Creating my first mural in Stockton

In June 2024, I had the incredible opportunity to create my first mural as part of The BIG Art Festival in Stockton-on-Tees, right in my hometown. The mural found its home on the side of a building used by Change Grow Live (CGL), Stockton’s primary recovery service supporting individuals on their journey from addiction. It was an experience that pushed my creativity, my skills, and connected deeply with the community—and I wanted to share the process with you.

The mural itself is based on an existing painting of mine called Rising. I didn’t simply copy the original but adapted a portion of it, shifting the focus and its meaning. The image became a portrait of a woman, a goddess or deity. While the woman is based on me, she is not a self-portrait. She’s a guardian figure, here to oversee the changes that Stockton is going through as we move forward into the future. With the town undergoing massive redevelopment, this mural serves as a tribute to that evolution—a watchful, hopeful presence guiding us all through the transformation.

The project began with the building’s wall, which wasn’t exactly in the best condition. The lower third had suffered quite a bit of damage, so the first step was repairing the render. I used a weather shielding masonry paint to protect it from the elements, ensuring the surface would be durable enough to stand the test of time. It was a pretty hands-on way to start, but necessary to make sure the mural had a good foundation.

One of the more exciting aspects of this project was getting to use a scissor lift. Earlier this year, I earned my IPAF licence to operate it, and it felt so empowering to have that under my belt. Operating the lift was crucial to reach all areas of the wall and gave me the mobility I needed to work on such a large-scale piece.

When it came to actually transferring the image onto the wall, I used a technique called a doodle grid. This involves covering the wall in random marks or doodles, which might look chaotic to passersby, but it’s all part of the process! I then overlaid a photo of the grid with my reference image on my phone, allowing me to ensure that everything was in proportion. This method gave me the flexibility to scale the image accurately and maintain the details that were important to the piece.

It took five full days to bring the mural to life, and each day was a learning experience. I poured myself into the details, working to make sure the goddess looked serene and strong—qualities I felt Stockton itself needed to embody as we undergo these changes. The phrase, "Growth starts with change. Change starts with us," is painted prominently on the mural and was inspired by the incredible work that CGL does, helping individuals in recovery rebuild their lives. But it also speaks to a broader truth: change is something we must all embrace, whether it’s personal or within our communities. It’s a message I wanted to share with Stockton as we move into this new chapter.

Creating this mural has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my artistic journey so far. It felt like a way to give back to the town that raised me, a way to contribute to the visual landscape of Stockton, and to connect with the community in a deeply meaningful way. Watching people stop and engage with the mural, hearing their interpretations and questions about the process, has been incredible.

So, next time you’re walking around Stockton and spot the goddess watching over you, I hope she inspires you to reflect on the changes in your own life and reminds you that growth, though often challenging, is a beautiful and necessary part of our journey.