Final stage of environmental art trail brightens Weymouth

Dull street furniture surrounding the area of Weymouth railway station has been given a new lease of life - and forms the final part of the colourful art trail.

The now complete trail begins in Wyke Regis and leads down to Weymouth harbour and the town centre, following along to the train station.

Out side the station, talented artists have transformed three BT Openreach boxes with striking artwork all linking to the seaside town.

The environmental project is spearheaded by Jane Fuhrmann, co-founder of the Weymouth and Portland Marine Litter Project.

Mrs Fuhrmann said: “I love them. I am so proud of the whole trail and the artists who give their time and talent for free.”

She explained that this was phase two of the project which began last year throughout Weymouth as she had to gain the necessary permissions to enable artists to paint the street furniture.

One artist strategically used the undergrowth as part of her design which depicts nature, trees and foliage in front of an image of the Railway Tavern pub, with the undergrowth ‘mirroring its surroundings.’

Art box by Emma Cartwright (Image: Weymouth and Portland Marine Litter Project) A second box portrays a colourful image of Weymouth Harbour.

Art box by Maria Thompson (Image: Weymouth and Portland Marine Litter Project)The third and final unit depicts an image of beachgoers ready for a day out at the seaside.

Art box by Lucy Vulpine (Image: Weymouth and Portland Marine Litter Project)

Two of the boxes were actually designed by artists that they worked with on the trail last year ‘purely because their designs were best suited.’

The artists range from aged 14 and upwards and are all local from the Dorset area, with a majority from Weymouth.

The artists are not allowed to advertise themselves on the street furniture, but they are able to add a small signature.

Although this may be an end to the Weymouth art trail, Mrs Fuhrmann revealed that ‘so many people have asked her to do one on Portland,’ which she is considering at present.

READ MORE: Street furniture transformed into colourful art trail

Each of the artworks in the art trail was created to raise environmental awareness and promote mindfulness of the harm to the sea, wildlife, landscape, and environment through human behaviour.

The group then carefully selected the artworks for the locations that they were placed in so that they would match the environmental issue of the site.

They received a grant from the Litter Free Dorset, Land, Coast & Sea community fund which allowed the group to provide the materials to the artists to transform the boxes.