A new nature mural brightens Morley Court

There is a new bit of colour to spot in the middle of town. A nature-themed mural went up on Morley Court in Plymouth city centre this week, and it has turned a wall that used to be a magnet for graffiti into something people actually want to stop and look at. The whole thing was commissioned by Plymouth Community Homes, the city's largest social housing landlord, which looks after more than 16,000 homes and houses over 35,000 people across Plymouth and the surrounding areas.

The artist behind it is Jordan Lauder, a Bude-based street artist who goes by the name SpraySaint. Originally from Essex, he has settled in Cornwall, and he put the piece together in just three and a half days. The subject matter is easy to take in: a large stag takes centre stage, surrounded by rabbits, a squirrel, butterflies and a fox, all set against a forest backdrop. It is a soft, natural scene dropped right into the middle of the city's brick and concrete.

The reason behind it is as practical as the painting is pretty. Sarah Chidgey, a housing officer at PCH, said the wall had been tagged with graffiti time and again, and the idea was to replace that with something vibrant and nature-filled that residents would actually like. It is a familiar tactic in city centres — a well-executed piece of street art often does more to keep a wall clean than a fresh coat of grey paint ever will, because people tend to respect a proper mural more than a blank surface.

As for how it is going down, Lauder has noticed the response first hand. He said that people getting off the bus every half hour are stopping to take pictures, and that everyone seems to be loving it. It is the kind of small change that rewards a bit of curiosity on a walk past, and it gives a previously overlooked wall a reason to be noticed for the right reasons.

If you want to see it for yourself, Morley Court sits in the West End of the city centre, in the PL1 postcode, so it is easy to fold into a bit of shopping or a lunch hour. It is a residential development, and the mural now gives the whole corner a bit more character. For anyone who follows the local street art scene, it is another piece to add to the map, and a good reminder of how a bit of colour can change the feel of a street.

It is worth keeping an eye on SpraySaint's work going forward, too. This is not his first wall, and the way he has turned a tagged brick wall into a forest scene in the middle of town is exactly the kind of thing that keeps a city centre feeling alive. Whether you are a fan of street art or just someone who appreciates a bit of colour on your commute, it is a nice addition to the West End, and one that seems to be doing exactly what it set out to do.