Chesterfield artist brings colourful connections to life

22-year-old, Elle has been creating memorable murals for the past four years as part of the artist community at Europe’s leading producer of hand-painted murals, Global Street Art.

Her latest giant city centre 14-metre-high design called ‘The Embrace’, is on display in Aire Street, Leeds until September 21.

With so much content evolving from the digital world, Elle feels passionate about how landmark murals can touch people and deliver broad appeal. “When people first see a large mural artwork, I hope they appreciate it has an artist who stands behind it and that it comes from the vision and creativity of a human being. This is important in a world increasingly dominated by the online space,” she says.

Elle follows guiding principles as she starts the process of creating her large-scale artworks. “I do a lot of research around the subject matter for the mural I am working on. For instance, when developing ‘The Embrace,’ I looked into the history of Leeds, its culture and landmarks, and tried to get a feel for what it is like to live there.

“From this, I create a mood board that moves to a first outline sketch where I play with the concept of the overall design style and begin to apply my ideas and inspiration. For ‘The Embrace,’ I have used a combination of photorealism with integrated paint and graphic elements.”

‘The Embrace’ - produced for CrossCountry - draws inspiration from the way transport helps connect people to places and memories in an inclusive way.

Elle continues: “I wanted to ensure the mural has an emotional and visual impact on those who see it. The central idea features a captivating moment with train travel at its heart. The scene of the train platform with two people greeting each other as they are about to embark on an amazing journey or sharing a joyful reunited moment, is the foundation for many possibilities as people meet and connect.”

And to ground the mural within its surrounding of a proud northern city, Elle’s design also includes a series of vignettes around the edge of the mural depicting the story of Leeds through iconic landmarks, sporting achievement and cultural moments.

She says: “By framing the centre visual of two people embracing at a train station with recognisable elements that connect the past, present and future of Leeds, it reinforces the importance of celebrating the city’s strong roots and heritage. The inclusion of the modern train illustration and the older horse and cart, acts a balanced reminder of how transport and the city itself has evolved over time.”

Elle hopes her public artworks make people stop in their tracks and take the time to appreciate the stories on display. Large murals add to the interest and vibrancy of a place, starting conversations and supporting connectivity between people and places.

As part of the Global Street Art team, Elle intends to continue to create murals that touch communities and are a joy to see. She wants to stretch her capabilities and work on ever larger artworks. “I am inspired to see how far we can take the mural concept, and in the future, I want to embark on larger-scale mural projects that make a statement. I am keen to continue my development as an artist and am excited about where we can take mural creation next,” she concludes.