Over four weeks, East Cambridgeshire artist Clare Barry created 24 window panel designs, weaving together key people, places and moments in history to produce ‘An Alphabet of Ely’.
The window panels were commissioned by Babylon ARTS during the November lockdown and were re-installed in the Babylon Gallery windows over Christmas, due to popular demand and to bring some fun and illumination to Ely’s riverside.
Clare Barry is a professional artist, whose work is sold under the name of Sea Teasel. She lives near Ely and has always had it in mind to create an A to Z of the city.
“I enjoy creating collections of illustrations along a theme and this commission provided a great opportunity to produce an Alphabet of Ely for everyone to enjoy.
"Some of the letters proved harder than others to create designs for, and took a bit of research. I’m so pleased that people have enjoyed them.”
Claire Somerville, chief executive of Babylon ARTS, said: “We had such a great time working with the Stained Glass Museum on the Window Wanderland in October.
"So we wanted to see if we could extend the idea whilst the gallery was closed in November.
"We’d seen the beautiful display Clare Barry had created for Window Wanderland and we know her through the Sea Teasel products she sells in our gift shop, so we asked if she would like to have our windows as her canvas.
"We’re delighted by the result and the response we’ve had from the public, which is why we brought them back again for Christmas and the New Year.
“The Alphabet of Ely will remain in place until 10pm on Sunday January 9 when it will need to be taken down.
"However, there are plans to turn the illustrations into new creations for people to enjoy and information about these will be shared in the coming weeks.”
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