Hitchin-based illustrator and designer Dan Bramall, whose colourful works adorn adverts, campaigns and bestselling books, has painted a mural for a Hitchin school.
Strathmore Infant and Nursery School, off Old Hale Way, has a tradition of painted and ceramic murals – from 1949, when the school first opened, to the 1990s.
Dan’s creation, a word tree, gives the school a fresh look for the new academic year. It has been inspired by the pupils themselves.
School head Bernadette Holmes said: “We invited the Strathmore community – the children, staff, parents and governors – to come up with words that best described the Strathmore ethos, and the same wonderful, positive words kept cropping up.”
The words included warm, creative, happy, unique, nurturing, supportive, fun, confident, empowering, diverse, multicultural and welcoming.
Dan, who is a parent at the school, offered to turn those words into a work of art – a tree in bright and bold Strathmore greens.
He spent the summer holidays painting it while the pupils and teachers were enjoying their break.
“My eldest daughter recently left Strathmore after three blissful years and my younger daughter is still there and loving it, so it’s been a great opportunity to say thanks to the school,” said Dan.
“The history of large-scale artwork at Strathmore is really interesting, and I am honoured that many kids will hopefully enjoy looking at my creation for years to come.”
Dan says his inspiration comes from “graphics used in popular culture, signage, my love of animals, picture books and the absurd things in life”.
Below the tree mural at Strathmore, the words ‘nurturing resilient brilliant minds’ are painted in a pale blue.
As well as the Strathmore mural, Dan – who is known as the Scribbler – has illustrated the Dara Ó Briain book Beyond the Sky, which was shortlisted for the Blue Peter Book Prize, and The Awesome Book of Awesomeness.
His new book, Dara Ó Briain’s Secret Science, is out on October 4.
Strathmore pupils have been suitably impressed by the new artwork on their return to school.
Six-year-old Max Folbigg said: “I love it, because it looks nice and I love trees.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here