Residents create new mural in Fairlop Waters, inspired by nature, community and connection

The new public artwork about Fairlop Waters brings together local cultures, stories of connection and childhood memories, including a couple’s sunset walk, a school sailing trip which went awry, and a family wedding.

The project has been developed by Colours of Redbridge and commissioned by the London Borough of Redbridge as part of a wider development of Fairlop Waters, making the site more accessible and enhancing local wildlife.

Stories from local residents were collected as part of community workshops, led by Colours of Redbridge. The design was then developed by renowned signwriter and canal artist, Ginny Barlow, who brought the stories to life and reflected local cultures in the design, including a South Asian mandala sunset, and British folk art harlequin borders and flowers.

The design process and installation has been overseen by mural artist Auberi Chen from Watching Paint Dry Productions. Alongside his expert team, he led workshops with local residents to paint elements of the mural and create an additional community-led legacy to the project.

The mural can be found on the side of Owls Play Centre, next to the Fairlop Waters Boathouse. It is the first space most people see when they arrive at the site, and the designers hope to encourage people to use this space more often to feel welcome and safe. As a public piece of art, it can be viewed at any time of the day for free. More information can be found at www.colours.red.

Artist Ginny Barlow said: “It was an absolute honour to be asked to create the artwork for this mural. I especially enjoyed the challenge of incorporating the stories and memories from people within the local community into the design. Using traditional signwriting techniques gives a strong sense of identity to the area that I really hope people connect with.”

Community Producer Anum Ahmad said: “The mural reflects a kaleidoscope of stories, cherished memories, and personal connections. Seeing these captured in a beautiful work of art means so much to the local community and will bring joy to many.”

Colours of Redbridge Programme Director Pete Nichols said: “We are so excited to finally reveal this fantastic piece of public artwork after months of development. I hope that people feel welcome and represented when they visit Fairlop Waters and that the artwork brings some brilliant community stories to life – even tiny details, like the fan of stones, was inspired by one person’s love of skimming stones across the lake.”

For anyone interested in getting more involved in the Colours of Redbridge programme, please email hello@colours.red.

About the programme:

Colours of Redbridge is an award-winning programme of community-led arts and culture in the borough of Redbridge. It is part of Creative People and Places (CPP), a national programme from Arts Council England, where local people decide what culture happens in their area.

The programme supports people who live, work or study in Redbridge develop their own creative and cultural projects for everyone to enjoy.

As well as Arts Council England, the programme is supported by the following local organisations: Age UK; Community Action Redbridge; Ekota Academy; Friends of Loxford; Iford Business Improvement District; Muslimah Sports Association; SPACE Studios; and Vision Redbridge Culture and Leisure.

About the artist:

Ginny Barlow is a renowned British traditional signwriter and canal artist, specialising in the iconic “roses and castles” style and other decorative painting such as bold lettering, scrollwork, graining, and gilding. She is based on the Kennet & Avon Canal (near Bath) and works across the UK. She trained in signwriting, has worked on boats for over three decades, and brings her distinctive, traditional yet personal style to various projects, including pub signs, shop signs, murals, and even album artwork.

Watching Paint Dry Productions is an artist-led mural painting service based in the UK. With over a decade of experience, the company is renowned for creating large-scale and community-focused murals across the globe. Founder Auberi Chen’s work has been showcased at some of the UK’s most prominent music festivals, including Glastonbury, Shambala, Boomtown and many more.