Bastion Mews - Emmeline North
Our Wild Heart
Emmeline North is a multi-disciplined artist and designer. Her work is influenced by both the built and natural environment combining architectural forms with fine botanical illustration.
She first began painting murals and decorative artwork for commercial and residential interiors around her home town of Leeds in the 1990s. Later training in surface pattern design, she transitioned to large-scale public art and community regeneration projects. Her growing portfolio of public art projects span both 2D and 3D surfaces and can now be found in Leeds, Batley, Dewsbury, Birmingham and York.
North's new commission for Hereford is inspired by the floodplain meadows that straddle the River Wye. The mural features the iconic structure of Canary Bridge wrapped in the native plant species of Bartonsham Meadows, symbolising the community's battle to retain the meadow and ensure nature retains its place in the city.
"The inspiration for my work came from consultations with the Friends of Bartonsham Meadows and Jenny Cashmore's foraging work. The Friends helped me understand the floodplain meadow species and select what kind of species to focus on including hawthorn, blue speedwell, snake's head fritillary, wild cherry blossom, tansy, teasel and wild rose."
"The commission combines all the different elements of the murals I've created to this point. I really love architecture, so the mural started with architectural forms - sharp lines, strong shapes in the background - and then I slowly added texture, lime wash and botanical illustration."
The connection that North has made with the city and its people over the three weeks of installation is an important part of her process: "I had this one girl that came every day. She finished school, crossed the street and just stood there on the corner with her hood up. She looked at the artwork, perhaps trying to discover what had changed that day. I gave her a wave and she waved back, and then off she went. It was just a lovely, peaceful interaction. She was pausing for a moment of her day to look at the art."
This artwork is no. 2 on the Hereford Public Art Trail.