#RainJane

AR Design Studio was approached by Winchester City Council to provide an artistic gesture that would help to raise awareness of a programme of events across Hampshire to mark the 200th anniversary of local author Jane Austen.

AR Design Studio proposed the idea of a trail made using a special type of environmentally friendly outdoor paint that it is invisible in the dry yet appears during periods of rainfall. The trail consists of 12 quotes which have appeared in numerous locations around Winchester city centre which have created a talking point among the locals who have watched the quotes magical appear and disappear as they’ve made their way around the city.

Director Andy Ramus said-

“Jane was a Hampshire girl and the upcoming programme of events is about reclaiming her in the county she was born, spent the majority of her life and wrote and finalised all six of her novels. Sadly she died at just 41 years old and we wanted to mark the fact her life was cut short with this temporary installation.

AR Design Studio is proud to be a Winchester business and we’re always looking for innovative ways to invest back into the city. Hopefully local people will experience a sense of delight and surprise as they unexpectedly come across her words and her wit. The quotations have been carefully placed in strategic locations chosen by Visit Winchester and the team here – many that have an ironic link to the words so there is an ‘in joke’ about society in general that shows how relevant her work still is.

This project is the coming together of a diverse group of Winchester district organisations to sensitively celebrate the heritage of the city we are all so proud of.”