When eccentric artist Ron Gittins passed away in 2019, his family visited the apartment he rented in northwest England to gather his belongings. They were shocked to find that Gittins had completely transformed the space into a creative haven, complete with a lion’s head fireplace, Roman bread oven, Egyptian inspired paintings, and numerous statues. Over the 30 years Gittins spent living there, his art spread to the walls, floors, and ceilings, leaving his colorful mark on every inch of the property. Gittins’ niece, Jan Williams, started a campaign called “Ron’s Place” to protect the apartment as a historic landmark, which garnered support from artists around the world. The property was recently granted protected status by Britain’s Department for Culture, Media, and Sport, and is now being created into a mini-museum and creative space for artists to work in. Williams said her Uncle Ron, who was known in town for walking around in costume and foraging for art materials, would be over the moon that his art is finally being seen by the masses.
Image via CNN
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