Horsham dad's garden mural proves a real crowd-pleaser

Maths tutor and stay-at-home dad Marc Ellis has painted a Lake District scene on the fence at his home in Grebe Crescent.

And it’s proving so popular with passers-by that many are changing their route so they can watch as Marc progresses the mural.

He’s hoping to finish it in the next few weeks.

It all started, he said, when a couple of bushes in front of the fence died. “We planned to plant some sunflowers in front of it and I thought it’d be nice to give them a picturesque background.

"We love the Lake District so I chose a well-known view of Catbells and Derwentwater.

“The response has been lovely from neighbours and the many dogwalkers who walk their dogs in the fields and woods that back on to Grebe.

"So many people walking past have stopped to comment on it while I’m out painting it which has been lovely. It’s taken on a real community feel.”

Fortunately, Marc’s wife Emma also loves the artwork. “She’s very positive about it,” said Marc. “I think she’s been enjoying other people liking it. It’s been very bizarre.”

He added: “My favourite comment was one of the children exclaiming that it actually looks like it’s 3D, which I took as a big compliment.

“Many have asked if I’m an artist, which I certainly don’t count myself as.

"I started with the thought in mind that if it went badly that I could always just paint over it.

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"I’m working from a picture with guidelines, and essentially just giving things a go.

"If I don’t like how something looks, I just alter it – I guess that’s all that real artists do.”

He obtained his paint from Gardner & Scardifield in Brighton Road. “I didn’t want anything garish or obtrusive.

"They had a bunch of Cuprinol fence paints in muted natural colours which seemed ideal.

"I think it’s going well, and the feedback has been wonderful – but in the end of the day I’m just a bloke painting a fence.”

Marc’s mural is now proving so popular that he’s decided to use it to raise money for the mental health charity Mind.

See https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/lakedistrictmural