Whiteley Shopping Centre is featuring a pop-up exhibition of eco art pieces by local artist Steve Armon during the Easter holidays.

Mr Armon has a deep-seated desire to motivate individuals to decrease waste and safeguard the earth's resources. His mission is manifested through his paintings on canvas made of cardboard.

The exhibits, referred to by Mr Armon as upcycled retro cardboard art, draw inspiration from iconic influences from the realms of music, film, and culture. These artworks will be showcased in a unit on Market Square until April 14.

The presentation comes after the 2023 creation of a sustainable statue, which was erected to celebrate a decade since the centre's inauguration.

The custom art piece, reminiscent of a traditional tenth-anniversary gift of tin, was made from repurposed tin and aluminium drink cans. The result was an arresting rabbit installation - a tribute to Whiteley's woodland heritage.

Broad sustainability measures at the centre consist of installing water tanks under its carparks for the harvesting of rainwater for its trees, and a sizeable solar panel array of over 35,000 square feet that powered over 1,800,000 kWh of energy since 2018.

Steve said: “Painting has always been a passion and I love to take a concept and add my own twist to it. Creating upcycled art is a relatively new area for me, but it’s something I’ve decided to put a lot of time into as it contributes to a circular economy and the reuse of waste. I hope visitors to Whiteley get as much joy viewing my artwork as I did creating it.”

Mia Gordon, centre director at Whiteley, said: “Steve’s paintings on cardboard canvas’ are a fantastic representation of our continual commitment to making responsible choices that have a positive impact on customers, the community, and the environment.

“We’re so lucky to have such a talented artist on our doorstep and look forward to welcoming visitors to the centre to see the exhibition in person.”

For further details about Whiteley's Easter holiday activities, visit: www.whiteleyshopping.co.uk/easter.