Artist Pete McKee starts work on huge gable end steel works tribute

24 May 2016

The famous Sheffield artists Pete McKee has started work on a huge 14m x 5m piece of art on one of the new buildings at north Sheffield’s Fox Valley development.

Pete has created a striking piece which is being painted on one of the gable ends at the new retail and office development which is due to be officially opened on June 16th.

The piece is a tribute to the men and women who worked at the steelworks – Fox Valley has transformed a 28 acre former steelworks site which neighbours the Tata steel plant in Stocksbridge.

Pete started work on the outline of the artwork over the weekend, sectioning the huge area into grids – he’ll be working on the colour throughout the week.

He’s working on the piece from a cherry picker and is being assisted on the project by the well-known Penistone street artist Chris Butcher, known as Rocket. The pair will be working on the piece of art throughout the week and are hoping that if the weather stays fine it will be completed on Friday May 27th.

The striking mural is the latest piece of art which Pete McKee has worked on at the new £50 million retail and office development.

Earlier this month a stainless steel figure of Samuel Fox, who first founded a steelworks in Stocksbridge, was installed. And in April the striking bronze Grandad Fox statue was craned into place; carrying his paragon umbrella.

The paragon umbrella frame was patented by Samuel Fox on the 1850’s and features in all of Pete’s artwork at the centre as well inspiring the architecture of umbrella shaped coffee shop at Fox Valley.

Pete said: “This is a fantastic project to work on and lots of people have been calling by to take pictures and have a chat as we’re completing the gable end piece. The piece is a tribute to the men and women who worked in the steelworks and we’re hoping if the weather stays fine this week everyone will be able to see the finished piece by Friday.”

Fox Valley is being delivered by the south Yorkshire retail property specialists Dransfield Properties.

Head of Communications at the company, Amanda Holmes, said: “This is a huge project which Pete is undertaking and we are absolutely delighted to have his work here at Fox Valley.

“We’ll be keeping our fingers crossed that the sun shines all week so that everyone can enjoy seeing the final piece by the weekend.”

Pete’s iconic style has graced everything from cartoon strips to Paul Smith clothing and Oasis record covers. To find out more about his work visit www.petemckee.com. For more information about Fox Valley visit www.foxvalleysheffield.co.uk

FILMING AND INTERVIEW OPPORTUNITY
Contact Amanda Holmes at Dransfield Properties on 01226 360644 or 07747 621902 to arrange to interviews, photography and filming.

For further information, contact:

Public Relations Department, Dransfield Properties Ltd
Tel: 01226 360644
Email: admin@dransfield.co.uk