READING WALKS Festival has launched a limited-edition festival t-shirt celebrating landmarks, personalities, and stories that feature in May’s event.
This year’s festival commissioned Reading artist Cath Baldwin to create a unique, limited-edition t-shirt, which features Oscar Wilde, Jane Austen, Banksy, the Town Hall, Forbury Lion and Abbey Ruins, the St James’ Way pilgrimage route, the Kennet & Avon Canal, and the National Cycle Network among other themes that the Festival walks explore.
Cath Baldwin has been working and exhibiting, both locally and nationally, for over 20 years, generally showing hand-made prints and occasional work in other media.
Her inspiration comes from all over the place – a headline in a newspaper, an overheard conversation, a line in a book or something said by one of her children, often with a humorous by-line.
Cath’s work can be found on Reading’s annual Whiteknights Studio Trail and at a number of art fairs around the country, as well as in the Reading Museum shop.
Alex Brannen, Organiser of the Reading Walks Festival, said: “The Reading Walks Festival is all about telling the stories of Reading so when it came to thinking about a t-shirt for this year’s festival, it made sense to work with a well-known local artist grounded in Reading’s heritage.
“In the past, Cath’s work has included celebrating Reading’s biscuit heritage and so we couldn’t think of anyone better to represent all the stories of our 53 walks this year.”
Cath Baldwin said: “It was great to be given the challenge of somehow bringing a number of the best things about our town into one image.
“The biggest difficulty was keeping to the locations and themes that this year’s Reading Walks Festival are going to cover as there are so many great things about Reading that could be included.”
