What a ride!
Pushed out of my comfort zone, my first piece of ‘public art’ my first ‘mural’… unless you count drawing on walls as a kid. Also painting in acrylics, not my main medium.
Life for the past few years has been all about change, which although necessary I struggle with the upheaval. Building, decorating and moving into the new studio all the time still designing and making has been all absorbing but kept me too close to home for too long. This opportunity has broken me out again.
It took some planning.
Mainly having to work around the wet weather that September blessed us with.
stage 1. Clean the box. Scrape off stickers and remove gooey aftermath. stage 2. Sand back and base coat. I chose pink as all the sunset sky colours I planned to use would work with pink.
stage 3. Sky. Pre mixed more than enough of all the Sky colours and tested them for the perfect blend. If you know me and my work well, you’ll know I love a blend of colours. Thanked myself for this as that days painting went perfectly.
stage 4. Plan the Swallows flight out, all sides leading beautifully into each other. Created a dot to dot stencil to speed up the process on site (Working around that weather again). Adjusted position perfectly on the box for perfect flow and feeling of movement.
stage 5. Paint those birds. I practiced these in the studio first. They kept evolving. I thought at the beginning I’d be painting them one way and by the time I painted them for real they’d evolved into a freer flowing brushstrokes feel. Catching all the colours of sunset across the birds feathers. This was a magical process and gave me the best feeling (I get a little giggle of excitement in my tummy… I’m sure this is a form of sinestesia), and has well and truly reignited my desire to paint.
I thanked myself for all the yoga I’ve done over the years as I had to get in some odd positions to paint, including lying on my stomach.
stage 6. A coat of varnish to protect it till… stage 7. A special coating of anti graffiti varnish.
Connecting with the public.
A most wonderful part of the project was the connection with people. Right from the beginning, just painting the box pink I was thanked for cheering the town center up. This theme of thanks continued throughout the whole process, making me realize how many people need a little colourful brightness in their lives.
Painting the sherbet skies had people crossing the road to watch me in action. I lost count of the times ‘beautiful’ was murmured as someone passed by or shouted from a distance. Making me smile every single time.
People stopped for a chat, came back each day I was there to see the progress, a handy bench nearby to sit and watch me. Caught up with friends. Pictures were taken of me in action, the one of me on my stomach to reach those lower areas was taken by my friend Amelia who happened to pass by. I met many people who were part of other projects to improve parts of Tunbridge Wells, so wonderful to know that so many want to make the town a better to place to live and work.
Thanks to the restaurants across the road that brought me tea and biscuits, helping me through some cold windy days. Just remembering not to dip my paintbrush in my tea, always a thing when you’re an artist.
I’m thinking about the people who will walk past it daily. A project about bringing the countryside into the town, to lift spirits, I hope ‘Reach for the Skies’ does exactly this. I think of the passerby who stops and smiles.
Public art belongs to everyone, and that’s what makes it so meaningful.
Where to find it.
'Reach for the Skies can be found to the side of The Amelia building on Monson Road, opposite Bella Capri and Ruby's of London.
Follow me…
Creating for public spaces comes with its own set of challenges — scale, weather, surfaces, public interaction — but it also invites beautiful moments of connection.
From early sketches to final brushstrokes, I share a lot of my process on Instagram and other social media. If you follow me at @meikie_artist, you’ve probably seen glimpses of this evolution from grey dull box into vibrant, birds on flight.
Now Accepting Public Art & Mural Commissions!
Do you have a space that could use a bold, beautiful transformation?
I’m currently open for public art and mural commissions — perfect for city walls, community centers, schools, businesses, or any space that could use a creative spark. Whether you’re looking to energize a neighborhood, honor a story, or simply add more color to the world, I’d love to help bring your vision to life.
Let’s collaborate to create something unforgettable.
Reach out to discuss your ideas, budget, and timeline!