A YOUNG Harwich artist has been handpicked by Galloper Wind Farm Ltd to paint its sponsored Octopus Ahoy! sculpture, which forms part of the 2021 public art trail. Alana Fensom, 17, was one of hundreds of artists who submitted designs to be part of the trail, and her submission, ‘Octavious’, stood out from the crowd. The design highlights the theme of love and reflects the importance of art, colour and involvement as an army cadet in Alana’s life.
The Colchester Institute student will now be tasked with completing the 4ft-by-4ft sculpture before it hits the streets of Tendring on 25th June-5th September. Harwich, Tendring and the wider Essex area will be taken over by Octopus Ahoy! in association with Mayflower 400™ and 150 Years of Clacton celebrations. The campaign will culminate in an auction of the finished sculptures in late September, with all money raised going to support local charities throughout Essex.
Alana said: “I’m thrilled to have been picked to paint Galloper’s octopus and am so excited to be part of this exciting public art trail. ‘Octavious’ means a lot to me personally, as it really shows the role that colour, art and being an army cadet play in my life. It’s going to be emotional having my friends and family seeing my work out on the streets, so I can’t wait for it to begin. I just hope everyone loves it as much as I do.”
Guy Middleton, General Manager at Galloper Wind Farm, said: “We are very pleased to have selected Alana, a local art student, to design our octopus sculpture. The vibrancy and emotion in Alana’s design around the themes of health and wellbeing, and positive mental health, really captured our imagination and are important to us as an organisation. We look forward to seeing ‘Octavious’ out on the streets of Tendring, bringing a smile to people’s faces.”
