At first people were worried about my new Chorley mural - but now they love it

Which delights artist Christian Fenn - also known as @seca_one - because he was worried about the initial reaction.

Blackpool-based Christian said: “Some pictures of the mural when I first started went online. It was the outline of the word Chorley and it was all blues and greys for the background, and the comments were all negative. Everyone thinks that a painting just appears, but that’s just the starting point.

“Now the council have shared a picture of it finished, and the reaction has been brilliant. When we were there finishing off, passersby were commenting to us, saying things like ‘smashed it pal’, which is always nice to hear.”

Christian - who has recently been painting murals in Mexico, LA, Switzerland and Eygpt - tendered for the work after seeing the commission on Chorley Council’s website, with help on the design from business partner Aylo.

He said: “The brief was very specific. They wanted to encapsulate everything that’s great about Chorley in the piece, as well as their new strapline, ‘The best of Lancashire, all in one place’. We usually work on bigger walls, so there’s a lot of features crammed in here, but I think it works and it’s nice to be back and involved in something local.”

The mural features the Lancashire Rose, two magpies in reference to the football club nickname (two because one is regarded as bad luck), a Chorley cake, a cornflower - part of the town’s emblem, the Mormon temple, Rivington pike, a canal scene, the Yarrow Valley Weir, a soldier from the Chorley Pals, Astley Hall, and a depiction of Chorley Market.

Christian said that with the help of Aylo, the preparation took two days and painting and sealing took around another three.

Who paid?

The project has been funded through the UK Share Prosperity Fund and the Community Infrastructure Levy, and is part of a wider programme to improve the area around the Astley Village shops, including new rendering on the community centre.

On their Facebook page the council said: “The colourful mural was commissioned to give the area a new focal point, nicely complimenting the splendour and attractiveness of Astley Hall and Gardens. Stay tuned for more town centre improvements as part of the Town Centre Project linking each of the key areas and offering more spaces to enjoy. Chorley, the best of Lancashire, all in one place.”

More about Christian and his work

Christian -who has spoken of his own mental health battles - founded the Butterfly Effected CIC which uses art, storytelling and therapy to inspire and support people when they need it. It aims to spread hope, positivity, and inspiration through the power of art and the telling of stories of resilience and achievement.

As part of this, The Big Heart Project was born out of a shared passion for art and community between Christian and Aylo. Inspired by their global experiences and fuelled by their desire to give back to UK towns, they embarked on the journey to launches the project in Fleetwood, with the hopes of expanding the project to other towns.

Their vision is to create a series of striking murals that not only beautify the towns around the UK but also spark meaningful conversations around pressing social issues, with a commitment to inclusivity, collaboration, and community empowerment.