As you all may know, I'm from Middlesbrough. I'm proud of my area and frequently promote the amazing people and places we have right here in Teesside. I wrote a guest post for Chloe, New Girl in Toon, last September in which I talked about all the reasons I like Middlesbrough and why it isn't as bad as people seem to think it is.
Someone who shares the same thoughts as me is Middlesbrough born and bred artist, Mackenzie Thorpe. He is so incredibly passionate about the area and has created a collection of station posters to show his pride for Teesside. These eleven posters, commissioned by Middlesbrough Council, have been placed in Middlesbrough Train Station to bring art to the public and make the station into a little art gallery for the many people who pass through on a daily basis. I was lucky enough to get invited along to the press launch of these amazing pieces to hear what Mackenzie had to say.
Mackenzie's enthusiasm was obvious through his images and also his words. He spoke so passionately about Teesside and he touched on the bad reputation Middlesbrough has following on to say "Middlesbrough knows fortitude, and it has courage, and with that we have pride". He described Middlesbrough as the 'Heart of the North' supporting this with one of his pieces, one that was larger than the others on the platform, which shows the love he has for the area.
These posters will be displayed in the station for two years so make sure to come down to Middlesbrough and have a look. They might even inspire you to visit somewhere new!
