This week I created a mural at Wynnum West State School which incorporated the school creed and reminded the students to be responsible, respectful and safe learners. The enthusiasm of the students was evident during the lunch breaks and I’m looking forward to working with the school again in the near future.
Some days in the Northern Rivers you just, can’t understand why there are so many closed minds and cliché groups. As a professional artist, who has moved back to the area I have really struggled to find my voice amongst the naysayers and the pretentious creative types who have taken over. I’ve spent the past decade building my professional mural business and I have nearly twenty years of experience in working with aerosols and and creating public art, but the doors of the gallery are still jammed shut. To find somewhere to create my art, I have to traipse up hills and search over the countryside to find a place to paint, when in reality there are plenty of great public places which would be perfect for a professional mural. And that doesn’t even begin to cover how the Treasures of the Tweed is devaluing my profession. Some days in the Northern Rivers, you just wonder where it all went wrong; it’s a great place to live, but a difficult place to work
For the last week of April, I headed to Emerald, Springsure and Capella for a suite of stencil art workshops for the young people involved with Anglicare and some of the local schools. The team at Anglicare are a pleasure to work with and the young people appear to be well looked after. The stencil art workshops were a hit, with bookings filling well in advance. The young people completed over one hundred canvasses and we threw around twenty skate decks in there just for fun. I managed to squeeze in some work for Family Daycare too, with some boards for their fence, making the week jam packed with painting. I’m looking forward to doing it all again soon, but in the meantime, I’m enjoying working on some fine art and designs in my studio in Murwillumbah.
The Cultural Arts mural is my second visit to Tambourine Mountain State School this year and it is always a pleasure to work with such an appreciative client. I first met Mr Smith in Blackhall, where he helped create a positive learning environment for Blackhall State School. Mr Smith and I planned this Cultural Arts mural to represent all the different artistic endeavors the school is involved in. The award winner school choir is even featured in the background. I need to give an extra shout out to the supportive tuck-shop personnel, as they put on a tasty spread for a working lad.
To celebrate this years Youth Week, I packed my bags and headed to Julia Creek, home of an endangered marsupial The Super Dunnart. I was hoping to get away from the rain, which has put a dampener on some of the projects in the pipeline in Brisbane, but no such luck! With some help from the locals I brought the skate park to life on over couple of sunny days after the rain.
The Sauce Studio is now up an running! On the 23rd of March this year, my wife and I officially opened The Sauce Studio to a warm reception from family, friends and visitors. We had a great turn-out and it’s good to feel supported by such an appreciable group of people. So a big thanks to all who came.
The studio will allow me to focus my efforts of taking my artwork to the next level. The work I have explored under the banner of Aerograffix has been great, and I have enjoyed meeting all of the kooky characters and completing some excellent murals which will continue, however between projects I want to challenge my own artistic ability. I want to experiment and to harness intrinsically driven concepts while enjoying a creative atmosphere in the studio.
At The Sauce Studio, my wife Ainslie Rose, will take care of the administration and front-of-house. If you’re emailing or calling, it’s probably her you’ll be talking to. We’re also open during the week, as I will have a collection of my fine art available for viewing and purchase, along with some prints, tee-shirts, hoodies, post-cards and mugs (All of this can also be purchased online). Next time you’re heading this way, feel free to drop in.
The Sauce Studio
Shop 4/15 Cnr Proudfoots Ln & Commercial Rd
Murwillumbah
02 6672 1929
Stop the press! Artist Sauce was been disqualified today from the International Mural Fest Sheffield Tasmania.
Sauce travelled to Sheffield, Tasmania to compete in the week long competition, however in a controversial move he has been disqualified from the competition for the use of aerosols.
He knew that the use of aerosols would be a ‘grey area’ when it came to the competition, however in previous years mixed medium had been acceptable. It also clearly stated in the artist information pack ‘artists supply their own brushes and also any other artistic equipment required for their specific painting technique’. He tried to reason with the event organisers and suggested he be disqualified for his use of aerosol, but be allowed to finish the mural.
The event organisers were adamant he was to be excluded from the competition on all levels and they call police to escort Sauce from the park when he attempted to paint his mural.
Here at Aerograffix we are flummoxed at the reaction of the event organisers for Mural Fest. Sauce takes all responsibility for the use of aerosols, but…
This competition is about art. At what point does artistic integrity go out the window in favour of compliance to rules which are made and enforced by people who aren’t artists themselves? This is a real shame as now people are talking about how narrow-minded and boring the competition is, when really it should be a celebration of nine talented artists painting to the best of their ability.
If this event is to be about art and creating the best mural, why does it matter if aerosols are used? It’s still paint. In past years mixed medium had been acceptable with everything from airbrush to ‘posca pens’. The ruling of banning a professional mural artist for painting a wall (Which I’m pretty sure is the point of the whole competition) is ludicrous.
At the end of the day, this is no longer about the art, nor the artistic abilities of the competitors. It’s about conforming and appealing to the sensitivities of the event organisers.
The miniture Sauce painted as a finalist in the Mural Fest Competition.
Today at approximately 10:50 am professional mural artist Sauce was escorted by police out of Mural Park for continuing to complete his mural with aerosols.
Yesterday he was told he could not continue the competition when he began to use aerosols to start his mural. He tried to reason with the competition organisers, stating the use of aerosol is still using paint to apply the mural, and that no fellow competitors had voiced their concerns for his actions.
Sauce says “This competition is not about the art and that’s a shame. I’m happy to be disqualified, but to complete my mural regardless, and not be judged. I traveled from Northern NSW to compete, it feel like a waste not to be able to finish my mural”.
The event organisers have been adamant that Sauce is not to compete as the rules clearly state all artists must use the paint supplied.
This story was covered by Arts Hub, The Advocate, ABC, Sydney Morning Herald and the Echonet Daily
It has been all systems go this week. After a mad scramble to get the Opening Night @ The Sauce Studio happening, I was zombiefied. But, there is no rest for the wicked and the next day saw me painting a van for a friend with Mr Fires.
Handcrafted Artwork Since 94 - The Sauce Studio
Mural Artist - School Murals - Sign Painter - Public Art
We acknowledge the traditional custodians of Australia, and their continued connection to country and culture. We respect their Elders, past and present, and all Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander Nations.
