| Susannah Bradley paints
mural about Wivenhoe for Town Council - 2005 A mural depicting many of the many annual events in the life of Wivenhoe’s community has been unveiled in the foyer of the Council offices in the High Street, where it is on view to the public during office opening hours (9am to 4pm each weekday).
“I divided the year into its four seasons and included as many of the events and activities in Wivenhoe that are open to everyone, with markers such as the start of the school year as summer turns to autumn, and bluebell time in our woods in the spring. There was so much to cram in that, despite the painting’s size, I used a small sable brush for most of the painting, which is done in acrylics."
“There are a few recognisable Wivenhoe faces (and back views) but it was never intended to be a collection of portraits. I’m not Rembrandt and this isn’t The Night Watch! If people look familiar, then perhaps that’s who I was thinking of at the time; then again, maybe not…” Susannah Bradley Note: Susannah was a well-known Wivenhoe artist and illustrator, who used to undertakes commissions for things like murals. Sadly she died in 2008. Click here to see her web page in the Wivenhoe Encyclopedia. |
“This was an
exciting if somewhat
daunting project, and was the idea of Cllr. Penny Kraft,” writes
Susannah. “I was asked to come up with some ideas for the mural and soon
realised that the people are what makes Wivenhoe special – our
distinctive views and buildings are just extras – so The Wivenhoe Year
is the mural’s theme".