Call for children to get arty at Portobello Market this weekend

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  Posted by: electime      21st October 2022

Children are being invited to put their best foot forward this weekend and head to Portobello Market to create a giant public art work – in partnership with Leyland SDM.

Artist Sol Golden Sato, who took his Happy Feet public art project to the Nine Elms Estate in the summer, will be heading back to the capital with two 25-metres canvases on Saturday (October 22).

Children – and anyone else who wants to get involved – will be invited to take their shoes and socks off, and to get creative with paint on the canvas.

Once the canvasses are finished, Sol will use the paintings to create a 20-metre sculpture of a sock.

Leyland SDM, London’s leading decorating and DIY specialist, is supporting the initiative with a financial contribution and also by donating paint and T-shirts to protect participants’ clothes.

“The sock sculpture is a homage to Antoni Tapies, the Spanish artist who created a real storm in Catalan when he suggested installing a 60-foot sock into the Barcelona Art Museum in the 1990s,” said Sol.

“There’s also a big Spanish community in the Portobello area, so it seems fitting to create an artwork there that has a nod to Spain.

“I’m hoping that we get as many people as possible to take part in what will be another fun experience for all. I’m really looking forward to it.”

Jonathan Jennings, CEO at Leyland SDM, said: “We’re pleased to get involved in another wonderful Happy Feet project, which is always great fun and a creative way to bring communities together across London. We have 32 stores in London and each one plays a key role in their local community, and I’ve no doubt this latest venture will be well supported.”

Sol added: “It’s a great opportunity for children and their families to do something different together and to be involved in a community project. Everyone who has been involved in other Happy Feet artworks have loved getting messy and using their creative brains to produce some amazing pictures.”

Jonathan said getting involved with community projects is at the heart of its work.

“We’re proud to be a London-based business with colleagues and customers from every borough of the capital. Our colleagues are always keen to get involved with the local community, as we have done with various fundraisers and activities throughout the year,” he added.

Leyland SDM has become one of the most recognisable and trusted decorating and DIY retail brands in central London with stores in some of the capital’s most prominent locations.

Its stores stock a comprehensive range of thousands of products across all departments, including paint and decorating essentials, building materials, electrical fittings, tools, plumbing equipment, ironmongery and much more, all under one roof.

Some of the biggest and best-known DIY brands are available at Leyland SDM, including Dulux Trade, Farrow & Ball, Johnstone’s Paint, Makita, DEWALT, Stanley and Purdy.

The Happy Feet project will take place by Portobello Market on Tavistock Square, near the junction of Tavistock Road and Portobello Road, from noon. The event is free and no booking is required.