Grimbarians Blog
Capturing Home with Francesca Young Art
What excites us most about the Artist in Residence project, is seeing how each artist interprets their life experiences of Grimsby, using their signature styles, colours, and techniques to create a piece of artwork that is truly inspired by this town we call home. From Creative Start CIC’s ‘Adockalypse Now’ , which combines pop culture with the historic Docks, to Francesca Young’s distinctive maritime illustration that encapsulates the welcome feeling of coming home to Grimsby.
Through deep hues, building layers, and a shining light, Francesca’s piece captures the heart and heritage of the Port of Grimsby - the harshness of the fishermen’s environments but the welcome sight of the Dock Tower leading them home.
Talking about her art, Fran said: “I spent a while thinking about everything that Grimbarians represent and knew I wanted the design to epitomise Grimsby and our heritage. The first images that came to mind were our famous historical buildings, which I started to align in a row and was considering how to place the Grimbarians logo within it. I tried a few versions of this sketch, but nothing was feeling right, it wasn’t coming together as a full painting and felt like lots of small parts working alone. This is often part of my process, and it can be frustrating.
“I went back to my sketchbook to try some more simplified designs with just the Dock Tower and a trawler with the fishing net flowing into the sea. I started sketching in some rough waves and an idea started to form; a trawler bracing the stormy seas, the fishermen seeing the Dock Tower and knowing that they are home. It felt like the perfect homage to Grimsby’s heritage. The lighthouse was an extra addition to balance the composition and light up the sky giving me some room to write ‘Grimbarians’. It also adds to the theme of coming home, which in a way is what Grimbarians is all about - celebrating our town and shining a light on the locals who are working to inspire their community.”
“When I start a final painting, I usually do a faint sketch just to know where I want things to go then I start adding the watercolours in layers. I work really quickly for the initial wash of lighter colours, I then build up darker layers on top, each layer adding more detail. It’s all quite experimental, I don’t set out for it to look a certain way. This is my favourite part. I love exaggerating colours and shapes with expressive brush strokes, then leaning back to see if what I’ve added has worked or if I’ll have to sort out the mess I’ve made by using another technique! I then add more colour and texture with crayons, gouache paints and a fineliner until I think it’s finished. The hardest part is deciding when it’s finished.”
You can support both Francesca Young and Grimbarians C.I.C by pre-ordering our latest Artist in Residence t-shirt through our online shop. Prints will also be available soon. Contact Fran at https://francescayoungart.uk/contact.
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In recent years, Grimsby’s profile has seen a change with a wave of positivity thanks to local people's dedication and a growing faith in the area.
Grimbarians is more than a not-for-profit organisation. It is a creative movement, born to change the story line of the town and the way people identify the area.
Through documenting and showcasing the lives of local people, we aim to promote confidence in the area, increase pride and build a stronger, more positive reputation for Great Grimsby because #grimsbyreallyismore.
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