Tag: mural

artist AlecLDN creates reclaimed masterpiece

Croydon Vineyard is an organisation offering free English lessons and practical support with housing, schooling and employment to anyone in need.

The mural, named Changes, was painted by local artist, and paint reuse champion AlecLdn. The artwork was was painted using repurposed paint sourced through the Community RePaint network.

AlecLDN has shared how the butterflies depicted in the mural represent the transformative power of a journey. He says;

“Butterflies travel great distances guided by instinct and hope. Human journeys are much the same, crossing borders, learning new languages, and transforming through courage, resilience, and community. Each wing represents movement, change, and the beauty of beginning again.”

He goes on to share how reusing the paint for his mural adds another layer of meaning to the piece;

“This artwork, created using repurposed paint, materials given a second life rather than being discarded. Just as the paint has been transformed and reused, the piece reflects the journeys of people who reshape their lives in new places. Transformation exists not only in the image of the butterfly but also in the materials themselves. Colours once overlooked become something vibrant, meaningful, and shared.”

If your organisation is looking to brighten a space, support a community project or bring an artistic vision to life sustainably, explore how repurposed paint could help.

To see other of AlecLDN’s reclaimed murals, find him on Instagram here.

Enfield’s Sustainable Mural Using 100% Preloved Paint

The large-scale artwork, spanning 180 degrees, was commissioned to celebrate sustainability, creativity and the community of Enflield. The staggering work can be found at Dugdale Art’s Centre: Enfield’s flagship Arts & Cultural hub.

Amazingly, the entire mural was completed for under £17. The initiative was supported by Enfield Council and other local organizations dedicated to environmental and cultural development.

The project was led by artist Alec Saunders, AKA Alecldn, who partnered with the North London Waste Authority, to exclusively use reclaimed paint sourced from Community RePaint East London at Forest Recycling Project, as well reusable paint collected by NLWA at their recycling centres – another member of the Community RePaint network.

When asked abut his experience using preloved paint, artist Alec Saunders is a self proclaimed reclaimed paint convert.

“I was initially unsure about using reclaimed paint, but I was bowled over by the quality. The coverage & opacity was excellent, the colors were vibrant, and the finish was just as good as brand-new paint.” He said.

When asked why he was so keen to be involved in the project, Alec replied; “Sustainability is one of my core values as an artist and it felt great knowing I was making an eco-friendly choice by reducing waste. I’ll be trying to use reclaimed paint in most of my work going forward and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a sustainable and high-quality option!”

In addition to painting the mural, Alecldn engaged with the local community through sustainability workshops, collaborating with residents and students from St. Anne’s school to shape the design. The themes of the mural reflect Enfield’s rich cultural heritage, incorporating elements of nature, community spirit, music, and the area’s manufacturing legacy.

As the Dugdale Arts Centre continues to serve as a hub for cultural expression, this mural serves as a great inspiration to all artists wanting to combine their creative out with sustainable materials. Our congratulations go to Alecldn and all the organisations involved in bring this inspiration project to life!

If you’re a artist looking for preloved paint or just needing paint to redecorate your home, you can search for your local Community RePaint branch here.

Community Nursery gets RePainted

The nursery approached artist Maya Cross with a vision to transform their plain, block-colored walls into something engaging and vibrant. What followed was a collaborative effort to reflect the children’s ideas and bring the space to life. After requesting input from the children, and with the help of her local Community RePaint branch, Maya turned their vision into a breathtaking mural.

“I requested some ideas from the children so the murals would reflect what they wanted to see and then got to work…I had such a lovely and reflective time painting these walls despite the battle with the texture of them and the race against the wonderful Manchester Rain!”

With the success of this collaboration, Martenscroft Community Nursery is now a little brighter, thanks to a beautiful blend of creativity, community spirit, and preloved paint!

If you have a wall that needs brightening, why not explore your local Community RePaint branch and help to prevent paint waste? Find your local branch here.

Community RePaint Swindon celebrates 25 years of paint reuse!

This November, Community RePaint Swindon proudly celebrates 25 years of giving leftover paint a new purpose. Hosted by Swindon Children’s Scrapstore, the scheme collects full and partially used paint from traders, retailers, and manufacturers that would otherwise go for disposal.

Available for around £2 per litre, this preloved paint offers an affordable, sustainable decorating option for the local community, making it easier for residents to transform their spaces while reducing waste.

Lady smiling holding paint tin aloft in front of shelves of tins of paint
Olivia McCann, CEO of Swindon Children’s Scapstore, who runs Community RePaint Swindon.

Olivia McCann, CEO of Swindon Childrens Scrapstore, say “Community RePaint is a simple solution to the problem of leftover paint. By reusing paint in our community, we can bring colour to the lives of those who need it the most, and help to protect the planet by preventing perfectly good paint from being disposed of.”

Over the past 25 years, Community RePaint Swindon has redistributed an estimated 60,500 litres of paint within the community. By diverting leftover paint from unnecessary disposal, the scheme has had a positive impact on both people and the planet.

In 2023, paint saved from waste from Community RePaint Swindon was used to create an inspiring mural on the wall of local Community boxing gym; Scrappers. Its a great example of how leftover paint can be utilised to brighten the community.

mural of two boxers primed for a match in black and white against a blue and red background
Mural at Scrappers Gym painted using leftover paint from Community RePaint Swindon

 

group of children pose in a boxing stance in front of mural in boxing gym
The community enjoying their mural at Scrappers Gym, painted with leftover paint from Community RePaint Swindon.

Olivia goes on to say: We are delighted to mark the occasion by running a Half-Term Half price sale on all our paint in order to encourage families and local people to benefit from reusing the leftover paint. This paint can be used to bring new life to homes, youth clubs, schools, playgroups and community halls throughout the town. We would like people who require paint to visit the Scrapstore and take advantage of this opportunity to save money by purchasing low-cost quality paint.”

If you’re looking for a sustainable and affordable way to redecorate your home or community space, use our postcode finder to find your local scheme.

13 new murals RePainted in London

 

The murals were designed in consultation with the various communities they are brightening.

Alice says;

“When living in London I worked as a community engagement officer for the Forest Recycling Project which was part of the national Community RePaint network. They provided people from low-income backgrounds with affordable paint. New household paint is very expensive and there is a loop hole that councils don’t make housing stock available to those most in need if they can’t afford to professionally decorate it. The paint project bypasses this issue allowing properties to be decorated at minimal cost.

Whilst working with Forest Recycling Project I started a mural project that used the saved household paints from going to landfill and repurposed it for street art, while at the same time promoting the Community Repaint scheme. I initiated and fundraised for the mural project as I thought the repaint scheme was wonderful but they had no budget for publicity so not enough people knew about it.

I ran design consultations and we completed over thirteen murals throughout London, painting many myself and working with different artists depending on what the community group wanted. Each one was designed in collaboration with the community who used the mural site. 

I loved this project as we enabled communities to have authorship over their environment together, saving paint from going to landfill while also improving the look and feel of areas of high social deprivation. All round Win!”

We love these murals, and the way they demonstrate just what can be achieved with preloved paint save from waste.

Alice Cunningham is a visual artist with a diverse practice working with a breadth of materials, renowned for her sculptural carvings and work in social engagement. Check out her website: www.alicecunningham.co.uk

Find out more about our East London scheme run by Forest Recycling Project. 

If you are looking for affordable paint locally: Click here to find your local scheme. 

Cheltenham Paint Festival uses recycled paint

Cheltenham Paint Festival Street Art, community mural

The Cheltenham Paint Festival is a free art trail, showcasing a wide range of high-quality artwork in various painting styles from national and international artists. This year, 125 artists attended to paint in 60 different locations around Cheltenham, providing a colourful 5-mile walk for locals and visitors.

The festival has been featured in The Times, The Telegraph and has been part of a 2-hour long feature on Sky Arts.

With the global pandemic ongoing, the festival organisers said it was more important than ever for the paint festival to go ahead, to brighten up the local community and bring some colour into people’s lives.

Cheltenham Paint Festival community mural

However, this year, like many festivals around the country, it was scaled back due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With a reduced festival budget, the organisers required low-cost paint.

Artist and Founder of the festival, Andy Davies, contacted Community RePaint to purchase 100 litres of affordable white paint to use at the festival. The central team passed the festival’s request onto Community RePaint Wirral, who was able to provide the festival with the paint at just £1 per litre, meaning it could still go ahead on a reduced budget.

Cheltenham Paint Festival Street Art, Earth, community mural

Community RePaint Wirral is one of the biggest schemes on the Community RePaint Network. In 2019, the scheme redistributed over 104,000-litres of leftover paint to individuals and groups in the community. They were very proud to be supporting the 2020 edition of the Cheltenham Paint Festival.

Andy, the festival founder, told us “The delivery was great, the driver went out of the way to get them across the garden and put them on the drive which was much appreciated. The paint itself was excellent and so useful.”

The local community appreciate the art around the town, providing some light in such dark times. You can view a full gallery of the 2020 artwork on the Official Cheltenham Paint Festival website.

Cheltenham Paint Festival, People Painting  Cheltenham Paint Festival, People Painting

Do you need affordable paint for an upcoming project? Find your nearest scheme here.

Community RePaint East London Help Brighten Leyton High Road

Leyton High Road, home to the vibrant community in Leytonstone, East London, has been transformed with a colourful and innovative design, with the efforts of local residents, residents and renowned artist Camille Walala.

Camille Walala is a London designer known for graphics, interiors and fabrics that feature bright colours and bold patterns. She is also renowned for her amazing power to spread positivity across the streets of London, having also created murals, building facades and other installations across the world. The addition to Leyton High Road has re-energised the urban landscape with an explosion of creativeness, colour and joy above the shops and cafes.

 

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The local community was at the heart of this project, with the artist inviting Londoners to help shape the final design by voting for their favourite colour scheme. The project, run by City Hall and Spacehive, was kickstarted with Crowdfunding, which began earlier in the year and the ambitious project was approved after it raised a total of £40,000 – including a £25,000 backing from Mayor of London Sadik Khan!

The artists involved in the project purchased paint from Community RePaint East London, who have been part of the Community RePaint Network since 1998 and collect over 40,000 litres of paint annually. The scheme is run by the Forest Recycling Project work to promote a greener, more inclusive Leyton and Waltham Forest.

 

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Community RePaint East London partner with recycling centres across London to collect reusable leftover paint from residents that would’ve otherwise gone to waste. They check the quality and quantity of the paint before taking it back to their premises, where they sell it to the local community at an affordable price. The scheme also collects reusuable paint locally from traders, retailers and manufacturers.

Reclaimed paint of all types – emulsions, paint for interior and exterior wood and metal, masonry paint and varnishes – are available in a variety of colours and container sizes from two locations, ‘The Paint Place Reuse Project’ in Leyton and their shop ‘The Paint Place’ in Walthamstow. Both locations have paint available for sale to individuals and groups. If you’re in need of affordable paint in East London, have a look at their opening times on their website.

 

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Together, we can divert more paint from waste and brighten up spaces across the whole of the UK. We have over 65 schemes where you can purchase affordable paint, starting from £1, for projects just like this one! Find your nearest scheme here.

Photographs by Tim Crocker and Walala Parade Leyton

Colourful “Bradford in Spires” Mural Brightens Up City

“Bradford in Spires” is the title of the new community mural featured at the Bradford Interchange. The mural features towers and spires from some of the city’s iconic landmarks, accompanied with bright colours to bring new life onto the former tired-looking walls.

The project was commissioned by “Bradford BID“, who work on projects to benefit the entire range of business sectors within central Bradford. The completed work has been marked with a plaque, which thanks Sven for his hard work, as well as thanking Community RePaint for their donation of leftover paint to the project.

Sven collaborated with Community RePaint Bradford, who supplied the local artist with leftover paint. The paint had been collected from manufacturers, retailers, traders in the area, as well as from the district’s recycling centres where residents can drop off leftover paint.  The paint was checked to ensure it was suitable for reuse rather than disposed of. Since signing up to the Community RePaint Network in 2001, Community RePaint Bradford has collected over 45,000 litres of paint each year!

Due to the large amount of paint the scheme collects, they always have a large variety of paint types and colours. If you want paint for your home or for a community project, you can make an appointment to go along during their opening hours to choose some paint. They sell the paint for £1.50 per litre. Find all of the details of the scheme here.

Before:

After:

Can you recognise any of the iconic Bradford landmarks?

The mural includes Penny Bank, City Hall, the Wool Exchange, the Bradford College Old Building, Lister’s Mill, the Alhambra, Bradford Live, Eastbrook Hall, the Bradford Gurdwara, Bradford Cathedral and Bradford Central Mosque.

Sven Shaw is a freelance illustrator who specialises in cityscapes, maps and local interest illustrations. You can check out his other amazing and colourful work on his website here!

Are you planning a project to brighten up your local city?

You can find paint at one of our 65+ schemes across the UK. Find your nearest scheme here!

Harry Potter themed painted mural

A customer of Community RePaint North Staffordshire shared this amazing photo of a Harry Potter-themed painted mural they completed and we are seriously impressed! The amount of detail is amazing and the mural really brightens up the room.

A Harry Potter mural painted using cheap and recycled paint from Community RePaint North Staffordshire.

Have a story to share? We’d love to hear what you are up to, whether it’s painting your kitchen, brightening up your village hall or upcycling furniture! Tell us your story.

If you would like to purchase affordable paint you can find your nearest scheme here. Have a big project? If you need more than 60 litres you can order our remanufactured paint ReColour here.

Disney mural revealed at Wardle Scout HQ

The main hall upstairs was last decorated some 35 years ago. It is a high, a large space and difficult to paint. The Beavers, Cubs, Leaders and Parents spent the Bank Holiday weekend in May 2016 cleaning and painting it with magnolia. The work took 9 months of weekend visits in the HQ By the artists Anthony Kitchingman and Rosie Benson.

Norma Brandon, 1st Wardle Scout Group, said: “We handed it over to two artists who had expressed in interest in painting in a manner suitable for Scouting of all ages to enjoy it. Rosie Benson and Anthony Kitchingman both work full-time and have given up many weekends since July 2016 to draw and then paint the room. We wanted the room to be personalised to the Scout Group and to reflect the Jungle Book theme which the Cub section is based on – and this is what has been created. It is a true work of art.

The young people have watched how the mural developed from initial drawings on the wall to all the extra insects, birds, butterflies and creepy crawlies that were added in the last few weekends. Most of the paint used has been donated.

The magnolia paint was donated by B&J Painters & Decorators and the Dulux Paint Centre, the paint for the mural was donated by Community RePaint run by Rochdale Boroughwide Housing“.

See the full article from Rochdale Online here or to watch the video of the full transformation, head over to our Facebook page here.