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DH Lawrence mural painted near his birthplace

Samantha NobleEast Midlands
Nathan Bainbridge A mural on the side of a building on a street in Eastwood. There is a colourful phoenix in a stained-glass window style with a painted portrait on the right of DH Lawrence in black and white. On the left, there is a quote by DH Lawrence saying "The Living Moment is Everything", with his years of birth and death - 1885 and 1930 - underneathNathan Bainbridge
The artwork includes the dates of DH Lawrence's birth and death, as well as a quote from the author

A mural of DH Lawrence has been painted on a wall just metres from his first home and birthplace in Nottinghamshire.

The artwork in Victoria Street, Eastwood, is a portrait of the author alongside a phoenix in a stained-glass window style – a tribute to the cover of Lady Chatterley's Lover, Lawrence's most famous and controversial work.

Artist Nathan Bainbridge designed and painted the mural, which sits just a few doors down from the DH Lawrence Birthplace Museum, based at the property where the author was born 141 years ago.

He said: "It has been a great project to work on.... it has been really good fun and nice to bring a bit of colour to that area."

Nathan Bainbridge Two photographs side by side - the one on the left is a wall on the side of a building before it was painted. The image on the right is the mural when it was half-painted.Nathan Bainbridge
The work sits at the entry to Victoria Street Car Park

The Notingham-based artist said it was "nice to have worked on a project linked with the DH Lawrence museum, and have a chance to do a bit of research on his background, and who he was, and then produce a piece of artwork related to him and his connection with Eastwood".

He said fellow artist Ben Packer also helped with the mural, which took about a week to paint.

"It has been well-received - all the people who live locally were very happy," he said.

Getty Images Archive shot of DH Lawrence talking to someone off cameraGetty Images
Lawrence was born 11 September 1885, and was the youngest of five children

The Broxtowe Borough Council project received £5,400 from the East Midlands Combined County Authority using cash provided by the government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

Teresa Cullen, portfolio holder for leisure and health at the council, said: "Art can make a world of difference to a space, and to people's mood... and this mural is a fantastic example of that.

"Lawrence is adored by many in Eastwood, and this street art will bring a great deal of joy to those people, and indeed others.

"The piece brightens up the street massively, and it's wonderful to have it so close to Lawrence's birthplace – we're so thankful to Nathan and Ben for creating such an incredible mural."

Nathan Bainbridge At the front of the photo is a sign outside the DH Lawrence Birthplace and Museum. In the background is the mural. Nathan Bainbridge
The DH Lawrence Birthplace Museum is open Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays

East Midlands mayor Claire Ward said: "It's fantastic to see this striking new mural celebrating DH Lawrence in the very place where his story began.

"It's a brilliant way to honour Eastwood's literary heritage while bringing new colour and creativity to the town centre."

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