New hidden disability sunflower art unveiled at The Lanes, Carlisle

The artwork, which was created by Carlisle College Art and Design Foundation student Lucy Fleming, was unveiled on Tuesday, October 23 in The Lanes.

This was the culmination of a process that saw the local shopping centre turn to the College’s creatives and challenge them to create art that captured the hidden disability sunflower’s message. 

(Image: Matthew O’Hara/NQ) Although Lucy’s artwork was commissioned by The Lanes at a selection event, other art and design students were also present at the unveiling with their own sunflower stall where they raised £160 by selling prints and badges of their own hidden disability artwork. 

At the unveiling, Lucy explained how she approached The Lanes’ brief and what the hidden disability sunflower means to her.

(Image: Supplied) She said: “The sunflower shines light on hidden disabilities and on something that people don’t talk about as much and it brings awareness as well as showing people that it is nothing to be hidden away and ashamed of.

“I really enjoy doing collages and I love patchwork and that is what my approach to the brief was.

(Image: Matthew O’Hara/NQ) “It goes with the message as well, ‘no two petals are the same’, and I think through the collage you get the patchwork which represents the petals and the fact that no two pieces of paper, and no two people are the same.”

Wendy Oxley is the art and design course leader at Carlisle College and after Lucy’s artwork was unveiled at the local shopping centre she thanked The Lanes for giving her students the chance to work on a live brief.

She said: “The opportunity to collaborate with industry on a live marketing brief has been inspirational on many levels.

(Image: Matthew O’Hara/NQ) “The students were given a brief with a tight perimeter, using the yellow sunflower, individually creating alternative designs to raise awareness.

“The students have approached this with sensitive consideration of accessibility issues which are not always immediately obvious.”

(Image: Supplied) This process has been part of The Lanes’ renewed commitment to making its facilities inclusive and safe for all people who use them, with centre manager Susan Young echoing this sentiment.

She said: “We are proud to support the Sunflower and hope that the introduction of this fantastic artwork helps continue to raise awareness of this initiative.

“It’s important to remember that if you see someone wearing the Sunflower logo, give them a little more space, a little more of your time and ask them if they need a little extra help.”