Mural inspired by Sheffield wildlife unveiled at Weston Park Museum

Bees, butterflies, jays, owls, rabbits are just some of the creatures that are now painted on the wall at Weston Park Museum.
By Rochelle Barrand
Published 1st May 2019, 12:54 BST
Sheffield mixed media artist Thomas Wells was asked by Museums Sheffield tore-design the Weston Park Museum supporters wall to help raise vital funds to support the charitys work across the citys museums and galleries. He is pictured with Melanie Russell, Grants and Appeals Officer at Museums Sheffield.Sheffield mixed media artist Thomas Wells was asked by Museums Sheffield tore-design the Weston Park Museum supporters wall to help raise vital funds to support the charitys work across the citys museums and galleries. He is pictured with Melanie Russell, Grants and Appeals Officer at Museums Sheffield.
Sheffield mixed media artist Thomas Wells was asked by Museums Sheffield tore-design the Weston Park Museum supporters wall to help raise vital funds to support the charitys work across the citys museums and galleries. He is pictured with Melanie Russell, Grants and Appeals Officer at Museums Sheffield.

The wall was designed by mixed media artist Thomas Wells, who was asked by Museums Sheffield to re-design the Weston Park Museum supporters’ wall to help raise vital funds to support the charity’s work across the city’s museums and galleries.

He was asked to create a visual story that would engage and appeal to visitors of all ages. 

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Over the past few months he has been busy designing, drawing and painting the exclusive nature mural that is now displayed in the very heart of the museum.

It features British wildlife including bees, butterflies, jays, owls, rabbits and more.

Supporters can now select one of these illustrations, for a price that ranges from £30 to £1,000, and given the option to personalise it with a name or message of their choice. The plaques bought will be mounted every six weeks and will remain up for 12 months.

Thomas Wells said: “I referenced Sheffield’s Local Biodiversity Action Plan to identify wildlife on conservation lists specific to Sheffield and the Peak District. It was fascinating learning about each creature more deeply in order to create each illustration. 

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“I aimed for a stylised yet accurate rendering that would be engaging and informative to adults and children alike.”

Museums Sheffield is a charity that runs Weston Park Museum, along with Graves Gallery and Millennium Gallery.

Each year they have to raise £1million in addition to the funding that they receive to keep  the city’s museums and galleries open, free and accessible to everyone.

The funds raised supports the exhibitions and events, the learning programme and helps care for the city’s collections.

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Melanie Russell, Grants & Appeals Officer at Museums Sheffield thanks Thomas for the mural he produced

She said: “We wanted to create a fundraising initiative that all visitors could enjoy and want to be a part of. It’s been a pleasure working with Thomas to create this beautiful scene that will become more populated with wildlife as more people donate.

“The money will help keep the museum free and open for everyone to enjoy.”

Visit museums-sheffield.org.uk/supporterswall for more information.

Related topics:Supporters