A NEW public art installation has been unveiled at a retirement home in Thornbury.

The Mayor of Thornbury, Angela Symonds, was joined by apartment owners and representatives Churchill Retirement Living, who run the site, when the artwork went on view for the first time.

Also present was artist Sasha Ward who created the glass mural, entitled Flowerbeds.

The mural was screen printed with enamels and then laminated to provide protection. It is now on view at the front of the building on Stokefield Close.

Explaining her inspiration for the design, Sasha said: “The general idea for my design comes from the patterns in a garden, with cobbles, flowerbeds and blossoming branches. The background cobble shapes are a bit like crazy paving that conceals the forms of flowers and leaves.

Curved branches break across these cobbles, they end in the buds of flowers that also look a bit like clouds. The mural, above doors that take you from the Owners’ Lounge into the garden, is therefore placed between the inside and the outside, with the style of the work a mixture of geometry and nature.”

Cllr Symonds added: “It was a pleasure to attend the official unveiling of the art installation and also to meet the artist and some of the new apartment owners who have moved in.

“I’m impressed at how well the design of the new building fits in with the existing street, and I’m sure the glass mural will be enjoyed by residents of the new apartments as well as by local people passing by.”

Rachel Walsh, regional sales & marketing director of Churchill Retirement Living, said: “Churchill is an organisation that genuinely cares about giving something back to the communities we build in, so we are very proud to support this public art installation for the town.

“It provides the perfect finishing feature to our beautiful new development.”