A SOUTHAMPTON artist is adding a splash of colour to the streets of Sholing – one electrical box at a time.
Joanna Tidey is changing the way we 'view the mundane' by painting wildlife onto things people would otherwise walk past.
The 34-year-old from Sholing spent three days painting a fox onto an electrical box in South East Crescent, opposite the Spike Islander pub.
She has since been met with an outpouring of support on social media.
Joanna said: “I wanted to do something in Sholing as it’s a bit of a forgotten area.
“I have built up a really good relationship with places and people in the area, so I wanted to do something for them.
Artist Joanna Tidey adds a splash of colour by painting electrical boxes in Sholing, Southampton
“I struck up a conversation with one of the engineers for the boxes and he showed me which areas were best, and the local lollipop lady has helped me with photos of animals as well.
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“Everyone has been involved and it’s all self-funded by me.”
Joanna spent the weekend of August 20 and 21 completing her artwork and met a number of enthusiastic residents.
She said: “The reaction to this has been unbelievable and overwhelming – it’s so positive.
During the creation of the artwork and after. Photos by Gary Lewis and Karen Steel
“I’ve even had parents and their children coming over to me while I paint to ask questions.
“I am so thankful the response has been so positive. I didn’t expect it.”
Joanna has been painting since she was a young child and studied art at university but has always felt passionate about sharing her work in the community she lives in.
For this reason, she will be continuing her work and painting five more electrical boxes in Sholing to create a fun art trail.
Joanna Tidey's artwork on South East Crescent in Sholing
She said: “I have been doing art for a long time, and one day I thought ‘why don’t I put my art in my area?’
“I was heavily pregnant during lockdown and had a two-year-old son and we used to enjoy going out for our daily walk.
“For those people who don’t have a dog or children it can be hard to find a reason to go out for a walk, so I wanted to give people a reason by finding my artwork.
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“I was also inspired by the rainbows people put in their windows during lockdown.
“People buying my prints from shops helps me fund projects like this and makes it happen.”
People are encouraged to share their photos of Joanna’s work online under the hashtag #sholingsafari and to keep up to date by following her Facebook page - Joanna Rose Tidey Artist.
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