Emergency Exit Arts: Woolwich Tree-preciation
A community mural celebrating street trees for a Heritage Action Zone in Woolwich, London
In Summer 2023, Emergency Exit Arts were responsible for delivering a cultural programme and developing a range of events and activities to celebrate the heritage and culture of the people and place of Woolwich. Their aim was to highlight the local history and diversity of the area, welcoming visitors and residents alike to explore the locality. I was commissioned to create a temporary mural for the Woolwich Stories trail.
Nitty Gritty: A painted community mural with collaged elements. Dimensions: 11.5m x 4m.
The Brief:
Create an artwork or performance piece telling a story of Woolwich.
The piece is to form part of a cultural trail around Woolwich Heritage Action Zone.
It is preferable for work to take place outdoors or to be site specific.
Disused shopfront hoardings on Powis Street, Woolwich, before the ‘Woolwich Tree-preciation’ mural.
My Creative Solution:
I developed the ‘Woolwich Tree-preciation’ mural to tell the story of the contribution Woolwich’s street trees make to the character of the Woolwich Heritage Action and the wellbeing of local people and wildlife. The mural was designed to temporarily improve the appearance of a disused shop front while the owners sought planning permission to renovate and develop the historic building it was part of. I liaised with the building owners to arrange permission for the mural to be placed on their frontage. The design featured two trees to represent London Plane and False Acacia trees that are found in Woolwich with colourful silhouettes representing a diversity of people below. Local people made ‘leaf art’ based on their hand and thumb prints to represent the leaves of these different trees. Families from a local primary school, families from a local children’s centre, people who took part in a public engagement workshop and people I met when painting on the street all contributed leaf art which was collaged onto the mural and sealed with mural varnish. Some people also contributed words expressing their appreciation of the trees which were added in script lettering to the background between the people and the trees.
Top: A photo-montage of the ‘Woolwich Tree-preciation’ mural by Ellen Strachan, co-created with local people. Lower Left: The mural was placed on a disused shop front of a historic building on Powis Street, Woolwich. Centre: Families from local schools and children’s centres created ‘leaf art based on the outline of their hands and thumb prints. Lower Right: ‘Leaf Art’ created by local people was collaged onto the mural and sealed with mural varnish.
The Result:
A colourful and uplifting community mural that has a positive impact on the surrounding neighbourhood.
Reviews and feedback:
“Ellen was brilliant to work with on the Tree-preciation mural that was commissioned as part of which Woolwich Stories programme for the Heritage Action Zone in Woolwich. She was dilligent, self-motivated and an effective communicator who was able to engage beautifully withthe local community & incorporate their ideas. The mural was a huge success and so beloved by local people that it remained untouched long after the end of the project.”
“On behalf of the whole neighbourhood, I just want to say thank you. It just brightens up this corner of Woolwich”
“That’s Daddy, that’s Mummy, that one’s Grandma”
