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Kilbirnie mural is ‘On the Up’

The Garnock Valley Locality team alongside volunteers from the wider community have created a new community mural in the heart of Kilbirnie.

An intergenerational project involving people of all ages, the mural was co-developed in partnership with Impact Arts and the design has been created following this summer’s successful Paint and Pie pop-up events.

North Ayrshire Provost Anthea Dickson unveiled the mural at an evening opening ceremony on Tuesday 2 September.

She commended the Garnock Valley Locality team – part of the council’s wider Community Learning and Development service – for providing the opportunity and the warm pies that really drew in the budding artists at the weekly creative sessions.

Located on the Main Street adjacent to the roundabout at Radio City, the derelict space was formerly an unloved gap site.

Now completely transformed with the expertise of artist Nicola McGuigan from Little Book Transfers, the marvellous mural is bursting with colour, vibrancy and community spirit.

The Provost shared: “Vibrant, interesting and exploring key historical landmarks, the new Kilbirnie ‘On the Up’ mural is such a wonderful addition, to what was previously an unloved and derelict spot in the town, lacking in any colour or interest.

“I am delighted that the Garnock Valley Locality team alongside Impact Arts have been able to transform this wall space, with the ideas and hard work of a group of volunteers. It is now a spectacular focal point for all to enjoy.

“Everyone came along once a week to volunteer their own time over the summer to create the design, brought to life by Impact Arts and the medium of paint, and this shows a superb commitment with input from all ages.

“Thank you to everyone involved, there’s nothing better than community projects that encourage intergenerational involvement and bring communities together and I have no doubt that the mural will provide an interesting talking point for residents and visitors to Kilbirnie for many years to come.”

David Macknight, Locality Worker in the Garnock Valley shared: “This has been one of the best community arts projects that we’ve been involved in for a while.

“Run this summer, Paint and a Pie was a community arts mural workshop based in Kilbirnie that has was run in partnership with Impact Arts and artist Nikki McGuigan for the past 6 weeks.

“Our goal was to create conversation around active citizenship, mental health, civic pride and a site located in Kilbirnie that has been derelict for years and to try and create further conversation about starting a longer form community project around the site which hosts the mural.

“The crux of the project has been the pies and people’s curiosity on what we were actually doing with pies some even asking if we were even here to paint pies and their relief when it was in fact a free pie to eat if the participate in the workshop.

“We opened to anyone of any age or artistic skill to come along and have an input whether that was telling us about the history of Kilbirnie to take charge in the arts side of the workshop or as simple as to show up and have a conversation with us.

“This project has been a success from the get-go averaging around 20 people every workshop with more passers-by stopping to have a conversation. It has been a fantastic project and an amazing success collaborating with the community on this mural.”

Garnock Valley Youth Forum volunteer and MSYP for Cunninghame North Rhyan Gorrie added: “A big thank you to everyone who helped with the Paint and Pie project. I volunteered time alongside my friends and we have loved being a part of the project.

“This mural is a celebration of Kilbirnie’s long and rich history, and of the love we share for our town. What makes it extra special is how it brought together people of all ages, united in a single goal, to see Kilbirnie on the up!”

The uplifting tagline is depicted using a spool of flax linen thread referencing the town’s linen production and flax farming heritage, most notably by W & J Knox.

The inclusion of a fish lady is also a nod to the same company who have been cleaning and repairing fishing nets for the past 240 years – explaining the fish pong that locals are all to familiar with!

Other elements include the Kilbirnie War Memorial arch, a wheelbarrow full of veggies from The Wee School Pantry community larder, the JD Pierce crane, Kilbirnie loch, Works and the striking Hygieia statue and snake – representing the Greek goddess of health, sanitation and hygiene – as this is a much-loved local statue, situated outside Kilbirnie’s Walker Memorial Hall.

During the first session on the street, participants and passer’s by were asked – ‘If you could describe Kilbirnie in three words, what would they be?’ For every negative they had to counteract with a positive answer…

Artist Nikki, commissioned by Little Book Transfers explains: “We decided it made sense to include some of these words in the mural. We had a few different options for the tagline and we cast a vote and ‘on the up’ was chosen. I think this reflects the positive attitude those who took part have about Kilbirnie!

“The group then hand traced the design onto the wall, meaning their own hand style is now a part of the final mural – it has given this mural fantastic character; it’s joyous and whimsical and I think it gives everyone a smile!

“It is a lovely thought that those involved will walk by this mural in potentially years to come and say – ‘that was my idea!’ or, ‘I did that bit!’

This is an inspiring example of how our Locality Planning Partnership is empowering communities to revitalise derelict land and take pride in their local area.

Garnock Valley Locality team at new Community Mural
“When I heard about ‘Paint and a Pie’ I thought… people coming together to be creative whilst eating pastry?! Now that sounds like a good time to me! It was a joy to facilitate this mural and get people in the community involved in something they had never done before. It was great to see everyone sharing knowledge, staying committed throughout and getting stuck in to the painting. I’m certain the mural will help to create a sense of care and pride for their local environment. I’m confident everyone learned something new across these past six weeks, whether it be an art skill or something new about their town.”

Artist Nikki McGuigan (pink vest) from Little Book Transfers

Mapping out the design for new community mural at Kilbirnie

Mural design elements (left to right):

  • The Mona Lisa house (inspired by a local artist’s painting already in the town) portrayed holding her nose with fish jumping over her
  • Flax paint and flowers referencing the old mill industry
  • Butterfly referencing the local sustainability initiatives in the Garnock Valley
  • Statue of Hygieia Goddess – also known as The Walker Tribute Statue
  • Ladeside football logo
  • Good luck and LGBT rainbow referencing The Umbrella Equalities Group
  • W & J KNOX thread, that goes out to spell the tagline ‘on the up’
  • The Auld Kirk silhouette
  • The road with a young cyclist doing a wheelie and a van with fishing net
  • Lochshore with the old crannog and the wooden walkway
  • North Ayrshire fields in background
  • Kilbirnie castle ruins silhouette
  • Wee School Pantry wheelbarrow referencing the allotments and food larder
  • Loaf of bread in wheelbarrow as a nod to the old bakery on the site of mural
  • ‘Knox the Fox’ driving a crane carrying a structural steel beam. ‘Knox the Fox’ was a mascot associated with the Stoneyholm Mill Trust and was based on William Knox, owner of the mills. He was a major figure of the town and was known for wearing Top Hats! It also highlights the current industry and major employer in the town and weaves together the histories of the towns thread and steal productions.
  • The Kilbirnie War memorial leading into the public park with poppies
  • Cotton plants referencing old mill industry and bumble bee referencing sustainability of area.
New Kilbirnie Community Mural

“Impact Arts has a long history of working in North Ayrshire, and we believe creative interventions like painting a mural are a fantastic way to bring people together, often across generations to share experiences and learning. We worked hard to ensure the group worked with an experienced artist like Nikki, who could produce a final design that demonstrates all the views from the discussion stages in an eye-catching way that gives a statement for the future of Kilbirnie. We enjoyed working with the Garnock Valley Locality team based in Kilbirnie, Gavin and David, who care so much about improving opportunities for their local community, and it was a pleasure to partner with them.”

Amanda Munro, Programme Manager at Impact Arts

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