A mural inspired by a suffragette has appeared in a prominent spot in Glasgow’s West End – after being painted in a single day.
Eleanor Carlingford, who lives in Kilcreggan, was one of eight artists commissioned by Visit West End to produce mini murals.
After research in the Mitchell Library she chose DeCourcy Lewthwaite Dewar as a subject – born a tea plantation owner’s daughter in Sri Lanka, she was nicknamed Kooroovi in Tamil, meaning Little Bird.
Kooroovi trained at Glasgow School of Art, specialising in silversmithing and enamelling, and went on to teach there for 30 years while living in the West End in Glasgow’s West End.
She was a suffragette who started a home for destitute women as well as an institute to help pass on vocational practical skills.
“I drew images of her and linked elements of her life,” said Eleanor (below): “In the mural she is indicating a silver trophy which she designed and made.
“The fabulous coincidence is that my allocated pitch was the wall of Stevenson the jewellers – they are delighted to have a silversmith depicted on their wall.
“So many passers-by stopped into the shop to ask what was going on, what was the painting, that they drew up a handout and printed it for all the future enquiries.”
The 80cm x 100cm mural is on the corner of Ruthven Street and Byres Road.
“I painted it in a day between 10am and 5 on Thursday April 11 with, unbelievably, not one drop of rain!” said Eleanor.
“The key is in the preparation. knew exactly what I was doing, it was all worked out in advance, the drawings done, the colours mixed.
“I sent a photo of the finished piece to the librarian who helped me do the research. This is what she replied: ‘This is fantastic, I have no words, I can’t believe she can be finally seen by all and her name spoken once again’.”
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