Volunteers brightening up subway brick by brick . . .
AN underpass has been transformed into a stunning thoroughfare thanks to hundreds of artists.
The Macclesfield Brick Project saw the decoration of 1,100 tiles down one side of the subway beneath Park Lane.
Artists from the town – including Ralph McGaul, Kails Tresson, TJ Dolan, Jean Westbrook, Pat Cody, Julie Hamer and Jane Osmond – spent a week helping would-be artists create their mini-masterpieces.
Among those who got involved were Fiona Wilson, 55, and her husband Brian Puddicombe, 57, who celebrated their 24th wedding anniversary by painting bricks.
The couple, who live on Sherwood Road, took along their godchildren Julia and Nye EvansTurner. Fiona said: “The underpass has been grim for years and by their nature a gloomy dark place. The artwork makes the place look miles better now.
“It was lovely to see so many people involved in it.
“We painted our names and the date. It’s nice to know it will be there for years and years.”
Others who showed off their artistic flare include Sutton Guides, mayor of Macclesfield Councillor Ailift Harewood and the Parachute group at SUSO, as well as schoolchildren from Parkroyal and Macclesfield Academy.
Some people painted their names, others painted images which represent the town including silk mills, the canal and Jodrell Bank.
The idea for the brick project came from artist Dan Petley. He said: “I’m so proud of this project and Macclesfield has made me feel really welcome. Everyone was fantastic.”
Coun Neil Puttick, from getting Macclesfield Town Council, the council’s lead on the project said it was so popular that they ran out of tiles.
He said: “It has been brilliant. We thought that maybe 100 people might turn up, but the response was amazing. There was a lovely level of engagement with the community which is exactly what we wanted.
“It has shown us that people want community art and we will use this as a catalyst for future projects, especially post-Barnaby Festival.”
The council is now looking for ideas about what to do with the other side of the subway wall.
Share your ideas with Neil and the council by emailing clerk@macclesfield-tc.gov.uk or visit macclesfield. brickproject. co.uk.