
Jersey Water, who also sponsored environmentally themed ArtHouse Jersey project "Floating Earth" last year, added: "We'll always look at ways to support charities and community initiatives that share the importance of challenges that Jersey faces and that we shouldn't take water for granted. We're sponsoring this project to generate awareness about water generally but also about our project developing Jersey's Future Water Plan."
Art in the Arches has had the support of the Jersey Community Foundation with funds from the Channel Islands Lottery and will be delivered in partnership with Art in the Frame Foundation and Ports of Jersey.
A launch event at the end of September, with an exact date still to be confirmed, will be held in celebration of the finished murals.
Meet the artists behind the transformation of Elizabeth Marina
Public art project to transform Elizabeth Marina
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