Staff at a well-known staircase design and manufacturing company are celebrating after one of its employees was shortlisted for a national prize. Clare Harper, creative artist at Pear Stairs, was one of only four entrants to make the final of the Print, Design and Marketing Awards 2017.

Based in Mid Wales but operating right across the UK, Pear Stairs is part of Boys & Boden Ltd, which owns multiple plumbing and DIY branches in England and Wales.

Clare was singled out for her transformation of Pear Stairs’ newly acquired delivery vehicles. When asked to come up with a livery, she created a variety of surreal designs giving a huge pear-shaped twist to a range of iconic paintings, including MC Escher’s Relativity with its never-ending staircase, Salvador Dali’s famous melting clocks – or pears – and Damien Hirst’s A Pair Divided.

The latest lorry displays a tribute to fantastical Dutch artist Heironymus Bosch, showing pears cavorting in the Garden of Earthly Delights before getting their just desserts in an eerie depiction of Hell. And looking beyond this galaxy, Clare even dreamt up a dramatic delivery van devoted to Star Wars – or, rather, Stair Wars.

The designs were printed on to vinyl lorry curtains by specialist company Structure-flex Ltd, which was also shortlisted for the prize.

Pear Stairs manager Clive McNamee said: “We wanted to produce something a little different to what you usually see. The images are about poking gentle fun at the world while seriously imprinting Pear Stairs onto the memory of everyone who sees them. Clare has done a fantastic job and we are absolutely delighted with the end result.”

The awards ceremony was held recently in London during a luxury riverboat cruise along the Thames.

Although ultimately Clare was narrowly pipped to the post by another entry, her unique works of art were highly commended by the judging panel.

Clare said: “Whilst cruising past the great, iconic landmarks of London enjoying a particularly lavish lunch aboard the Silver Sturgeon, it surprised me to learn so many new and interesting facts about the world of marketing and print. Although it’s slightly disappointing not to have come first, it was an honour to be shortlisted and I have come back to work with renewed energy and lots of fresh ideas.”

Visit www.pearstairs.co.uk to find out more.