Mayor of Brent unveils ‘purrfect’ cat mosaic in Willesden
Cllr Lesly Jones and artist Debra Collis join members of Willesden Town Team to unveil Eartha, the mosaic cat (Pic: Adam Thomas) - Credit: Archant
Willesden’s Town Team showed off their new ‘cat walk’ this weekend when they joined Cllr Lesley Jones, mayor of Brent, for the unveiling of a new feline mosaic on Saturday.
Local parents and children joined the mayor of Brent for an afternoon of face painting and musical fun in Willesden on Saturday (Pic: Adam Thomas) - Credit: Archant
Hundreds of shoppers passing by Poplars Avenue via Willesden High Road Sainsbury’s were able to catch a first glimpse of Eartha the cat, a vibrant mosaic created by artist Debra Collis, art in the community co-ordinator for the Willesden Town Team.
Cllr Lesley Jones, mayor of Brent was on hand to cut the ribbon and officially reveal the colourful design.
Eartha, who is the second mosaic in the ‘cat walk’ series to grace the walls of Willesden, took three months to assemble and was funded by residents and sponsored by local businesses including Simon Rosser Solicitors and Metro Textiles.
Abraham Ryan, from Willesden Town Team, said: “The unveiling went absolutely swimmingly and Eartha is absolutely stunning.
Artist Debra Collis poses with Eartha and Cllr Lesley Jones, Mayor of Brent (Pic: Adam Thomas) - Credit: Archant
“The weather was perfect and people’s enthusiasm was phenomenal- we couldn’t have hope for better.”
The mosaics are inspired by the cat designs of Louis Wain (1860-1939) a local artist whose illustrations of feline friends left a ‘pawprint’ all over buildings in Brent a bid to bring ‘colour, character and humour’ to the area.
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The afternoon featured musical performances from Willesden artists and face painting fun for children.
Willesden Town Team joined Ms Collis and businesses from the area to raise the estimated £3,000 cost of the area’s newest work of public art.
A ‘a good traders’ map of independent businesses was handed out to shoppers, encouraging them to invest in local shops, cafes and restaurants.
Mr Ryan, who says there are plans to extend the ‘cat walk’ with a new addition along Willesden high road said: “It’s not going to stop there, we need to get funding for another one but we’re already planning the next cat design.”
