Words: Jo Fiddes
Photos: Diane Craven and Jo Fiddes
Anyone who has walked or driven past Cross Bath Road recently will have seen the face of Mary Gawthorpe gradually appearing on the gable end of the traditional stone terrace.
Over the course of several days, Horsforth-born artist David Griffin has created a stunning tribute to the famous Bramley suffragette.
The finished mural is subtly impactful, the sandstone backdrop serving to enhance the sepia tones of the portrait.
After a spell in the marines, David founded YouCannotBendIt Robust Art Services, a company specialising in portraiture, murals, logos and a range of miscellaneous one off commissions. His other notable artwork in West Leeds features Betty Beecroft at Kirkstall Forge Railway Station.
David’s latest artwork is a self-funded passion project.
Mary Gawthorpe is already commemorated with a blue plaque on Warrel Street in Bramley, but David wanted to celebrate her legacy by bringing her work to the attention of a wider audience.
“I really think she deserves a statue,” he said, “but I can’t sculpt so decided to do a mural instead!”
The mural took almost a week to complete, and passers by were keen to know more.
“I must have had hundreds of conversations with people who were walking or driving by. Actually it’s more accurate to say I had one conversation a hundred times!” added David. “People were very keen to find out who she was and why I was painting her.”
The finished mural can be viewed at Cross Bath Road in Bramley and is well worth a visit.
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