Town Centre

9 October 2020

Reopening, Town Centre Catherine Matthews, High Street, Selfie Wall, Street Art

A new Selfie Wall by local artist, Catherine Matthews, has been installed on Kettering’s High Street.

The interactive street art is the second piece by Catherine that has been commissioned by Kettering Borough Council, located on the Oxfam Charity shop between Natwest and Market Harborough Building Society.

The selfie wall was inspired by the newly refurbished Meadow Road Park. The piece celebrates the wild planting around the borough to support natural wildlife and reflect the green landscape. The colourful display features a bright red balloon in the centre of a green park with trees, flowers, a goose, rainbow and Kettering’s St Peter & St Paul’s Parish Church in the background.

The project follows on from the Council’s #StaySafe #ShopLocal campaign which continues to promote the borough’s town centres as safe and vibrant places to visit, whilst supporting local businesses.

We’d love to see local people’s selfies! so share your photographs with This is Kettering on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram or by using #ThisisKettering

For more information on Catherine’s previous artworks, click here.

26 August 2020

Reopening, Town Centre art, Installation, reopening

Local artist, Susan Williams, will be showcasing her Ribbon Art Installation on the gardens opposite the Council offices, by St Peter and St Paul’s church and the Manor House Museum.

The installation will be on display from this Friday 28th – Sunday 30th August.

Susan Williams MRSS studied at Kingston University and the Royal Academy, London and was an Award Winner to the Royal Society of Sculptors. She has exhibited widely in the UK and also internationally, including exhibiting in USA, Spain, Iceland, Germany and Korea.

The ribbon installation is based on a rainbow theme and links to the pandemic in a variety of ways.

The ribbons flutter in the wind, suggesting the sudden appearance of a stream of butterflies, reflecting the idea of people emerging from their cocoons after lockdown.

From other views the work captures and reflects light in different ways including that of glowing candles.

The ribbons also close up when wet emulating some varieties of flower, almost responding to atmospheric conditions. There are other references also. Please feel free to come and chat about the artwork.

#StaySafe #ShopLocal

22 July 2020

Kettering Town Centre, Town Centre

A new piece of public art by local artist Catherine Matthews has been installed on Gold Street in Kettering as part of the Council’s ongoing campaign to reinvigorate the town centre.

The 2.44m x 1.22m display, which you’ll find opposite the Newlands Centre entrance on the building previously operated by New Look, features a ‘singing in the rain’ theme with an umbrella and lamppost to encourage people to take photos of themselves with the backdrop. The street in the background is based on Kettering’s Market Street and features a duck with wellington boots and a colourful rainbow. Kettering Borough Council commissioned local artist Catherine Matthews to create the art, who also worked on the large-scale mural at Kettering General Hospital’s Dementia Garden.

The project follows on from the Council’s ‘Stay Safe, Shop Local’ campaign which continues to promote the borough’s town centres as safe and vibrant places to visit, whilst supporting local businesses. Plans are in place to install further outdoor public art to enhance the area.

Artist Catherine Matthews with her new piece of public art in Kettering

We’d love to see local people’s selfies, so share your photographs with This is Kettering on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram or by using #ThisisKettering

You can find out more about how Kettering town centre has reopened for business and how we’re encouraging people to stay safe and shop local at www.thisiskettering.com/reopening

Catherine Matthews, local artist who created the display, said:

“I am chuffed to bits, it is a real honour to have my art on display in my own town. To be commissioned to create public art at a time like this is fantastic and I hope the people of Kettering enjoy it when they visit.”

Cllr Mark Dearing, Kettering Borough Council’s Portfolio Holder for Regeneration, said:

“We’ve been looking to bring more public art to the town centre and I’m delighted we’re able to highlight this wonderful design from a local artist. The artwork builds on our ‘Stay Safe, Shop Local’ campaign and we’re happy that it will be seen by so many in such a central location. I’m looking forward to seeing people taking their photos holding the umbrella!”