Name: Heart of Glass
Price range: $

Mural artist Faunagraphic (Sarah Yates) collaborated with young families from SHAP to develop a mural to cover an entire Torus Homes building on Tickle Avenue in Parr.

The project, supported by Torus Foundation, saw Sarah hosting workshops for young families from SHAP to explore ideas about the local environment and urban nature, allowing young parents to do something creative with their babies and toddlers with them. The participants created their own canvases and designs which have been displayed for visitors to the SHAP building.

From these designs Sarah developed Sphere of Nature, a beautiful mural full of flora and fauna that has transformed the building's grey facade into a verdant paradise for the imagination. Installation of the mural was supported by artist and facilitator Liz Von Graevnitz.

Faunagraphic says: “The purpose of the mural was to create a sense of nature in an area that can feel quite removed or far away from natural green or forested spaces. The concept for this mural was drawn from workshops and conversations with SHAP residents, and their wish to create something beautiful that would uplift the area. Personally, I take huge benefits from spending time in nature, and I find it incredibly relaxing and rejuvenating. I hope that this mural will provide onlookers with a similar feeling of escapism. I also hope that this mural will cultivate a curiosity in the natural world and inspire people to deepen their own relationships with nature.”

In front of a window a long piece of white paper hangs up horizontally. On the paper are drawings and collage of leaves, flowers and nature inspired patterns.

On a large sheet of plastic someone spray paints a white canvas with bright red spray paint.

Over a large sheet of plastic someone spray paints a canvas with bright green and orange colours making cloud like patterns.

A collection of spray painted canvases of different sizes hang on a wall. On the canvases are outlines of butterflies, birds and masses of colour.

SHAP supports approximately 1,200 people per year providing accommodation, support, coaching and welfare benefits advice to ensure that when people move on from their accommodation they have developed the confidence and skills to do that successfully. They provide support in the community for people who are insecurely housed, threatened with homelessness or need additional support to help them maintain their accommodation. They offer emergency accommodation to young people who are on the brink of being forced to leave their family home, or who have done so with no place to go.

Faunagraphic's mural is part of our wider murals programme. After the huge success of last year’s murals by residents and Nomad Clan in the heart of Parr, St Helens, we have planned a series of new murals to transform several other locations in the area. With support from Torus Foundation and Culture Hubs, Heart of Glass will bring together communities and schoolchildren with internationally renowned street artists.

“What strikes me with this big building is it doesn’t stand out, it blends in. It changes the whole building, makes it beautiful. People come to take photos, it’s all over Facebook“

-SHAP staff member

"It’s unusual, very well done, it’s good to have this in a place like this.”

-Local resident, older male, aged 60+

We commissioned Caroline Smith to make a short documentary about the process of creating the mural: