New Bonnie Tyler Mural Unveiled in Her Hometown as Tribute

A new mural honoring Bonnie Tyler has been unveiled in Skewen, the village in Neath Port Talbot where the singer was born and raised. The tribute follows the singer’s death in July at age 75 in a hospital in Portugal, where she had been recovering from emergency intestinal surgery.

The artwork, located at Skewen Memorial Park, features a prominent portrait of the Holding Out For a Hero singer, whose birth name was Gaynor Hopkins. Artist Steve Jenkins, known as Jenks Art, designed the piece with a two-tone face: the colorful side signifies that her music will live on, while the black-and-white side serves as a memorial. The mural also incorporates references to the local rugby club, where Tyler performed her first audition, and her hit song, Total Eclipse of the Heart.

A Community Tribute

For the residents of Skewen, the mural provides a lasting connection to a performer who remained tied to her origins throughout her global career. Local resident Susan Petrosillo, 61, described the tribute as fantastic and noted that Tyler remained a significant part of the village. She added that she felt very, very proud of the installation. Michael Davies, who attended school with the singer, remarked that the mural is a meaningful way to honor someone he knew long before her rise to international stardom.

The unveiling follows a period of public mourning in the area. On August 17, a celebration of life was held at Swansea Minster prior to a private family funeral. During the funeral procession, hundreds of people lined the streets of Skewen to pay their respects as the hearse passed through the village. Petrosillo remarked that seeing the community come together for the funeral was amazing.

Capturing a Local Icon

Creating the mural was a task that the artist described as carrying a huge responsibility. Jenkins noted that the design went through several iterations, including an early mock-up that featured Mumbles Lighthouse. The team ultimately decided to replace that background with Skewen Park to better reflect Tyler’s pride in her hometown. Jenkins explained that he felt the pressure was on to ensure the accuracy of the portrait because of the deep emotions the local community felt toward the star.

Bob Marney, 84, emphasized the importance of the rugby club emblem included in the artwork, calling Tyler a legend who was down to earth and never forgot her roots. The mural serves as a permanent memorial in the park, marking the legacy of a star who maintained her local ties despite her success on the world stage.