CHANCES are if you have walked along Southbourne beach lately you will have spotted very colourful painted fence at the pop-up restaurant SOBO Beach.
It’s the work of local, and talented, artist Kizzi Bennett who was approached by SOBO Beach’s owners to paint their otherwise drab wall in front of their restaurant.
It was an offer Kizzi, who lives in Christchurch, was only too happy to accept.
The 21-year-old said: “I’ve always been very artsy and wanted to paint something that was more public and there for everyone to enjoy.
“I often approach customers like restaurants or businesses or even personal people who are looking for outside or inside decoration.
"I did a small part within the premises at SOBO Beach, but while I was there, I saw builders building a big wall. From the beach, it looked like a great big wooden fence and I kept hearing complaints from people about it.
“So I suggested to Rich [Slater, SOBO owner] I should paint it so people can enjoy looking at it.
“I contacted Estrella, the beer company, and they helped fund it and we all worked together on the design.”
Kizzi said everybody worked together to design something that was in keeping with SOBO Beach’s ‘Miami vibes’ and, despite Estrella’s themes being Barcelona and Mediterranean, they incorporated the two.
“In all my murals the themes are happy and bright,” Kizzi added. “Everyone at SOBO Beach was so nice and there was a community feel. People were suggesting things I could paint, kids would sometimes come up and paint with me. It was great.”
Kizza said she has been creative since a young age, having started at Ringwood Waldorf School. She later went to Bournemouth University where, despite having a good time, she found everything quite “narrow” and struggled to find where she fit in.
As lockdown approached, Kizzi’s online videos of her murals found traction and people started to recognise the work she does. She is now a full-time mural artist.
SOBO Beach owner Rich Slater said Kizzi delivered "exceptionally", adding: "We first approached Kizzi for our flamingo mural, and we couldn't have been happier.
"Her work and her approach to each project is exactly the sort of bright and energized creativity that synergised perfectly with our site, so when we had the opportunity to brighten up the contentious wall along the front Kizzi was our first choice, and she delivered exceptionally."
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