‘Vision is seeing the impossible’ – the people behind the BIG WALL artwork
9 December 2025
The ‘Big Wall’ initiative was a creative development programme that supported young people, aged 13-16, in the Worle area to step into leadership roles as ‘Art Activists’ or ‘Artivists’ and to work in collaboration to develop new, site-specific artworks for the central blue zone in Worle.
The project culminated in the creation of the public artwork, Vision is seeing the invisible where the young people took lead roles in spray painting the designs and seeing the walls transform and burst with colour.
As the dust settles on an exciting year-long programme of creative meet-ups, our Community Producer Sophie caught up with two of the art activists from the Big Wall project to reflect on their experience of Big Wall and discuss their creative plans for the future.
Hey Charlie and Hey Emilia, could you tell me who you are as artists?
C: I would say I’m a dedicated artist. I draw whenever I get the chance and I like to get into the zone and actually focus on something. I’m also making a lot of music at the moment and I like to sing with my sister.
E: When I’m doing art I like to make a tidy mess. That’s my style now, it’s creative chaos.
It sounds like you both have lots of creativity. Why did you want to get involved in this project?
C: I thought it would be really cool to make an artwork that everyone can see and bring the community together.
I’ve shown my friends when we’ve walked past it [the artwork] I’m like – ‘I was part of this guys – look at how fantasti-amazing!’
E: I thought it could help me improve as an artist and meet other people, who also help me to grow my confidence and expand my ideas.
How did this project impact you? What did you learn?
C: The project has impacted me in lots of ways. First thing I learnt was that it’s cool to be goofy and funny whilst being around brand new people and getting to know them.
Another thing I learnt is that any type of artwork is beautiful in its own way and everyone can take different aspects from it.
Another thing was that it’s amazing to see new artworks being made right in front of you, like when we went to the [Leake Street] Arches to watch the spray painting. We were all visually learning and I would like to do that myself one day.
E: I learnt that art is for everyone. Visiting different places like the Arches we got to see people’s process and styles which really benefited me. I’ve gone up two grades in art actually in the past year.
I learnt how to spray paint when we were at The Island. That was really cool as I’ve never spray painted before, and I’ve still got the canvas I made on my shelf.
I also enjoyed interviewing people for the documentary and asking the questions. I didn’t like answering them as much but I was told that I seemed confident which was interesting.
Going to the Tate Modern was good because I’ve actually incorporated one of the artists we saw there into my school work – Roy Liechtenstein and I might not have thought to include him if we hadn’t gone.
What do you think of the artwork now that it’s been a couple of months?
C: It’s definitely livened the place up a bit!
It was interesting to see how the consultation process worked too. It’s better to know what people wanted than to go off something that they didn’t want. I see people taking pictures of it when I walk past so people must like it.
E: I think it definitely brings a lot more colour to what would normally be quite a boring looking area. And when I look at it, I just, I just see like a whole year of my life. My grandma and mum thought it was absolutely brilliant.
At the launch of the artwork I got to meet the Mayor of Weston which was an unusual experience. We had been chalking the floors with little ones and it was really funny cos he shook both my and Nick’s hand, and when he shook Nick’s hand, Nick got chalk all over him!
What are your next steps as a creative for the future?
E: I really want to get into Textiles and want to do it for my A-level. I like the idea of recreating iconic pieces as I like watching runway shows and stuff. I love looking at how Sabrina Carpenter uses Marilyn Monroe’s style.
C: I want to get better at digital art – it can be such a pain! And, when I’m older, I’d love to work on a project like this with younger people and help them be an artist and help them figure out what they want to do – like what [commissioned artist] Sarah did with us!
‘Big Wall’ was a creative initiative led by Big Worle and funded by the Big Local Trust, in partnership with Weston-super-Mare Town Council and Super Culture. More reflections and insights from the Artivists from Big Wall can be found here!