Welcome to the enchanting world of Ryde Arts Trail, a unique journey through creativity and expression set against the backdrop of the picturesque town of Ryde.
This immersive art experience, curated by Community Murals, is made possible through the generous funding from the Police & Crime Commissioner for Hampshire & the Isle of Wight and the support of both Ryde Town Council and the Isle of Wight Council.
The trail invites you to explore a selection of 9 captivating artworks, connected by a 2 mile walking trail around the town. Navigating the trail is made easy with the integration of What Three Words, providing precise locations for each installation. As you scroll through this page, detailed information about each artist and their masterpiece awaits, enriching your experience with insights into the inspiration and stories behind the creations that grace the Ryde Arts Trail. Get ready to embark on a voyage of discovery, where every step unveils the beauty of art in unexpected corners of our charming town.
Our route starts at Monkton Street and takes you on a 2 mile route to the top of town and then back down to finish on the seafront, but you can explore the artworks in any order and create a trail route that suits you!
You can also use the what3words website or app to find the locations on a map.
Mural 1: Monkton Arts, East Street
what3words: ///tell.poker.deep
Discover the work of Jenna Sabine and other female artists at Monkton Arts. Taking inspiration from the Art Deco Style, Jenna and her team have thought about the Ryde area and included elements and imagery from the town and local countryside and pieced together an inspiring piece accompanied by a poem.
Monkton Arts is also a hidden gem of a café, art gallery and creative space. Make sure to pop in for some refreshments and explore their calendar of events that they put on all year round for the community!
Mural 2: The Star Coffee & Ale House, Star Street
what3words: ///vital.dimes.jumpy
Discover the work of Katy Rose Design at The Star Coffee & Ale House. The Star is also a wonderful stop for quality ales, coffees and light bites and is perfect for a spot of people watching. Landlords Rob & Lesley have been a great support with this project and you will always find a warm welcome inside.
On her design, Katy says
As soon as I heard the name of the building I was going to be painting, I knew that this would inspire my mural. It relates so perfectly to the purpose of the Arts Trail, to illuminate the streets and focus on the safety of women and girls at night. I wanted to incorporate this theme in my work and the celebration of women. I was inspired by Mucha and Art Nouveau as my starting point, and during my research I decided to create a figure based on Asteria – who was the goddess of the stars. She was believed to keep the moon and stars in their place at night and to protect those below by keeping the balance and I felt the message fit the project beautifully. I have included Zodiac constellations in the starry sky, with the moon behind her. I love playing with the optical illusion of her leaning on the wall, using the brick to support her and the surrounding structures as part of the design. Having the cat walking along the top really allowed me to play with this idea. I have also feature local flowers found nearby in the cemetery such as Bluebells, Honeysuckle, Roses and Knapweed and our local wildlife, with a fox creeping in the bottom corner and a barn owl flying above. Something really important to me was to encourage the public to interact with the mural – making it inclusive and accessible for all – you are part of the design. I plan to create an area on the corner wall to encourage people to take selfies and photographs which will be marked by little camera icons in the circle pattern to highlight this.
Find out more about Katy’s work here: http://www.katyrosedesign.co.uk/
Mural 3: The intersection of the High Street & the top of St Johns Road
what3words: ///lowest.exams.tricks
This mural is a collaboration piece from Emma & Hollie at Community Murals.
Following a productive meeting with Nora Aridi, the curator of the Splaces project in the same location, we embarked on crafting a design that seeks to infuse a touch of nature into the heart of Ryde. This site, bustling with both vehicular and pedestrian traffic, necessitated the incorporation of large, bold elements within the artwork to maximize its impact within a short timeframe.
The final installation includes smaller, hidden details so get up close and explore this artwork!
We hope that this will be the first of many improvements to this challenging space and look forward to seeing the development of the Splaces project over the next few months.
You can find out more about Community Murals work here: https://linktr.ee/communitymurals
Mural 4: No Ball Games, Co-op Square, Ryde 2022
what3words: ///tennis.wake.ahead
Commissioned by Ryde Business Association, Ryde Arts and the Heritage Action Zone; funded by ACE Jubilee Fund and the Isle of Wight and Hampshire Trust.
‘No Ball Games’ was inspired by a public response to the incredible local architectural heritage of Ryde. With help from members of the community during the Ryde Jubilee celebrations, Laura encouraged passers by to look closely and to explore the town, especially the heritage zone and to take rubbings from textures they found along Ryde high street. From drain covers to brick work, tiles, signage and stone carvings they highlighted the heritage and importance of the high street and the incredible details that can be found if we look closely around us
Laura translated these collected and gathered marks and textures made by the community into stencils and freehand mark making to create a large scale painting in the heart of Ryde.
Laura hopes that simple mark making creates an impactful, joyful piece that not only is recognisable by the community that created the marks it was inspired by, but also regenerates a community space in Ryde, creating a happier welcoming area for people to sit, meet, enjoy and take pride in.
You can find out more about her work here: http://www.laurahathawayartist.com
Mural 5: Grace’s Bakery, Mill Lane
what3words: ///longer.shock.beam
Pop into Grace’s Bakery for an array of delicious baked treats to eat in or takeaway and while there tuck down the tiny Mill Lane to see the work of Sarah & Jodie Redrup.
Link to Grace’s: http://gracesbakery.uk
“Our design features the millstone in the centre in a bright sunshine yellow. For us the millstone is special, it’s what links us as a baking family to the Duffett family who owned this building before us. They used 178 High Street as a huge machine, the pulleys and trap doors are still visible in our offices. The grain would start at the top floor and make it’s way through the building to the ground floor. Today we use our building as a machine to turn flour into bread.
With graduating colours we want the audience to think of the sunrise. Farmers, millers and bakers, we are all working by sunrise.
Wheat, seeds and corn were all staples of the Duffett’s business and livelihood, whether selling it as pet food or turning it into beer. Many Islanders remember Duffett’s as a pet shop, selling bird feed. So we have included birds ascending into the sky.
178 High Street was the site of a Victorian seed and flour mill. It remained operational until the mid-late 1900s. The shop was a seed merchants and pet shop until the 1990s when Grace’s Bakery began to lease it. After the landlord passed away the Redrup family bought the building. We found old mill equipment including an old mill stone and a Duffetts van which was sold and restored to it’s former glory. The Duffett’s were brewers owning many pubs including the Lion Brewery (now British Heart Foundation and Friends of the Animals).”
Find out more about the artists here: https://linktr.ee/Sarahraeillustration
Mural 6: Re:Box, Lind Street
what3words: ///castle.coffee.jabs
Re:Box – Ryde’s Smallest Art Gallery
Re:Box is Ryde’s smallest art gallery sited in a classic Kiosk No.6 red phone box on Lind Street (PO33 2LD). Through BT’s ‘Adopt a Kiosk’ initiative, Ryde Town Council purchased the box for £1 and turned it over to ‘Ryde Exhibitionists’ – a pair of local creatives determined to give this decommissioned piece of street furniture a new lease of life.
Since August 2022, writer Anmarie Bowler and photographer Zoë Barker have been working with Island groups and artists to create a series of ever-changing and surprising installations. Lit from the inside, when night falls Re:Box transforms into a lightbox that creates the magical impression of glowing stained glass.
Find out more here: http://www.facebook.com/ReBoxRyde
Mural 7: Intersection of Castle Street & George Street
what3words: ///trader.jams.pound
Designed and Painted by Hollie Jackson from Hollie Jackson Art and Resinart by Hollie. This mural, a heartfelt tribute to Ryde, draws inspiration from our local businesses, living by the sea and its beautiful view over to the mainland.
The whispers of waves and the ethereal beauty of our stunning beaches infuses the artwork. The golden sands and azure waters become a visual poem, reflecting the essence of coastal living. Beautiful sunsets, a daily spectacle, contribute their warm hues to the narrative—a testament to the beauty that graces our horizon.
And there, against the backdrop of the sea and vibrant skies, stands Appley Tower—a sentinel of history and elegance. It becomes the focal point, grounding the mural in the town’s rich heritage.
It is my hope that those who engage with this artwork feel a shared admiration for the local spirit, the seaside serenity, and the iconic landmarks that define Ryde’s allure.
To find out more visit http://www.holliejacksonart.com
Mural 8: Hovertravel Terminal, Esplanade
what3words: ///bench.flips.comb
Designed and painted by Emma of Tuesday Sunshine, this mural is a vibrant tribute to HoverTravel and its vital connections between the Isle of Wight and Southsea. The colour palette draws inspiration from the breathtaking sunsets viewed from our Ryde beaches, while the style pays homage to the psychedelic art of the 1960s, when HoverTravel was established.
To find out more about Emma’s work: http://www.tuesdaysunshine.co.uk
Mural 9: Waterside Pool, North Walk
what3words: ///hurls.insist.leans
Another collaboration by Emma & Hollie of Community Murals, this piece intricately weaves together themes of water and swimming, with a colour palette drawn from the pool’s logo.
Nestled beside the beach, the mural also pays homage to the sea and diving, and important element of life in Ryde and across the rest of the island, particularly with the strong links to lifeguarding provided by the team at the pool.
Adjacent to this artwork you will find the newly opened Café de Ryde (new name for Captains Table), the perfect spot to sit an admire the view and soak up the sights and sound of the sea.
You can find out more about Community Murals work here: https://linktr.ee/communitymurals