Local artist 'spreads message' with wildlife murals

Ms Spires created a mural of swans in South Road, Louth, to commemorate two that died in the area

A local artist has become known as the "badger girl" after creating animal murals in Lincolnshire.

Nikita Spires, 24, from Louth, paints wildlife paintings in public spaces near roads to highlight animal welfare.

After noticing three badgers had died near Eastfield Road in Louth earlier this year, Ms Spires painted one onto a dead tree facing the road to spread awareness.

Also in Louth, Ms Spires has painted murals of a fox, swans and a barn owl.

Ms Spires painted a badger mural on a dead tree in Eastfield Road, Louth

Ms Spires, who is originally from South Africa, has lived in Louth with her parents since the age of seven.

Often travelling, she has painted murals in other countries including America and Australia.

The badger mural has created awareness of badgers in the area, as she said people now slow down to see the painting.

She said: "People drive so fast and there aren't any signs up. Since the mural has been painted no more have died."

Ms Spires does a lot of her work free of charge as she wants to "get a message out about animal welfare"

She added: "We don't have any murals in Louth. When the badger mural went up a lot of people started posting about it in local Facebook groups.

"A lot of my work I do for free because I want it to spread a message. I just want to get a message out about animal welfare and protecting them.

"It's a beautiful way to make people think that's a life and have some more respect for animals.

"We have lots of blank walls that are just sat around doing nothing. If there's a mural there we are inspiring people to be artists."

Ms Spires' latest piece is a rat holding a Californian poppy, painted in San Francisco

Ms Spires has been an artist since she "could first hold a pen" and began painting flamingos at the age of three.

She uses water-based acrylic paints on trees and exterior masonry paint on walls.

With her dad as her "biggest supporter", Ms Spires said her next plan was to project a rat mural in Lincolnshire as they are "overlooked" by humans.

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