Artist paints tribute to NHS workers in Wellingborough

A local artist has painted an 8ft mural in tribute to NHS workers at a Wellingborough shopping centre.

Eunice Friend painted the image of a nurse at Nene Court on Sunday, June 14.

Eunice said: "They're getting ready for opening and this is a way to pay tribute to the NHS.

"I had a gallery down there for two years and they commissioned me to do the mural for them.

"It was a challenge, I had to be lifted by a forklift! The challenge was being up close and painting and then coming down and checking the proportions."

The mural is at the entrance to Nene Court, which houses lots of independent shops, and will be reopening fully next week.

Eunice said the mural has had a positive reaction. She said: "People were in and out and people stopped to talk to me about it and I've had people on social media commenting on it."

Eunice had a gallery at Nene Court and ran art classes from there, but has changed how she works due to lockdown.

She said: "It just didn't make financial sense to me.

"I now offer Zoom lessons and I'm sold out! It's just changed my direction."

Eunice says online teaching has been so successful and her students like it so much, she thinks she will carry on virtual lessons even once lockdown is lifted.

She has also been teaching classes for free through her Facebook group Art Share Challenge through Facebook lives.

More information about Eunice's lessons and art can also be found on her website here.