‘You will not be able to miss it:’ Street artist ATM to unveil second stunning wildlife mural

Katy Runacres, Wild Learning Officer, Carlton Marshes, at Suffolk Wildlife Trust with renowned street artist ATM at the wall in Lowestoft. Picture: Mark Boggis (Image: Archant)

Work started this week on the second in a series of giant wildlife murals that are being created as part of a graffiti art trail throughout Lowestoft.

After a stunning marsh harrier was unveiled on a wall in Oulton Broad last October, a "beautiful" barn owl will soar into Lowestoft to be situated on a wall at one of the main gateways into town.

Nationally renowned street artist ATM is once again teaming up with Suffolk Wildlife Trust to paint a giant barn owl mural on the side of the Lowestoft Tandoori restaurant at the top of the High Street.

ATM, street artist, with the completed first mural on the side of Smith Brothers Timber, Oulton Broad for Suffolk Wildlife Trust. Picture: Nick Butcher (Image: Archant © 2018)

The spectacular wildlife mural is the artist's second in the town, and is part of a trail celebrating Suffolk Wildlife Trust's acquisition of land to extend Carlton Marshes nature reserve.

It comes after Suffolk Wildlife Trust's successful fundraising campaign, which included a £4million award from the Heritage Lottery Fund, as work has started to create a new nature reserve and visitor centre at Carlton Marshes,

The inaugural graffiti art trail image was designed on a wall at Smith Brothers Timber in Oulton Broad.

With ATM returning to Lowestoft all this week, the barn owl has been chosen as they can often be seen flying silently over the marshes at dawn or dusk, with several pairs regularly nesting on the nature reserve.

The street artist said: "I love barn owls, particularly how they fly around and are always exploring. They are iconic and I saw one on Monday night.

"That is what's brilliant about this whole place - Lowestoft has got these fantastic reserves full of wildlife.

"I have created a barn owl mural before on a housing estate in west London, but that was a sitting barn owl - this will be flying.

"You have the perspective of the wings to consider, and lots of sketches and drawings have been done beforehand to come up with this design."

Katy Runacres, Wild Learning Officer at Carlton Marshes for Suffolk Wildlife Trust, has been overseeing the project.

She said: "We are very excited about this next mural and it promises to be a stunning design. The barn owl is an iconic species and this mural will be just as good, if not better than the first.

"You will not be able to miss it and it will be a big attraction to welcome people to Lowestoft at this end of the town."

It is hoped that ATM will complete the mural by the end of the week.

Suffolk Wildlife Trust thanked ATM, the Lowestoft Tandoori restaurant for all their support, as well as the Heritage Lottery Fund, OBS Scaffolding Ltd and the Ivy House Country Hotel in Oulton Broad for putting ATM up during his time in the town.