With the launch of the new community building and café here at Newquay Orchard not far away the team have been working closely with volunteers and a local artist to bring some of the new surfaces to life – starting with the toilet doors!
Newquay based artist Maia Walczak has been creating original designs to capture the Orchard in paint and pencil and add a huge splash of colour to the freshly painted interior of the new community.
Volunteers on the Sustainable Lives programme at Newquay Orchard were asked to put into words what the Orchard means to them, sparking imagery of wildflowers and bees, immersion in nature and community spirit. These ideas were then used to create designs for the public toilets in the building – with a number of volunteers taking part in workshops to add their own designs.
Steve Wright, Delivery Coordinator at Newquay Orchard, organised the workshops with volunteers and Maia, so that they could work together on the final designs. He said: “It is really important to us – as the Orchard really has been built with the hard work and imagination of our volunteering community – that our team of volunteers input their ideas into this process.”
Steve added: “We loved the opportunity to take part in workshops with Maia, which sparked an artistic interest in people who didn’t even know they could draw.”
The new artwork is part of the preparation for the opening of Kowel Gwenen, and the public will soon be allowed inside with Canteen at the Orchard opening its doors for takeaway and the new amphitheatre terraces sprouting wildflowers for picnics for families.
Maid said: “I have always been a huge admirer of what the Orchard brings to the community of Newquay. I love the hope and passion that exists here.”
“This project was a great opportunity to paint with some wonderfully talented people. Especially on the bathroom doors, which provided a canvas I never thought I’d get to use!”
Maia is also preparing some pieces to present alongside volunteer artwork in an exhibition on the 10-metre-long gallery wall within Canteen at the Orchard.
Luke Berkeley, CEO of Newquay Community Orchard, said this artistic growth has always been a part of his plans for the urban green space.
Luke said: “I think this collaboration between our volunteers and Maia will be the beginning of an exciting creative and cultural journey for the Orchard. Eventually we envision it becoming a place where everyone from our society can nurture their wellbeing through art and the environment.”
Maia added: “It’s a real privilege to share gallery space with the artists of Newquay Orchard and it’s been so interesting seeing how the environment influences us all. In whichever medium we choose nature is always out biggest inspiration.”
