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An architect who has been painting a town’s streetscapes for the past five years has his work on display in an exhibition.
James St Clair Wade started painting Shrewsbury’s historic streets in April 2019 after starting a part-time job.
His aim was to create a series of unique architectural features that would allow people to see the entire street at once.
Mr Wade has painted around 400 properties to date and his work is currently on display at The Hive in Belmont.
Speaking to BBC Radio Shropshire, Mr Wade said he wanted the project to be more than just a collection of basic architectural drawings.
“I try to understand life, the people who live in buildings and what happens to buildings over time,” he said.
After choosing a street, Mr. Wade went out with his camera to take photos, which he then used in his paintings.
He said the first street he painted was Wyle Cop, adding: “When you walk down the street you can only see a small part of it at a time – you’re looking at it from a steep angle , you tend to focus on not being run over or what you’re looking for in a store.
“It allows people to step back and look at the whole thing together.”
Mr Wade said his project was “very much about the architectural community” and showcased the town’s architectural diversity.
He said he was encouraged by the response from the community and admitted he didn’t expect it would still be happening five years later.
“Because there is so much collective history embodied in the painting and it affects all kinds of people, everyone will have some kind of reaction to it,” he added.
“If they’ve been in Shrewsbury for a long time, or their family has been here, there’s always some memories and associations.”
Mr Wade hopes to continue his project until the town’s main street is completed.
The display of Mr Wade’s work coincides with the Shrewsbury Darwin Festival and features a number of buildings associated with Charles Darwin.
The exhibition at The Hive will be available for viewing until March 12.
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