Abby spreading festive cheer in Elland with her art

Abby Gledhill, 16, is studying A-level art and is being inundated with work offers after producing the eye-catching display.

Connor Broadley, 26, lives in Elland and has owned the bar for nearly a year.He said: “Abby’s mum used to work behind the bar for me, and she came in one day with Abby and was telling me about all her drawings.

“She mentioned she was doing the Overgate window and I said ‘well, can you do mine?’

“I just thought it was something to give back to Elland. I really don’t think I’m going to open this year, so everyone says ‘why have you had it done?’ but it’s not for me, it’s for the people of Elland, putting a smile of kids’ faces, it’s ace, I love it.”

Connor says the response to Abby’s art has been “absolutely fantastic”.

“She posted something on social media halfway through it and it got about 10,000 views, then I posted something and I’ve had 200-odd likes and about 30 shares. It’s been massive, everyone’s loved it,” he said.

“The comments on our Facebook page are amazing.”

Abby’s mum Anne said: “It started with a friend of ours, who asked Abby to do the Overgate Little Stars window.

“She was meant to do that way before she did Jack’s Bar, but my eldest had Covid so we all had to isolate.

“Connor asked for something to do with Remembrance Day then changed his mind and wanted something Christmassy.

“It’s the first shop window she’s ever painted. She’s completed the Overgate one and she’s been down in West Vale doing a hairdressers.
“It’s just skyrocketed.

“She’s got an Instagram page and a Facebook page, and she’s been doing commissions for people, of pets and people.

“She got an A triple star at GCSE in art.

“She started drawing some chimps and I said ‘flipping heck Abby, they’re amazing’, and she was offered to draw some, print them off and then sell them in somebody’s shop.

“But on the back of these windows and her putting them on social media, it’s gone crazy.
“She’s booked up until just before Christmas with window paintings, she’s got about 13 or 14 commissions into the New Year for her pencil drawings.

“She’s the middle of my children, who have multiple medical conditions, and Abby just bumbles along.

“We lost her twin brother when they were both born but Abby’s been fit and well and she’s just carried on in life. It’s just so lovely for Abby to have some recognition because she’s never had the limelight.

“I’m really proud of what she’s doing. She didn’t know what she wanted to do a couple of years ago and now you can clearly see the passion she has for her art. That’s what she wants to do 100 per cent.

“She’s had offers left, right and centre for various things, bedroom murals, window painting, drawing comic book characters and to draw a character for a company logo.”