The final mural
The final design
Four early design options.
Many thanks to the librarians at Newark who located a collection of newspaper clippings relating to the design and creation of the Appletongate mural. One of the artists, Nadia Nagual, had actually worked at Newark Library, so the team there feel a special connection to the artwork. The library file included these clippings:
- 6th Jan 1984: Mural to suit character of town by Francois Matarasso, Community Artist to Newark’s Hawtonville Arts Project.
- 6th April 1984: Mural in Appletongate. Yes says community
- 27th April 1984: 27 out of 44 favour Appletongate mural
- 8th March 1985: Three aim to finish mural by summer
- 11th Oct 1985: Appletongate mural will last 20 years by Martin Crowson
The idea of doing something with the gable end came from Mr Dave Polzin, who ran the Model Gear shop in the building. Coordinating artist Francois Matarasso, Community Artist to Newark’s Hawtonville Arts Project, went to great lengths to explain why the mural would be appropriate to the town, and to call for ideas and views from its citizens. A number of Advertiser articles appeared and at least one public meeting was held. He stressed that Newark should claim some of the funding available for public art that mostly went to big cities, and that the funds could not be used for any other purpose. “At the moment, planning on using a paint with a life of ten to 20 years, we estimate it will cost £3,000, though this would be less if scaffolding could be borrowed or paint begged. It sounds a lot, but is it? It would buy Newark 50 minutes of singing from the Royal Opera House or a second-hand Ford Cortina.” All three artists – himself, Bill Ming and Nadia Nagual lived and worked in Newark, the subject was local heritage, and the paint tones were chosen to complement the surrounding buildings.
Newark Advertiser were strongly involved and supportive – not unnaturally as the site faces its offices – providing a platform for publicising and voting on the various designs, and for reporting on the project. You can see a photo of the concept, four early designs marked A-D, and the wall bordering the carpark in the collage. In the report of 27th April 1984: 27 out of 44 favour Appletongate mural, the Advertiser reported in detail what it described as a mixed response from the public. Design C, depicting the town’s past riverside industry, was judged to be the most popular and was developed further. Bermudan-born artist Bill Ming and his Newark-born wife Nadia Nagual both studied art at Maidstone and Mansfield Colleges of Art. The couple shared a studio at Millgate, Newark. Nadia had worked with Mr Matarasso on the murals at Christ Church Infants School, Newark. At that time Bill had an exhibition of paintings and sculptures at the Africa Centre, Covent Garden, London.
The mural was to be painted with primer and emulsion and sealed with a coat of varnish. It was hoped its north-east aspect would spare it the worst of wind, rain and sunshine during its estimated 10-15 years lifetime without requiring any maintenance. Francois Matarasso estimated the cost at about £3,000. The breakdown is: artists fees £2, 125; scaffolding £400; paint £325; varnish £75. Mr Matarasso said the cost of scaffolding had been estimated on the basis that the work would last four months.
On 8th March 1985 Newark Advertiser reported : Three aim to finish mural by summer. The project had been given a £1,400 grant by the Arts Council - another £1,500 was needed which it was planned to raise from sponsorship. Newark firm Kwikform Ltd lent scaffolding, requiring the project to pay only for putting it up. The summer weather was unkind and the mural took the artists six months to complete. The artists Bill and Nadia spent much time checking the perspective of the scenes from the ground. The animals, including mice, a frog, a lizard and a grasshopper were mainly the work of Nadia who is a wildlife enthusiast. Francois Matarasso, trainee community artist John Scully, and some volunteers (including schoolchildren) worked on the mural. Newark and Sherwood District Council moved a carpark ticket machine away from the wall. Marks and Spencer PLC gave a donation. Paints were given by Mebon Ltd, Huthwaite; Dacrylate Ltd, Kirkby-in-Ashfield; E Earnshaw Ltd, Nottingham and Johnstone’s Paints PLC, Nottingham.
On 11th Oct 1985 Martin Crowson’s Advertiser article reported ‘Appletongate mural will last 20 years’, with a photograph of on the unveiling showing the three artists and deputy secretary-general of the Arts Council, Mr Anthony Everitt (former director of East Midlands Arts). He completed the mural by painting the word ‘completed’ at the bottom above the names of the artists. A photograph of the completed mural shows only one or two small changes from the design – in the area below the arch and in the grouping of figures handling sacks behind the barge.
