AN artist has captured the iconic cooling towers at Roberts Bakery in an original piece of artwork to raise money for a Lymphoma Action support group.
Weaverham-based Sam Robson, an international-selling artist and brave lymphoma survivor, has used the aroma of fresh bread as inspiration for her latest work.
Looking for a theme for her submission to the annual Visual Arts Cheshire charity calendar, Sam, known as Lymphomalass on social media, polled her followers for ideas.
They told her to paint Roberts iconic cooling towers on the A556 by Gadbrook Park at Rudheath in tribute to what locals dub the ‘scents of home’.
The result is a representation of the fresh baked loaves cooling and has been snapped up by the bakery to hang in its reception.
Proceeds from the piece have gone to a local Lymphoma Action support group – the charity that Sam says helped her come to terms with the life-changing side effects of treatment for the disease.
Sam explained, "I was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, a blood cancer which affects the immune system, in 2015.
"After one mass the size of a cricket ball, two blue-light ambulance rides, six months of chemo, five days in Critical Care with a rare pneumonia, fifteen radiotherapy sessions, five fractured vertebrae and losing my spleen, I’ve got myself back walking again, and most importantly I’m in remission.
"Now I want to live life as fully as I can and, where I can, and give back something to help other patients.
"Lymphoma gave me the impetus to follow my childhood dream of becoming a full-time creative."
Of her latest bakery piece, she added: "Roberts Bakery has its own intrinsic emotional content, welcoming drivers into Northwich, somewhat like the Angel of the North does in Gateshead."
Sean Dowie, head of marketing at Roberts, said: "This is a wonderful piece of art by Sam, with a really inspirational story behind it.
"We were delighted to get involved in supporting her and such a good cause.
"It will have pride of place in the bakery."
The original piece is worked in pen and a range of watercolours, including Brusho crystal colours, made by Colourcraft Colours and Adhesives Ltd in Sheffield, and Graphitint paint pans, manufactured in Cumbria by Derwent – so as Sam describes it, 'it is a real celebration of British craftsmanship'.
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