Artist Amy Callaghan, widely recognized across Rossendale for her vibrant community-driven murals, has now debuted her first professional exhibition. The collection, titled 'The Faces of Rossendale', is on display at The Whitaker Museum and Art Gallery in Rawtenstall until September 27.
Amy, 30, from Shawforth, has been creating community art for Rossendale Borough Council over the past five years. Her previous works include murals on a Waterfoot Tunnel, along the route to Haslingden Market, and in the old Shawforth Station passageway. Her new collection, exhibited in the Corridor Gallery, draws inspiration from the residents of Rossendale and challenges the static nature of historical portraiture.
“When traditional portraits were painted, they were really just a staged documentation of what elite families wanted you to see, because elites were the people who commissioned portraits,” Amy explained. “With this collection, I’ve tried to change that and capture real moments rather than fixed poses, encasing a personality and candid little charm in each drawing.”
None of the portraits are exact likenesses; each is a composite of two or three different faces, memorized by Amy through observing local people. She described capturing a 'fast shutter speed camera image' in her mind of faces she encountered, gradually constructing her portraits from these mental snapshots.
“The 1832 Barista in Bacup is one of my favourite places to people-watch,” said Amy. “If you sit in the window, there’s a great open view of Irwell Terrace; with the bus stops nearby too you see so many different people coming and going.”
The collection blends caricature and comic styles, further challenging the conventions of historical portraiture by avoiding traditional oil painting techniques. Her raw materials include a pencil and a calligraphy-style black pen, used on acrylic paper.
Amy added: “This particular style of art is something which I’ve kept as my own secret personal practice, but I’ve always wanted to go professional with it. Obviously, there’s a lot of trial and error with this style - I must’ve scrapped thousands of drawings before being happy with the final result.”
The former Whitworth Community High School student also owns and operates Pigs in Mud Art Studio on Bacup Road in Waterfoot. Established in 2021, the studio prides itself on being community-driven and making art accessible to all. Amy also offers a selection of artwork for sale at Waterfoot Yard.
