A GIANT mural on the sea wall of Watchet’s Old Mineral Yard, depicting the town’s artistic and industrial heritage, will be officially unveiled on Friday (December 16).
It is the culmination of nine months’ work by local artist Pat Dennis.
He took on the 30-metre-long project to transform the weather-beaten concrete wall into a celebration of Watchet’s past after a £21,000 Hinkley Point fund grant was turned down.
Since then, Pat, 61, has worked regularly on the wall, often on scaffolding, to create a colourful collage of every aspect of Watchet life, ranging from the Jurassic coast to the paper and wool trades and influences of industry, the sea and Christianity.
Basically self-taught, Pat is now well-known locally for murals and pictures in exhibitions.
“I’ve really enjoyed the challenge of a major project like this. I just hope people like it,” he said.
The ribbon will be cut by Judy Prior, whose late husband Tim, chairman of Watchet Arts Group, had the original idea.
Current chairman Molly Quint said: “We are thrilled by what Pat has done and we hope everyone will come along to make it a very happy afternoon.”
The celebration begins at 2pm and visitors can enjoy mince pies, mulled wine and music by the Darktown Strutters jazz band.