Artist inspired by two Partick women for new Glasgow mural

The vibrant artwork on Purdon Street, next to Partick Library, was designed by artist Molly Hankinson.

It is the first in a series of four murals which will replace artworks around the community’s bus station.

Hankinson, 26, designed the mural in collaboration with the Partick Annexe charity and the community garden.

Michaela McManus (left) and Molly Hankinson (right) by Gordon Terris

The work depicts a towering woman surrounded by bright flowers and lush greenery and is being painted with the Glasgow-based artist’s close collaborator, Michaela McManus, 25.

The Glasgow School of Art graduate said: “I did a lot of community consultation around what should be included in the design in tandem with what I do in my own practice.

“The mural is of a big woman. She’s inspired by two women from Partick, past and present.

Artist Molly Hankinson with mural by Gordon Terris

“The first woman was called big Rachel, Rachel Hamilton.

“She was an Irish immigrant who came over and lived in Partick during the 1800s and she was called ‘Big Rachel’ because she was like 6ft 4in and she was a shipbuilder, which I thought was really cool.

“And the community agreed that she was a strong character to base the figure off of.”

The second woman is Margaret Thomson, who used to run the ukulele club in the Partick Annexe.

Hankinson added: “She passed away recently so there’s elements included in the design that are an ode to Margaret as well.

“There will be a red star on her top because everyone was given a red star at Margaret’s funeral, and she loved bright colours and she used to wear berets and pins and stuff like that, so there are elements of the design that have been based off of her and her character.”

Hankinson said it was a “nice way of subtly paying homage to these women”.

Mural on Purdon Street by Gordon Terris

The Partick Community Growing Project sits just behind the mural and its proximity was a big inspiration for the main theme of bringing nature to an urban environment.

She said: “All of the plants in the design were collectively chosen by members of the community.

“The Scottish bluebell is the unofficial flower of Scotland. The tulips and sunflowers grow in the garden and then there’s going to be a big runner bean beanstalk going up the side of the building as well.”

Hankinson’s artwork is known for its celebratory representation of women and other marginalised genders, and this is her first time painting a gable end.

For Hankinson, painting such a large space was not as intimidating as she thought it would be.

She said: “It’s the fear of the unknown, I think, with something this big. But once you actually get going, it’s fine.”

The artwork is one of four around Partick bus station being painted over older murals from the Commonwealth Games in 2014.

Hankinson said: “Someone said in the consultation that murals are like a snapshot of the times, and I think that’s a really nice way of putting it, because they are reflective of the time in which they’re painted.

“And I think that the ones that were done for the Commonwealth Games were really fitting for the time, but I think it’s also important to have positive change within the community and within the local area as well.”

Molly Hankinson painting by Gordon Terris

The regeneration effort is part of a larger community program by SWG3’s Yardworks to improve Glasgow’s riverside areas, in Partick, Govan, and Yorkhill, with public art.

The mural will be Hankinson’s contribution to this weekend’s Yardworks Festival at SWG3’s Galvanizers Yard.

The festival is returning to SWG3 Saturday through Sunday, from 11am, with live painting, food vendors, and activities for the whole family.

Renowned artists from Glasgow and abroad will be painting murals from the Galvanizers Yard all the way up Eastvale Place all weekend.