Adorning the gable end of a three-storey house, and featuring a mythical head covered in an animal mask and wreathed in blue snakes, a new face gazes out across Douglas.

The mural is the work of artist Jimmy Duggan, who has already created a series of larger-than-life, realistic portraits on some of the bare walls around Douglas.

This mural, however, is easily the largest piece of artwork he has undertaken so far.

Taking 12 days’ worth of sessions to create, the painting stands at more than 35 feet tall, and required the help of a cherry picker to get to the upper reaches of the artwork.

The huge piece is situated on Westmoreland Road, in between Princes Street and the Family Library, and overlooks the playground.

Jimmy said that he wanted the piece, which was made with funding from the Isle of Man Arts Council, to brighten up the area and create something that makes people look twice.

Jimmy approached the owner of the property and spent 12 months in negotiations before being given the green light to get painting.

Once he started, he soon found that he wanted to abandon his original ideas and create something that would really stand out.

’Originally, it was going to be a child reading a book, to tie it in with the library,’ said Jimmy.

’But I got a bit fed up of having a plan already formed and laid out. So I just began to make sketches and tried to respond to the area. I just started to paint this face and began to add elements into it,’ he said,

’People have asked me "what is it?", and the truth is, I don’t really know.

’It is obviously a woman wearing a mythical head-dress, and covered in snakes.

’For me, the piece is a symbol of imagination and creativity, about being able to turn up somewhere and create something from nothing, and I like to think that the trees growing from the mask are symbolic of thoughts and ideas emerging.

’It has a few different little nuggets contained in it that the viewer may or may not get. But that’s what I like about it.’

The size and the location of the mural encouraged him to take some creative risks.

’Normally the pieces I do have a sense of narrative to them, or they are portraits that need little explanation. But this is me wanting to do something different. Life is a bit boring if you just repeat the same methods. I like that there is a mystery element to it.’

He said that the neighbours have been very supportive of his efforts.

’The response has been really positive so far. The people on Princes street, especially, really like it.

’They brought me coffee when I was painting it and were really nice and welcoming. The general consensus is that they don’t know what it is, but they see it as a really positive thing in the area.’

by Mike Wade

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