'I've painted a mural where I had my first job'

Rob Fenton is a well-known artist who has been creating public art in Stoke-on-Trent for over two decades. He has worked on many large projects, including being part of the team that redesigned the famous Nemesis ride at Alton Towers. However, his latest project is especially meaningful to him because it takes place at The Potteries Shopping Centre, the very place where he had his first job at the age of 16. For Rob, returning to this location to create a mural feels like coming full circle. He says that working in the shopping centre that gave him his first push into the world of work is a special experience, and he is proud to contribute to the city’s 100th birthday celebrations in this way.

The mural Rob has painted is not just a simple picture. It is a large, colourful artwork that covers a wall in the shopping centre. The mural highlights ten key moments and figures from Stoke-on-Trent’s history, chosen by Rob and the shopping centre team. Some of the people featured include Robbie Williams, the famous singer who grew up in the city, Josiah Wedgwood, a legendary pottery maker, and John Rudge, a well-known football manager. One part of the mural shows Robbie Williams’ face inside the numbers 1998, marking the year he achieved his first number one single. The mural is designed to be a mix of different styles and is not arranged in chronological order. Some sections look very realistic, almost like photographs, while others are more graphic or illustrative. This combination of styles makes the mural visually interesting and helps tell the story of the city in a unique way.

Rob did not work alone on this project. He was joined by other local artists, including his partner Kirsty Fenton and Ethan Lemon. Together, they worked on Rob’s favourite part of the mural, which is inspired by the film adaptation of Arnold Bennett’s book The Card. Rob says he loves the way the colours and styles come together in this section, blending photo-realism with graphic backgrounds. The mural took several weeks to complete because of its size and the amount of detail involved. Throughout the process, Rob and his team received a lot of positive feedback from the public. People who visited the shopping centre were excited to see the mural take shape and appreciated the way it celebrated the city’s history.

Rob believes that public art like this mural is important because it brings people together and helps them feel proud of their community. He hopes that everyone who sees the mural will learn something new about Stoke-on-Trent and feel inspired by the city’s rich history. The mural is not just a piece of art; it is a tribute to the people and events that have made Stoke-on-Trent what it is today. Rob’s journey from working at the shopping centre as a teenager to becoming a successful artist is a reminder that anyone can achieve their dreams with hard work and passion. If you have a story about Stoke-on-Trent or want to share your thoughts about the mural, you can contact BBC Stoke & Staffordshire. They are always looking for new stories and ideas from people in the area. Rob’s mural is a great example of how art can make a city more vibrant and help people connect with their local history.