Silver End artist hopes to bring warmth with window paintings

Bianca Garcia said her artwork can take anywhere from two to five-and-a-half hours to complete

An artist says she wants to bring warmth to communities by painting Christmas murals on windows.

Bianca Garcia, from Silver End near Braintree, Essex, can spend up to five-and-a-half hours perfecting her colourful work.

The 46-year-old's creations have ranged from a window advent calendar to Dickensian-inspired art.

They have proved popular with village residents who stop to gaze at the paintings, she told BBC Essex.

"When I am painting them people stop. They take pictures, they video it and ask what I'm doing," Ms Garcia said.

"Quite often you will see people that come past as I start sketching and then they come back about an hour later to see how far I've got."

Bianca Garcia has painted an advent calendar on the Crafty Bear Kitchen's windows, in Witham

The artist, who works as a teacher during the day, says she sketches her work on the windows without using a stencil.

The average creation takes two to three hours, but some can require almost six hours of her time.

"It normally depends how cold it is, because if it is very cold you're there with a hairdryer trying to dry it all," Ms Garcia, who also goes by the name "ArtisticOracle", added.

Bianca Garcia said she hoped to bring warmth to communities with her art

She said demand had soared to an "incredibly mad" level ahead of the Christmas run-in, with six festive murals already completed.

They have taken place at buildings in Witham and Silver End.

"It is a lovely way to connect communities as it is a focal point, particularly in places which are community hubs," she said.

"That is what it is all about, creating that sense of warmth and community."

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