An experimental Stourbridge artist has been busy putting the swan back into Swan Pool Park.

By Bev Holder @StourbridgeNews 23rd June 2022
Chief Reporter / Data Investigations Reporter

 The artist, known as Cal, jazzed up the green graffiti-damaged changing rooms in the park – transforming them with a dazzle camouflage inspired design last September.

Labour’s Cat Eccles, who was elected as a councillor for Wollaston and Stourbridge Town last month, originally asked Cal if he could give the building, a former boat house, a revamp but funding from the local authority was not available.

Multimedia artist Cal, however, decided to start the project anyway and fund it himself. He said the response from the community towards the artwork was “excellent” so it was decided to set up an online crowd-funder on Go Fund Me to add some finishing touches to the building and a total of £260 was raised.

Cal, who lives in Norton, said: “The amount of support for this project has been overwhelming, the reaction from the public was so positive and many told us stories of their personal memories of the park, the boating pool and BMX track.”

The finished artwork depicts the wings of a swan and has been designed to offer public photo opportunities. Cllr Eccles said: “I’m so pleased to see the work Cal has done in Swan Pool Park, the old changing room block was a blot on the landscape and covered in crude graffiti. “What Cal has created here is a fantastic piece of public art with a nod to the history of the park and its old boating pool.”

Designer Stacey Smith also helped with the project along with big-hearted member of the community Paul Grise who offered to cut back weeds to provide a clear space to paint in the park which is also known as South Road playing fields.

Cllr Eccles with the new artwork