Visitors at McArthurGlen Designer Outlet Bridgend will now be greeted by a unique street-art installation is unveiled in the centre today.
The graffiti-style artwork – created by local organisation Peaceful Progress – depicts the informal Welsh greeting “Shwmae” against a backdrop of autumnal colours, vibrant flower motifs and abstract wave pattern reflecting Ogmore by Sea and the Merthyr Mawr area.
Welcoming visitors into the centre, the community-led mural will offer a fantastic background for creative selfies and other family-fun photo opportunities while celebrating the Welsh language and local heritage through an artistic medium.
Welsh-born and raised artist Bryce Davies, AKA Peaceful Progress, attributes his 20-year-long fascination with the rich history and culture Wales has to offer as an endless source of inspiration.
The work that Bryce typically produces focuses on creating large-scale murals that depict the true essence of Welsh culture. Driven by his own interest in Welsh ‘history and folklore, Bryce has produced, under the Peaceful Progress name, a wide variety of murals, for everyone from corporate clients, community groups, local councils, charities, private customers and television productions, to name a few.
The mural is located in front of the carpark near the food court entrance and will be the first visual to greet guests in centre.
Centre Manager Richard Garratt said “Throughout the last two years, the ongoing impact of the pandemic, the safety of our staff and customers continue to be the main priority. However, we are now excited to celebrate the return celebrating our rich heritage and welcome centre visitors back with a big ‘Shwmae’ to reflect the distinctive Welsh spirit. Bryce Davies’s artwork will brighten up the centre whilst also showcasing our ongoing support for local art and culture. We really look forward to seeing how guests will engage with the artwork in the coming months!”
Founder of Peaceful Progress, Bryce Davies said “It has been great to work with McArthurGlen Bridgend Designer Outlet to create this unique piece of artwork. I think we can all agree the past 18 months have lacked the colour and vibrancy we typically associate with Welsh culture, so it was great to be able to bring that spark back to life with the new mural. The challenge was to create a design incorporating an autumnal colour scheme, while also incorporating abstract patterns such as a wave, inspired by Ogmore by sea and the Merthyr Mawr area, as well as some other flower patterns such as lilies and roses designed to add a splash of colour and variety.”
