Chelmsford Mannequin Art Trail

Artists at the Meadows is a collective of artists and illustrators based in Chelmsford and the surrounding areas of Essex. Each artist, myself included, has their own wall space in the gallery to sell original paintings, prints, cards and books. We also take submissions for a monthly exhibition and work together on creative projects. So this month we have been busily painting old shop mannequins that were otherwise destined for landfill, to form an art trail that highlights the city’s vibrant creative community. These mannequins will be displayed in local businesses around Chelmsford from 24th August to 6th September and can be purchased via Artists at the Meadows.

Naturally I took an illustrative approach and chose to paint my mannequin to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community. As a queer, non-binary person, I understand the importance of visibility and positive representation in understanding your own identity. So I decided to paint a classic queer fashion look, decorated with button badges and patches from queer history. I had so much fun adding all the little details and love how it feels like a 3D illustration. This piece will be on display at BarPlus, Chelmsford’s new LGBTQ+ café bar at 159 Moulsham Street.

This is actually not the first time I’ve painted a mannequin – two years ago I was invited to work on a similar project and created this piece inspired by nature, bodies and composting. I love how it turned out and the two pieces feel very different. I always enjoy working on projects like this that push me out of my comfort zone and encourage me to think about my work in different ways. Plus it makes a nice change from working on my iPad!