'GLASGOW 2026'
Collaborative banner for the 2026 Commonwealth Games
I had a brilliant time working on this legacy artwork for the 2026 Commonwealth Games, in collaboration with Creative Hangouts and supported by artist assistants Kitty Hunter and Erin Rhode.
3 days of workshops + 1.5 days sewing it together + 4 hours manically quilting = 1 huuuge banner made in just 5 days!
We had hundreds of families stop by the Creative Hangouts craft tent to make a patch or add a drawing, as part of the Commonwealth Games Kelvingrove Park activities hub. All of the amazing contributions have been added to this giant patchwork banner, which was displayed in Kelvingrove park over the final weekend and then presented back to the Games as a legacy artwork.
All of the fabric used in this project was donated and recycled - we love a zero-waste textile project!
CATHCART TRAIN STATION MURAL
It was choo-choo-ly 🚂 a joy to be commissioned by Cathcart, Merrylee & Muirend Community Council, to create this 20m long mural for Cathcart train station in the southside of Glasgow, funded by Scotrail. The dream team of Grimetype Industries (Ellietype & Lindsay Grime) were back on board the paint train 🎨 🚊to create a sense of welcome and placemaking for this unloved underpass…
Our design was inspired by local landmarks, such as the fabulous Holmwood House, the retro-tastic Couper Institute and leafy Linn Park 🍃 with its abundance of wildlife, as well as the bustling local high street. The colours came from Holmwood House interiors and vintage train travel posters, with a hefty dose of classic Ellie & Lindsay pink & green to make it pop! 💕
It was a fun challenge to incorporate all of the individual elements - kind of a puzzle to make sure the colours were balanced and not touching - swipe to see the evolution from greyscale sketch to full colour mock-up and then to finished mural…
We loved getting the kids from Fun Lodge afterschool club involved in stamp-making workshops - we incorporated every single one of their brilliant nature-inspired stamps into the mural, as textured patterns on the squares 🐌 🦋 🌺
It took a total of 6 days to paint the mural (the Scottish weather couldn’t derail us this time!) The community were so welcoming and never have we heard so many ‘It really brightens the place up!’s 🌞 it kept us on track 🛤️ and really made it a first class 💺✨experience!
📸 by Ross Gillmore and the artists
SOFT CITY
Stitching together the stories of Sauchiehall Street!
Soft City is a community art project, led by artists Ellie Mills & Alice Brown, that explores history of the retail and social spaces of Sauchiehall Street, and the stories of the people who visit. Through a series of chat ‘n’ craft workshops, we worked together to create a soft sculpture model of Sauchiehall Street, as well as collecting personal stories and memories related to this iconic area of Glasgow.
Soft City aims to diversify the voices who have a say in the regeneration of Glasgow's City Centre. We want to engage communities in reclaiming their heritage and shared spaces, by exploring the many reincarnations of Sauchiehall Street. Using Feminist City thinking, together we imagined what a safer, more accessible city centre could look like for everyone. We’ve had some brilliant conversations about Sauchiehall Street - its past, present & future - and we have been blown away by the enthusiasm for the project and the beautiful work created!
With many different ways to contribute - from taking part in a workshop, to sharing a story online or working on a craft pack from home - we have had over 150 people share their memories, ideas and creations... you can find out more about the project here.
