A new mural on the front of Preston’s long empty former BHS store is the start of bringing a splash of colour to storefronts across the city.
Shawn Sharpe picked up the spray cans again after a few months away from public artwork to put Preston-based Secret Industries ‘Northern’ design across the front of the Fishergate building.
In a Preston City Council-funded project Shawn is working to bring the creative skills of many of the city’s arts and creativity community into the real world with murals to spruce up empty shops – and has hinted it may be one of his final public projects too.
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Shawn told Blog Preston as the paint dried on his latest creation: “This mural is part of a wider partnership with Preston City Council to activate empty shopfronts and spark conversations about the future of our city centre. The aim is to encourage people to stop, look up, explore different streets and see Preston in a new light.
“From the outset, I wanted this project to celebrate the creativity that already exists in our city, so inviting fellow Preston artist Secret Industries to create the design for the first mural felt like the perfect place to start.
“This project has never been about one artist, it’s about showcasing the incredible talent Preston already has. Seeing artists like Secret Industries, along with the creators behind Truant and now Northern, helping shape our streets is exactly what I hoped for. I love seeing the city’s artistic voice become more diverse, and I hope these murals inspire even more people to find their own ways to brighten up Preston.”
Asked about the meaning behind the mural and the choice of the design, Shawn said: “Northern isn’t just a location, it’s an identity. It can be a place, a feeling, or the way we express ourselves. That’s what this mural represents.”
Tim Bridges, the 44-year-old who runs Secret Industries behind the design, told Blog Preston: “All of my work aims to celebrate The North and being Northern. I like creating designs that are bold, eye-catching, tactile and humorous, all with the aim of making people feel proud to be Northern. Shawn and I have been discussing painting my Northern lettering for a couple of years, and it’s great to finally make that happen in the centre of Preston.
“Shawn has always insisted that I be part of the painting process, so it was great to be involved in some public artwork instead of sitting behind a laptop all the time.
“Hopefully seeing the word ‘Northern’ in huge bold letters sparks a bit of happiness and pride in people, whatever their individual definition of ‘being northern’ means for them.”
No details have yet been released on where the next murals will be but they will bolster the city’s burgeoning reputation for public murals. But it looks like privately-owned buildings, such as the Bhailok-owned former BHS store, are being included and has been empty since 2016.
Shawn’s work already adorns the side of Hogarths with ‘Mother’ (which ironically was nearly removed by the city council as planning approval had not been gained), the ‘Pauline in The Yellow Dress’ on the side of Northern Way in Friargate, the ‘Pioneers’ at the base of Lancastria House, ‘Diamond Days’ near the Bus Station and ‘Pocket Full of Sky’ on the side of the Limehouse building near the Markets.
But he has hinted the empty shops project may be the last time Prestonians see him painting outside for a while – due to a mix of health complications and new business ventures taking off.
He said: “On a personal note, this project has also marked my return to painting after several months away.
“A week after completing the Spud Bros trailer mural back in January, I started experiencing pain in my knees and hands. At first, I put it down to spending days painting in the cold, but over the following two months it became much worse. There were days I could barely walk, and my hands would cramp into position. It forced me to make one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever made, stepping away from the career I’d always dreamed of and focusing on a new direction.
“Rather than dwelling on it, I got my head down and threw myself into building brands and helping other businesses grow. I’ve barely been on social media and haven’t painted since. I still have a few commitments to honour, but once the Empty Shops project is complete, I’ll be focusing on myself and only taking on projects that genuinely excite me. Three days into painting this mural, the aches and pains returned, confirming I’d made the right decision.
“That said, hearing someone walk past this week and shout, “Preston needs you!” genuinely stopped me in my tracks. It meant more than they’ll probably ever know.
“Whatever happens next, I hope Northern reminds people that creativity belongs to everyone. If this mural encourages someone to explore the city, discover another local artist, or even pick up a paintbrush themselves, then it’s done exactly what it was meant to do.”
