Leigh984, The creative portfolio of Leigh Spencer

I  take a look at newly completed street art in Leicestershire detailing the histories and brightening up the built environment in the towns of South Wigston, Wigston and Oadby . We start in South Wigston with a mural featuring Orson Wright a man credited with building most of the town in the 19th century, commissioned by Oadby & Wigston Borough Council (OWBC) and designed in collaboration with the Greater Wigston Historical Society (GWHS), the design features steam engines representing the railways, factory workers and biscuit production companies like Jacobs Biscuits that made the town famous throughout the world. On too Wigston now and a mural painted on the side of the Air Ambulance Charity shop and featuring a wide selection of local figures and local history from the Air Ambulance itself to the Kilby Lock, St Wistan and the Framework Knitters Museum among others. Onto Oadby Parade to complete our trilogy and a floral themed work spanning the length of the parade of shops ...

In the second of my films from Light Up Leicester I take a look at the various performances that accompanied the Installations around the city. We start with Aquanauts Adrift on Jubilee Square complementing the bubble like structures of Evanescent by Atelier Sisu, this performance piece by  @enteredem5879  features two Aquanauts on a mission to bring the wonders of the underwater world to the audience, with lots of fun bubbles and characters along for the ride. Next we arrive at the Clock Tower where  @NupurArtsDance  bring us the bight colours, dance and spectacle of the Holi Experience, ending with a blast of colour from bright powder thrown into the air. To the  @LeicesterMuseums  on New Walk next for the surreal but magical spectacle of FIERS À CHEVAL, Featuring imposing illuminated ivory horses, light and flamboyant. What follows is a magical experience along the New Walk led by performers from Compagnie Des Quidams, as they journey to The Circle...

   From 12-15 March, Leicester’s city centre came alive with light installations, projections and performances. The free festival celebrates community, creativity, and connection, transforming the streets into a glowing celebration of art and culture. Join me as I explore the artworks, performances, etc taking place across the city from Highcross to Jubilee Square, From the Cathedral to The Clock Tower and beyond it`s time to Light Up Leicester. Light Up Leicester is presented by Leicester City Council, BID Leicester, Leicester Cathedral and Art Reach. It is made possible through the generous support of Arts Council England, the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Global Streets, PPL PRS and headline sponsor Highcross.

The S tatfold Country Park  includes the Statfold Barn Railway which regularly holds events for both enthusiasts and the public alike,  Known as "spectacle of steam" these events see possibly the most engines from the statfold collection out on the rails at any one time creating the spectacle of steam in the events title. In this film I explore the event and try to show not just the engines but a few of the team of passionate drivers and operators etc who really make this event so special. We start the film and our day at the sheds where the engines are filled with coal and water ready for the days workings, then to the station where the engines are coupled to passenger carriages and freight trucks, some engines are turned on the turntable ready to pull or push their respective rolling stock. Heading out onto the railway itself we see the various engines travelling along the rails in various directions. Soon we see engines running in parallel and at pace steam billowing from ...

Join me at the steam toys in action event at Leicester`s Abbey Pumping Station where we see Leonard the Steam Engine set off on a journey round the site. The engine passes the newly created, 3d printed, Forget-Me-Knott Railway Whirligig. The action switches to the traction engines and steam rollers where we follow a mini ride on engine as it goes for a tour of the museum site and event passing vintage fire engines and busses etc. In the shed we find the even smaller Steam Toys that give the event it`s name and follow one outside on a trip to see it`s various sized twins. With a toot of their whistles the various engines seem to greet each other as they stand steam pouring from their chimneys. The larger engines then move to fill up with water for the journey home passing the coal fired chip van their pistons and valves hissing and groaning like a living being. The three engines are seen together steaming as we end the film and we appreciate the hard work of the volunteers who make ...