Artist Statements

Created by Gordon Collett, based in Midlands and South East London.

"First, I would like to thank the Green Meadows team for letting me know about your commission, I share your motivation for sustainable living and doing all we can for the environment.

In my art practice I do many things, mostly 2D and at all scales: from tiny mini-prints to large public murals. But almost every one of them has had a biographical theme, where I invent symbols to present the chosen subject in more depth. I have done the same for this mural, and deliberately in a straightforward, easily read manner. I did not want the message of unity in building a sustainable future lost in any way through being too esoteric or buried in “style-over-content” flourishes. This is your poster, and people need to immediately get what it says." said Gordon about his design.

Created by Nathan Bainbridge (a.k.a. SmallKid Design), based in Nottingham.

"I have based my design on the layout on the AMC Gardens - a circular shape with five different sections, showcasing the planet in the centre with a ‘you are here’ icon. I have included the community submissions within the sections. For those received from Meadows schools, I kept original imagery while converting others into more understandable drawings. I was really taken with the community submission in a Mithila style, and have used this in the remaining sections. In the background, I included crocus plants and wildlife images, referencing to the submissions as well as nature and sustainable activities present in the local area today. I have kept the colour palette to a minimum as the design would need to be hand painted using rollers and brushes to allow use of the eco paint brand." said Nathan about his design.

Created by Robert Catterall (a.k.a. Rise and Signs), based in Nottingham and London.

"I took inspiration from the rich imagery contributed by members of The Meadows community. The wonderful selection contained views from peoples doorsteps and streets, local flora and fauna, and even a solar panel installation. I also included a visual for the Green Meadows initiative which is aimed at supporting residents with ecologically friendly renovations, one example is improvements to insulating homes. I brought all of these aspects together and also included my own take on what the phrase means to me; for a cleaner and greener future, the seeds of ideas are already planted in the minds of ourselves and generations to come. Now what is needed is to nurture those seedlings with care, support, and action. We are all in this together." said Rob about his design.

Created by Zabou, based in London.

"After reviewing the beautiful community submissions, I was inspired by the ideas of sustainable farming, gardening, wildlife and flowers to create this design. I would paint the portrait of a local resident (the current photo is a placeholder - for the final design I would invite a "local hero" to pose for a photo) pictured harvesting seasonal fruits and vegetables. Surrounding the portrait would be tomato plants, bees, a ladybug and a goldfinch which all play a crucial part in our eco-system. The basket would display the words ‘Together our planet, together our future’ as a reminder of the main theme that fuelled this project. My style is realistic, and my artworks are large-scale allowing plenty of detail. I would use green, the colour of sustainability and Green Meadows, as the main colour with touches of vibrant yellows, reds and pinks." said Zabou about her design.

Created by Jim Vision, based in London.

"I believe in the power of creative murals to positively change the urban environment that we live in and the strength of community action to protect the natural world. This mural design aims to highlight how important it is that we protect the Bee’s, Butterflies, and other natural pollinators. Pollinators are a vital part of our ecosystem, essential in helping flora, fruit and crops to seed and grow.

The act of mural painting positively changes people’s environment, brings creative enrichment to communities and encourages people to engage with their local habitat. I hope that this mural will support the message that we must protect the natural world, bring nature into the urban environment to support a healthy planet and encourage people to make a positive contribution within their communities." said Jim about his design.