Blackall

One of the reasons I love travelling the Queensland outback is the abundance of inspiration for art. Arid landscapes that chase a never ending horizon, the vibrant colours of sunset, reflections in waterholes are all things of great natural beauty and leave their mark as memories whilst solidifying a connection to the land.

During my most recent trip to the outback I captured a bunch of interesting photos. This setting not far from Blackall may be relatable to many in the bush. A storm brewing afar while the glow of afternoon sun saturates a nearby paddock.  

Since returning to my studio, in between other commissions and side projects Iv’e been working on a series of new fine art. The new body of work is based on original photographs from my travels. I had to postpone my plans for a solo exhibition the past two years because of a global pandemic, maybe next year who knows I’m just enjoying pushing some paints on the canvas in the meantime.

I have entered this oil on canvas titled Tumbar Road Blackall into this years Blackall Annual Art Exhibition. 91.4cm x 45.7cm 

Coolum

I had a blast catching up with my brother Kosie 1 on the Sunshine Coast. It was a fine way to wrap up an epic 4 week tour through 6 towns travelling 3,500kms working my way to the coast from Outback Queensland. We rocked out some casual letters which evolved into a reasonably sharp, crispy link up. Get in touch if you have any walls on the Sunny Coast that need some graffiti art @kosie1 @thesaucestudio

Gympie

I was contacted by the Gympie West State School P&C committee to give a splash of paint to an original weatherboard tuck shop. Normally I would develop a design based on the clients brief but the committee forwarded such a comprehensive plan I put my time purely into the application. The striped colours had been selected to match the adjacent corridor and the supplied design included the 3 animals and position of chalk boards to be added soon. It was a lot of prep & painting, doing vertical stripes on weatherboard was challenging but the transformation looked great.

Bluff

I was contacted by Bluff Rabbitohs to create some artwork to coincide with the opening of their new facilities at Macca’s Oval. The football clubs committee wanted to honour two champions of the community who have been involved with the club for fifty years. Pat & Rodney have dedicated countless hours over the years so it was fitting to acknowledge these contributions. An unveiling took place on Saturday the 12th June where amongst an array of celebrations Pat was awarded a lifetime membership of Central Highlands FC.

Emerald

A quick stop at the BMX wall and some lucky noodle.

Alpha

After almost 3 weeks in Winton I made my way to Alpha and completed menu boards for the Golf Club. It was great to work with familiar faces and contribute to new beginnings and upgrades at the club. I enjoyed the challenge and pretty much just got stuck into it, it was a nice day to be working inside avoiding the cool, gusty outback winds.

As I measured, contemplated options and lay out some sort of plan to fit the menu onto a single design to a prescribed theme, I reflected on my struggles as a child to write any kind of coherent text let alone stay within the confines of the lines. I used to get in trouble for poor writing, I could barely scratch out cursive in high school. Then graffiti changed everything, I developed a love for letters and the desire to explore custom and practice existing fonts.

For a job that I did on the fly with no formal training I am satisfied with the outcome and I relish the opportunity to do more of this kind of work in the future as it seemed to serve the client down to a tee (Pun intended)

Winton

Another adventure began with a catch up in Blackall with some friends before heading to Winton for a large project. This time I was commissioned to paint two murals and a series of workshops.

Winton is the dinosaur capitol of Australia so a dinosaur mural was a good fit for the laneway between the library and bakery. This theme also referenced previous work on this site by Bill O’Brien who’s hand painted signs I have admired for many years. Incorporating the existing bricks into the artwork created a lot of interest and invited passers by to take a closer look. The large wall demanded decent sized features and I also managed to squeeze in smaller details to create points of interest along the laneway.

The second mural took shape on the local newsagents recently re-clad side wall. This time we focussed on other elements that have played a role in Winton’s recent history. The owners liked the idea of a mandala inspired design incorporating iconic local imagery. Through this consultation and concept develoment process I discovered a story that needed to be told. The owners late father was a well liked local character who built a successful transport business. Alan “Buddo” Grant became a living legend in 1995 when he broke the Guinness World Record for the longest road train. Winton is well known for Banjo Patterson, birthplace of QANTAS and opals which are reflected in many other public art installations and tourist attractions so It became apparent that Buddo’s legacy needed to be the main feature for the mural. I painted the original truck used and the 34 cattle trailers (including 4 fuel trailers) which were used in the amazing feat. Some of the local station brands were also incorporated into the design.

I had an epic time in Winton and can’t thank Winton Shire Council enough for their efforts to make this project happen. The feedback both from the murals and workshops was fantastic and no doubt this is a great example of best practice, where a number of stakeholders enabled positive outcomes. Mac & I are looking forward to next time already!

Ormeau

It was great working with the Ormeau State School P&C to transform the schools tuck shop. The Tuckerbox is now equipped with new signs and a fun mural to brighten the space up.

Mt Cotton

It’s great to be commissioned to update one of my first ever paid jobs two decades later. During this time I have completed 12 murals at Mt Cotton State School and observed the school go through many changes, continuing to expand. My artwork and skills have also progressed over the years and each time I return to Mt Cotton there’s an element of nostalgia. It’s fantastic to not only have such a supportive client but to have brightened up the school environment for several generations of students. When you have parents say they remember you painting that wall when they were students you’re either getting old or very experienced at your craft!

Elanora

I recently completed a small wall at a private residence in Elanora, Gold Coast.