Elevation

 

Positive Energy Activates Constant Elevation - Gravediggaz


 

In the current political climate it is challenging to find suitable walls for aerosol artists, so when the principal from Upper Mt Gravatt gave Sauce the all clear, he jumped at the chance to smash out some 3D work. This wall was completed over two days, as the first day was spent at the school rejuvinating some old work and looking at another site for a new mural. On the second day, Sauce worked on the details of the 3D elements. 
Sauce was pleased with his efforts, and when he made it home, we discussed the need to just paint. How sometimes, it is difficult to balance painting murals with koalas and painting a good solid graff piece. Sometimes, just finding a wall to paint is a mammoth task in itself! I really like the colour scheme in this one and Sauce is already itching for another paint. If you’ve got a wall that needs a good old fashioned graff piece, let us know!   

 

Back in Black

It’s not everyday that Sauce is given permission to paint whatever he wants on a wall. In fact, most of his work is subject to a design brief and a rigorous consultation phase. So when his mate from Redland City suggested it was time to refresh an old piece, it was only a matter of time before the task was completed. Since it wasn’t a professional job, Sauce indulged in a few rums and kicked back with the boys in between painting. The results speak for themselves. 



Goodbye 2013!

Wowzers! 2013 has been one rollercoaster of a year. Sauce painted more murals than we care to count and the studio has been out biggest adventure yet! 

The year started with a bang, as Sauce spent five days at Brisbane Pop Culture with Turtle and Em Undead. With all the rain and storms for the summer of 2012-13 Sauce was definitely battling the elements. But it was finished in time and luckily Em and Turtle escaped any flooding. We however, were not so fortunate. Country living has it’s downside, and while we were planning and scheming to open The Sauce Studio in Murwillumbah, we were flooded in at home for four and a half days, without power. But, we survived, and managed to open the studio, so Lady Luck must have been looking after us.

Buddah watching over us in the studio.

The Studio opening in March was definitively the scariest and most exciting thing we have ever done. In the lead up to opening night, it was utter chaos. We were busily organising shirts, logos, merchandise, advertising and all the paperwork that comes with running and expanding a business. We also had to re-fit the shop ourselves which saw Sauce and myself covered in paint and sweat from head to toe. A massive thanks goes out to all the people who visited for opening night (and throughout the year!). It’s heartening to know people are interested in the artwork and want to support an independent artist.

Ainslie Rose hard at work!

Once we opened the studio, Sauce was off to Tassie, and then Julia Creek, which was the first of three trips to Central Queensland this year. The Anglicare CQ team are without a doubt the most professional and dedicated team we have worked with. Every time Sauce visits Emerald, he’s treated like a superstar and the Anglicare CQ team have every detail organised. The kids are appreciative and enthusiastic. Sauce has even made friends up there who take him motorbike riding. Rough life hey?

The studio is keeping us both busy, with Sauce using the space as a workshop and I’m busy with all of the admin and paperwork. In September of this year, we held out first curated showcase, which was another adventure. I had the exciting role of Senior Curator, which meant I was developing and analysing the theme, while also advertising and vacuuming. For the week before Stains of Modernity opened, we had a young lad on work-experience who was dedicated and energetic. We almost couldn’t keep up with him!  Again, a massive thanks to all who came to the opening night and gave us a hand behind the scenes. It’s always scary throwing that type of party. We can never tell if it is going to be epic or, and epic failure, so thanks for making it a success.

Digital Interference. One of the pieces from Stains of Modernity.

It hasn’t been all beer and skittles, with Sauce facing some challenging bureaucracy and professional hurdles. We blogged about the many different experiences, and on a personal level it is disappointing to see the legal walls shut down, commissioned walls painted over and the zero tolerance approach taken by numerous organisations. I am conscious when we’re putting together blog posts as it is easy to moan about these issues, but we believe in standing up for what we believe in. Which is why we also write countless emails to officials and bureaucrats and make this information public. Just like Max Cavalera reminds us, “I’d rather die on my feet than keep living on my knees.” Too true Mr Cavalera.

 

One more exciting piece of information before we go. We are finally running stencil and aerosol workshops from the studio. Book it in your diary!

January 12th & 26th and February 9th.
$40 per head which includes a small canvas and paint supplied. 
Strictly 13 years or older.
Bookings essential
Wear appropriate clothing. All care taken, no responsibility for leaving paint on your new Nikes.

 

What ever you are doing this festive season, stay safe, look after your mates and enjoy yourself.

Peace,
Sauce and Ainslie Rose.

Sauce takes some time out with his new favourite book.


 


Inala PCYC

This interior mural for the Dukes team at Inala PCYC was a little out of my comfort zone. I used brushes for the majority of the work and in the middle of the three day project, we threw 20+ young people into the mix, but somehow it worked. It was a challenge to keep the chaos organised as the young people were enthusiastic about applying paint to the wall, however, this was about letting the young people have some ownership over their area. 

 

Capalaba Jam

Last Sunday, I was part of an eight namer on the back of a factory wall in Capalaba. I really enjoyed painting some good old fashioned graff and it was great to see some many different lads from numerous crews all painting alongside each other. 

A massive shout out to Kosie for doing all the hard yards with organising the gig and colour scheme. With so many walls being painted over and shut down, it’s a rare moment to have free range and paint something intrinsically motivated as opposed to a brief. It was even better to see all the lads out, as I’m sure that between us all there is a century of experience. 

I can’t wait to do it all again soon.

The Benefits of a Mural (Part Three)

Welcome to the final installment of the Benefits of a Mural posts. In this post, I want to talk about the versatility of aerosol art. 

 

Aerosol art is not limited to walls, graffiti styles or large murals. The skills and knowledge associated with mural art and aerosol art can be utilized to create innovative stage backdrops, set design and feature walls for the home. By using detailed cutouts, large canvases and some illusionary details, the ‘almost mural’ can provide a feature which is unmatched by stickers or cardboard-cutouts. 

 

Event signage and temporary instillations are another great way to incorporate aerosol and mural art at your event or venue. The process of aerosol art is one based on speed, making it an ideal concept for works or projects which have short timeframes

 

Finally, the aerosol art is a quick and cost effective method of adding colour and difference to your home, your event or business. Contact us today to organize a commission or consultation.