Art in the Arches: A bold mural project involving five artists exploring the our relationship to water.

Oli Nightingale works on the Art in the Arches project.Pic by Danny Richardson.

Earlier this year ArtHouse Jersey and Jersey Water worked with five artists to produce murals across 15 arches at St Helier’s Elizabeth Marina , all on the theme of ‘Water, water, everywhere’. The artists, who applied to a recent month-long call-out, are Will Bertram (Jersey), Robert Allen (Jersey), Lucy Oates (UK), Zara Le Cornu (Jersey), Oli Nightingale (Jersey/ Spain). These artists, led by Ben Robertson (BOKRA), held workshops with local community groups hosted at The Harbour Gallery Jersey during during May and June. Both the workshops and the final artworks are centred around the theme of our relationship with water, exploring its evolution from past, present to future. The murals are currently underway with artists working in stages across the next four weeks to deliver their respective triptychs. The project in its entirety was officially welcomed to the Island on Thursday 19 September 2024.

The project was made possible thanks to the sponsorship of Jersey Water, alongside support from the Jersey Community Foundation with funds from the Channel Islands Lottery and will be delivered in partnership with Art in the Frame Foundation (The Harbour Gallery Jersey) and Ports of Jersey. 

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Artist Will Bertram. Pic by Danny Richardson.

Will Bertram is an artist from Jersey. His work focuses around drawing, taking inspiration from Jersey's unique and varied coastline, global events, climate change and pop culture. Will's love of the sea has involved regular sea swims, discovering its benefits to mental health, wellbeing and the fascination we have with it. 

“Water is such an important part of life in general, but being a sea swimmer and surrounded by the sea in Jersey it's a part of my daily life, my routine and a constant source of joy and inspiration. But, it is something to be looked after and treasured in the ever-changing world we live in. I'm so excited to create something that celebrates the beauty of being surrounded by water, hopefully emphasising our need to protect it.” Will Bertram.

Artist Robert Allen.

Robert Allen is an artist and teacher living and working in Jersey. He studied sculpture and drawing at Falmouth College of Arts and Nuova Academia Belle d’Arte in Milan between 2002 and 2006. He has exhibited in over 50 solo and group exhibitions in the UK, Italy and the Channel Islands. He exhibits his contemporary landscape paintings and drawings every year in various exhibition spaces and galleries.

“It is an honour to be chosen as one of the artists for Art in the Arches. The coastline of Jersey has been a continual source of inspiration for my artwork, especially the changing tides and the harbours around the island. I am excited to leave a visual mark on Jersey that will hopefully be seen for years to come.” Robert Allen.

Artist Lucy Oates (UK)

Lucy Oates is an multi award winning visual artist based in Bristol. Lucy’s practice revolves around working closely with and for communities to produce and create site specific artworks. Creating visually striking pieces that feature intricate and bold patterns, layers of collage, resulting in compositions that are visually stimulating, Lucy’s intention is to uplift and enhance a space. A winner of the Arts Council DYCP award, Lucy is growing her methods and skill sets to produce functional and interactive public art pieces beyond murals.  

“The opportunity to contribute to the beautification of such a beloved site as Elizabeth Marina is incredibly inspiring. I believe that art has the power to transform spaces, evoke emotions, and foster a sense of belonging within a community. Being a part of this project combines my love for art with my desire to positively impact local communities.” Lucy Oates.

Artist Zara Le Cornu. Pic by Danny Richardson.

Zara Le Cornu is a 22 year old artist born and raised in Jersey, currently studying Painting and Visual Arts in Milan. She’s primarily a painter, using lots of oils for landscapes but also acrylics in her abstract work. She loves to experiment with new mediums and is excited to see where this mural project will lead.

“I’m really excited to be working on this mural project and to have the chance to collaborate with other artists and share ideas and thoughts. I already know this project will be a colourful collaboration leaving a legacy for the community to enjoy in years to come.” Zara Le Cornu.

Oli Nightingale is a Jersey-born illustrator and painter based in Spain. He's worked on loads of fun projects, from satirical cartoons to murals. Recently, he's all about vibrant colour and form while celebrating wholesome themes like nature and community.

"A big thank you, ArtHouse Jersey and Jersey Water! It's such a pleasure to be selected to take part in 'Art in the Arches'. I'm really looking forward to returning home to take a deeper 'dip' into our shared connection with water in all its forms and seeing what visual expression follows." Oli Nightingale

Director of ArtHouse Jersey, Tom Dingle, said, “It's incredibly exciting seeing these murals starting to come to life. Being able to contribute to the atmosphere and landscape of this already loved area of Jersey is an exciting opportunity for all involved. Public art, and murals in particular, can encourage a heightened sense of community, while inspiring creativity and can be a powerful tool for helping to make towns more vibrant and engaging places to live. Along with this particular selection of talented and diverse creatives we will, in our own way, aim to do just that for Elizabeth Marina.”

Abi Nance, Head of Communications and Stakeholder Engagement at Jersey Water, said, “The number of artists who expressed an interest in Art in the Arches reflects the prominence and significance that people are already placing on this project. We’re looking forward to seeing the chosen artists’ creativity and the inspiration they gain from working with different local community groups. Certainly, by supporting this project, we’re hoping to highlight the critical issue of water scarcity and the importance of securing a resilient water supply for Jersey’s future. Seeing these themes illustrated in the form of public art will really help to raise awareness of our efforts to protect and sustain the Island’s water resource for generations to come.”