It was great to be back in the Redlands and complete a mural with Alexandra Hills State Primary School who are currently celebrating their 50th anniversary. I was assigned the task of creating an artwork which included the schools new logo and a large amount of hand painted signage. I enjoyed the challenge and have no doubt the artwork will serve for many years to come. Thanks to the staff for making this come to fruition and enthusiasm throughout the project.
The new play area mural is part of a suite of murals completed at Oxenford State School recently. It likely won’t be the last as there’s more in the pipeline however it’s been a pleasure to complete seven sites over the past few years. Oxenford SS provides a great example of how dedicated school staff and a proactive P&C drive projects to benefit the school community.
I won’t be attending the upcoming Proudfoots Lane Party in Murwillumbah. Whilst the notion “In Murwillumbah” suggests local content I wander into wonder how we have ended up with such nonsense. You may have seen some murals popping up about town funded by the NSW Government’s Community Improvement District (CID) pilot program Murwillumbah CID grant. This project sprouts to be for everyone however in my experience this has not been the case. The project has fallen short in many aspects of project consultation and delivery and is yet another example of a Tweed Shire supported project which has excluded The Sauce Studio.
Since growing up in the Tweed Valley and completing my first mural at the family farm in C. 1989, (and going on to fail art in High School in 1994 in Murwillumbah) I have 25 years professional experience as a full time self employed mural artist and have pioneered many of these types of projects during extensive experience in the community arts sector. Given my dedication to Public Art and murals and ties to the specific locations as detailed and pictured below, It appears either incompetence or exclusionary practices have played a role in this instance. Furthermore, whilst there appears to be some opportunity for local emerging artists, the lack of local content for larger scale works is disappointing. Numerous featured artists commissioned are from outside the area who are described as fresh energy for promotional purposes.
In recent months I was contacted by the event organiser and we discussed workshops and murals. I was informed I would be notified when opportunities to apply were open for murals. I contacted Business Murwillumbah who initially responded and indicated opportunity to work together. I was assured there had been an extensive consultative process prior to my email being blocked and no reply from a follow up web contact from submission on my behalf to maintain communication.
I rented a working studio & gallery space in Proudfoots Lane during 2013/14 where I held 4 solo exhibitions and also created numerous murals in Proudfoots Lane along with facilitating stencil art workshops and participating in community events. I had seen designs, signs and a variety of art commissions throughout the Tweed area come to fruition whilst advocating for Murwillumbah to be a cultural hub. I assert in this instance I have again been overlooked or excluded given my history with the specific area in conjunction with my professional experience with this type of project being second to none.
In a broader context is disappointing Tweed Regional Gallery and M-Arts haven’t supported local mural artists. This coincides with exclusionary practices by local government which continue to drive talent out of the area. For this reason I complete dozens of murals each year across Queensland each year for schools, business, community groups and local government. I used to be local, now I just live in Murwillumbah.
Charley’s Creek Brewery in Chinchilla is open with plenty of cold beverages on tap. I am chuffed to continue the art around the campgrounds, complete handpainted signage and more recently paint a feature wall and floor in the brewery. There was a real buzz of energy onsite amongst all of trades and I really enjoyed the chaos of the construction site. The brewery is a story of vision to create a unique attraction for the area and perseverance through delays and more delays. The venture aims to remain a family orientated venue owned and operated by a local family, focussing on local produce. The journey to see the brewery come to fruition is a huge undertaking and I draw inspiration from the dedication and hard work of Steve and Ursula. To be a part of the Charleys Creek Brewery story is an honour and it’s great to see people engage with the art.
Another one from Term 1 at Regents Park State School featuring Wajin the Platypus mascot.
Despite Cyclone Alfred delaying progress it was fabulous to complete my first commission with Leichhardt State School this week on Yuggera, Jagera and Ugarapul lands. The mural features Leo the school mascot and creates a welcoming statement for the school entrance. The feedback from staff, students and parents has been amazing throughout the process of transforming the bare brick wall. I will be completing more art at Leichhardt in the near future so keep your eyes peeled.
Once again I find myself kicking off the new year with commissions at Oxenford State School. This time around I took on an almost 50m long awning of the Administration building and worked some magic on the tuck shop. There were a number of contractors onsite through the holiday period and it’s great to be a part of new works. Capturing some of the native flora was fitting as just over a year ago a bunch of eucalyptus were destroyed on school grounds in a tornado. The gardens are growing back and the fauna is singing. It’s always a pleasure working in conjunction with fabulous school staff and P&C.
On a recent trip to Central Western Queensland I stopped at the Tambo Tavern for a meal. I recall staying there back when I had an exhibition called Convergence at The Grasslands Gallery and doing a mural to with local youth advertise The Wilderness Way. This time around my sidekick Mac received many pats and did all the talking to line up a commission as he found out some of his cousins live nearby. I worked on the signage from dawn till about 9am each day when the scorching temperatures became too much causing the paint drying on the brush and my shoes melting to the corrugated metal roof.
There are a bunch more photos to accompany this post but tech issues remain unresolved.
Another year comes to a close and it’s been a roller coaster here at The Sauce Studio. My priority has been to support a close family member who has been unwell since January. I also took some time out to manage my own health as I suffered a chronic pain flare up which impacted my ability to work over several months. Despite all this going on I managed to do a few trips out west to complete numerous regional projects and squeezed in some commissions with schools on the Gold Coast, Brisbane, Logan and Moreton Bay. A big thanks to my clients and friends in Aramac, Blackall, Burringbar, Carina, Chinchilla, Emerald, Goovigen, Longreach, Muttaburra, Nerangba, Oxenford, Regents Park, Tambo, Waterford West and Winton.
My trusty sidekick Mac & I are very much looking forward to catching you in the new year with the current schedule fully booked into March. Thanks for your support, feel free to share my work and catch you in 2025.
I painted my first mural at Aramac State School in 2005/6 ? when Anglicare CQ toured me around the region. I have always enjoyed the adventure of painting in remote locations and pioneering public art, and were better than the centre of the universe! Aramac is a special place to me…it feels like authentic Wild West! Every visit I have seen familiar faces and met some characters along the way. The local support is amazing & I have likely done more art in the 4726 than anywhere else. For a locality of 372 people public art has been an integral platform to tell community stories with murals for a wide range of gov, non-gov organisations along with business and private clients commissioning a variety of projects.
The first mural has recently been covered by a newly built classroom and how fantastic to have the opportunity to return and paint the other side. The art on the D block wall facing the oval was an initiative by the student council who wanted to leave their mark. There was plenty of students wielding brushes, rollers and stencils to help out. 39 degree temps, gusty wind and storms won’t stop public art in Aramac. Thank you to the school staff who were just as enthusiastic to see this project come to fruition as the students.
Handcrafted Artwork Since 94 - The Sauce Studio
We respect the Bundjalung People as traditional custodians acknowledging continued connection to country and culture.
