Daughter paints idyllic country scene mural on mum's garage wall to bring joy to lockdown

A daughter has painted a mural of an idyllic country scene in her mum’s garden in Horbury to bring some joy to living in lockdown.
Kathleen Stubbs and Claire SmithKathleen Stubbs and Claire Smith
Kathleen Stubbs and Claire Smith

Claire Smith moved in with her mum, Kathleen Stubbs, at the beginning because she had recently been ill. Claire said: “I moved in with her to take care of her. I’ve been doing her gardening in the sunshine and hated that wall.

“So I asked the 97-year-old neighbour if I could paint a mural on it. I didn’t think I would get round to it, but he kept asking, so I thought ‘right I’m going to do it’.

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“The scene is of a field in Woolley that I have a watercolour that I painted in 2002 on my wall in my living room. Mum can always think of me when she looks at it.”

Pontefract artist Rachel List with her mural.Pontefract artist Rachel List with her mural.
Pontefract artist Rachel List with her mural.

Claire, who suffers from chronic back pain, added: “I’ve been laid up in total pain ever since but it was so worth it.”

Murals have become an important fixture of the coronavirus lockdown with people across the county using them to express their appreciation to NHS staff and key workers or spread a bit of joy where they live.

Pontefract artist Rachel List painted an murals on the sides of two pub to say thank you the health workers.

She also painted a mural of fundraiser Captain Tom Moore.

Burley Banksy Andy McVeigh painted messages of support outside Pinderfields, while Wakefield Council painted a message on the road approaching the hospital.