The town, as I remember, was rather genteel and somewhat refined. especially when compared to its neighbouring holiday town of Rhyl, and I am all too aware that I have been quite vociferous when commenting on just how much the town has "dumbed down" in recent years, given the change in holiday tastes and the decline of the British seaside resort town.
However, I do big up the more positive aspects of Prestatyn. The Town's Flower Show and Classic Car Show have always been terrific successes in the effort to attract visitors to the town centre, and newly refurbished Scala Cinema and arts centre is a tiny beacon of "class" amid the plethora of charity shops and "tat" that are now taking over some parts of the High Street.
 |
| The Old Prestatyn Scala with a queue to see "King Kong" The inspiration for the new art work |
Last night my Eldest Sister Ann, rang up, rather breathless and excited. Her secret , she said,could be let out of the bag so to speak.......as she and her husband Tim had been chosen by the art centre and cinema to feature in a one off piece of artwork celebrating the History of the Town's Cinema and "bigging up" some of the prominent Prestatyn citizens that have given something back to the community!
(Ann has spearheaded the Flower Show for nearly two decades and Tim has founded and run the Town's Car Show and both have run successful retail businesses in the High Street for many years)
The Scala History Queue had been given it's official unveiling last night, and so this morning, I like a score of other locals popped down to have a look for myself.
Each person had been photographed, some individually , then placed within the "mural". Many were representing differing aspects of their community role or individual personality
Below (centre) is Ann with her Flower Show secretary badge on
The whole concept has been wonderfully concieved and executed, and is a delightful celebration of the more positive aspects of an evolving holiday town.
The instillation brought a smile to my face and gave me back a sense of pride in my old birthplace
 |
| The Guy on the right is the Trelawnyd Male voice choir's musical director Local Pop celeb Mike Peters is centre |
 |
| Love the middle aged "geek" with the light sabre |
what a lovely idea.
ReplyDeleteIt is also a little like the spirit of the material in my blog post. Marks left by members of a community
John I love this blog post. Congratulations to your sister Anne. And there's old Clive. Corr Blimey!
ReplyDeletePS - Not forgetting your brother-in-law,Tim either.Well done to both of them.
ReplyDeleteThis is very neat (cool, nice, wonderful, lovely etc) Someone took a lot of time and effort into this! I love it!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea. Your sister must be 'over the moon'. Is it a permanent feature? Wonderful.
ReplyDeleteWhat a clever idea. Not only an original piece of art but a good way of appreciating your customers. Perhaps I should suggest it to the wonderful Queens Film Theatre in Belfast.
ReplyDeleteWow - what a wonderful tribute!
ReplyDeleteImmediately made me consider how I would want to be portrayed if I were included in something like this... No doubt I would end up with some goofy look on my face.
FUN!
Are you thinking of doing this sort of thing in Trelawnyd and if so how would your character be portrayed? You wear so many hats it would be hard to choose just one costume for you!
ReplyDeletehummm
ReplyDeleteI was thinking of something
but I think it would be a large photograph of as many of the villagers as possible
mummmmmmmmm
I can sense your creative juices starting to flow from way way over here.
ReplyDeleteThe artwork is fantastic, the portrayal of old Elvis quite kind. Your family is filled with so many community activits. Were your parents involved in all things as well ?
ReplyDeleteHello John:
ReplyDeleteWhat a super idea the Art collage is and such a wonderfully creative and imaginative way to involve as many community members as possible.
Well,where Prestatyn leads, Trelawnyd must follow......a cavalcade of the great, the good, the mad, the bad and the rest must surely be a winner!!!
donna
ReplyDeletestrangely enough My mother and father did nothing WITH us kids....
although my father was head of the council!
Fantastic idea and I'm pleased that the Scala has been refurbished.
ReplyDeleteWe're trying to do the same with a local theatre that a developer is desperately trying to resist and I've agreed to take part in a real queue outside in protest in a couple of weeks time.
What a perfectly lovely idea!!!
ReplyDeleteWonderful!
ReplyDeleteFrankly surprised you're not amongst the line up there John.
ReplyDeletePerhaps wrestling naked with a pig, a cinema season ticket in your clenched jaws??
I say, the vicar looks rather rakish :-D
ReplyDeleteHow Wonderful that Ann and Tim are being recognized/honored. That is a lot of work for 20 years! Ann looks beautiful and I find that Tim looks a mixture of Robert Hardy and James May! At least he all set to star in Chitty, Chitty, Bang Bang. (No insult intended in any way).
ReplyDeletePlease pass on to Ann that I think she looks beautiful and a congratulations!
What a cool art idea and it looks amazing!
For Trelawnyd, wouldn't it be great to have a long running mural of a garden with the Trelawnyd people in in it. Auntie Gladys taking center garden, of course!
Lovely John, I don't blame Ann being over the moon!
meggs. xx
What a great event and what great photos. I had to look twice to see which was a poster and which was the real thing.
ReplyDeleteWhat a brilliant way to recognize and celebrate the community. I hope it's a permanent fixture. I'm sure you aren't the only one who feels a renewed sense of pride when looking at it, and that's the kind of spirit every community should hope to create.
ReplyDeleteIncredibly creative. It took me a moment to realize they weren't real,and another moment to realize they weren't wax figures.
ReplyDeleteWhat an innovative idea. Looks really fab and lovely that lots of local people were able to get involved.
ReplyDeleteLisa
This is a brilliant post. Thank you for sharing it with us.
ReplyDeleteI think it is evident that we all think this was a wonderful and evidently very successful idea.
What a marvellous way to take a snapshot of what will form part of the history of the community.
It is just so witty and clever and if there were any inclined to riotous assembly in Prestatyn, which of them would have the courage to stare their peers in the eyes and put a brick through them?
Sod Banksey, this piece of commendable street art should be preserved as testament to Prestatyn's community spirit.
thanks for that tom!
ReplyDeleteWhat a marvellous idea! But who is the Dr Who-type figure on the electric guitar? It's not Alvin Lee is it?
ReplyDeleteThat is utterly brilliant!
ReplyDeleteI too was looking for you John!
ReplyDeleteThis is a great idea. Look forward to your village to do something as well....no pressure but what a lasting legacy!
that really is a neat idea.
ReplyDeleteGill in Canada
Very cool, and so well executed.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful way to 'Thank' the people for their support and hard work! Love the depictions of your sister and her husband...how fitting! Sounds like a lovely village....maybe I'll get over there one day and we can go for that coffee :) Have a good one John.
ReplyDeleteMaura :)
It's so uplifting to see all these comments, all the names of the people involved but... we should surely mention the name of that clever craftsman who had the germ of an idea about this queue about 3 years ago and has now completed his very cleverly crafted dream - Paul Young, professional artist who lives and works locally in Prestatyn and who is also in this major opus!
ReplyDeleteTo Mate of Mural,
ReplyDeleteA really good comment.
I looked up Paul Young on the interweb and have sent him an email congratulating him on his outstanding piece of work and expressing my regret that I am too far away to visit it and appreciate it in all its glory.
The man is clearly brilliant but we must not forget those who had the courage to support him, to give him the canvas on whcih to create, so to speak.
This was one of those happy coincidences where a few visionaries bumped into each other and created something truly special.
I doubt I could afford Mr Young but I would love to commission him to do a wall at the entrance to my village, the Barra de Kwanza in Angola.
As I said in my eearlier comment on this post by John, forget Banksey, this guy, Mr Young, is great and, thanks to you, Mate of Mural, I can put a name to the artist.
well done to Paul Young
ReplyDeleteI have sent by best wishes to the artist and the cinema
brilliant!
Many thanks John for posting the Scala history Queue on your blog, and your lovely comments about the Mural, and all those who have left such positive heartwarming reactions.
ReplyDeleteThanks to mate of the mural for insisting to me that she should put my name on John's blog.
And thanks to Hippo-on-the-lawn, a fellow Old Africa Hand as well, for his very kind comments.
Its amazing and feels so right that someone from Africa contacted me first via the interweb in regard to this mural. I left Africa when I was ten, but part of me is still there.
I could not have done this alone, I had the most amazing support and help, it truly was, as hippo mentioned, a collaboration of so many people, more especially the team who worked closely with me to make this happen. Thank you, to you all. Paul
What a fascinating piece of work!
ReplyDelete