Murwillumbah

You may have seen some murals popping up about town funded by the Murwillumbah CID grant. This project sprouts to be for everyone however this in not the case. The project has fallen short in many aspects of project consultation and delivery. I grew up in the Tweed Valley, attended High School in Murwillumbah and moved back to the Tweed Valley to be close to family residing locally since 2010. I have 25 years professional experience as a self employed mural artist and have pioneered many of these types of projects with my experience in community arts second to none. 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 the lack of local content is disappointing with many the artists commissioned from outside the area whilst others lacking experience in large scale works.

Please find communications below with Business Murwillumbah who have initially responded and indicated opportunity to work together however my email has been blocked and there has been no reply from a follow up web contact form submission on my behalf to maintain communication.

8th April 2025: Contacted Business Chamber

Dear Business Murwillumbah,

I am writing in regards to recent public arts projects funded in Murwillumbah as it appears disingenuous that Business Murwillumbah has not supported local business in this instance, instead employing contractors from elsewhere. There are more creatives in the Northern Rivers than anywhere else however many artists such as myself continue to leave the area for work.

Since growing up in the Tweed Valley I have 31 years experience in public art and murals working full time self employed for the past 25 years. I have been a pioneer of many youth and community arts projects, worked with 115 schools, completed thousands of large scale commissions and been a finalist and winner in local and international competitions.

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 completed designs for Bowerbird however this site did not come to fruition due to owners permission. I feel in this instance I have again been overlooked or excluded given my dedication to the specific area and experience with this type of project being second to none.

In a broader context is disappointing M-Arts haven’t supported local mural artists and this coincides with exclusionary practices by local government. 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 however now I just live in Murwillumbah.

Regards,

8th April: Reply from business chamber

Thank you for your email and for taking the time to share your background, experience, and concerns regarding recent public art projects in Murwillumbah. I also appreciate your interest in the Community Improvement District (CID) Pilot Program, which Business Murwillumbah has been working on since August last year.

Since the beginning of this initiative, we’ve undertaken extensive local engagement with community members, artists, business owners, and property owners throughout the Murwillumbah CBD. This included a broad promotional campaign across social media, local newspapers, TV, and printed materials around town, as well as pop-up information stalls at the markets, Sunnyside Mall, and other CBD locations. We also circulated EDMs to those who expressed interest and regularly engaged with our Business Chamber members.

Were you part of any of the community groups or surveys during that engagement period? The consultation phase spanned several weeks and has since informed the development of strategies and a proposed framework to submit to the NSW Government to help ensure the long-term success of the CID project in Murwillumbah.

In terms of public art, we held a street fair in November 2024 in South Prospero Street, which included a showcase of street art in the area. I’m not sure if any of the works on display at the time were yours. For the recent mural projects, one of our local business members led the artist selection, guided by a specific brief that emerged from the engagement process. To our knowledge, all the artists involved do have a connection to the Tweed area.

That said, we completely understand your desire to contribute to the public art landscape in Murwillumbah. Proudfoots Lane remains a key part of the town’s creative identity, and there are still several spaces—such as loading dock gates and laneway doors—that could benefit from artistic activation. If there’s a particular area you'd like to work on, I’d be happy to help by contacting the relevant property owner on your behalf to explore permissions.

I hope this helps clarify the context of the current projects. Business Murwillumbah is always looking to welcome creative professionals into our network. I’d encourage you to come along to one of our Business Chamber events, follow us on social media, or sign up for our EDMs to stay up to date and get involved.

Thanks again for reaching out, and I look forward to staying in touch.

Regards,

15th April: Reply to Business Chamber I was unable to send the below reply due to my email being blocked. I also submitted a web contact form on 22nd April to the Murwillumbah business chamber with my details and a short message however there has been no reply or contact.

Dear Business Murwillumbah,

      Thank you for your prompt reply and information. I am a previous member of the business chamber. The Sauce Studio assisted Annie Longland to set up the original Murwillumbah Arts Trail and participated in markets and community activities amongst numerous commissions across the Tweed. I have been a finalist in the Border Art Prize, assisted with the Caldera Panorama Mural and my work can be seen at schools, surf clubs, supermarkets, gyms, aged care facilities, nurseries and a range of businesses across the Tweed. Whilst I understand consultation was completed for the CID project it is somewhat uncanny that a local artist with 25 years professional experience and ties to the specific mural locations could be overlooked, a simple google search of “Murwillumbah Mural” shows results on the first page. I encourage the support of all levels of artists and whilst there needs to be opportunity for emerging practitioners, as a pioneer of these types of projects across Australia to be overlooked indicates either a lack of knowledge of public art or an intentional avoidance. The absence of contact throughout an “extensive” consultative process and the commissioning of artists from Brisbane and outside of the Tweed on prime CBD wallspace is congruent with a disingenuous approach.

Furthermore I was also contacted by Tweed Regional Museum some time ago who assured me she would pass on my details and let me know when opportunities for mural activations were open. I discussed my work with Museums such at Australian Age of Dinosaurs, Redlands Coast & Millmerran Museums however the contact was to invite me to the street art party at Prospero st and pontificate the historical significance of the graffiti art in the carpark. I noted that some of my early work had been covered at that location and the site was curated to show a narrow, limited version of history. I respectfully declined to attend the event due to experiences of bullying which I don’t feel appropriate to divulge in detail via email and urged the council staff member to investigate contractors prior to engagement specifically regarding criminal history and appropriateness in relation to working with young people.

As you are aware I have completed numerous murals in proud foots lane each as in-house/artist driven projects with no funding or external support. Despite the positive community response to much of my efforts all of my Murwillumbah murals in public spaces have been removed (with the exception of Newell Park) after threats from a local business owner were made to myself, family and friends and personalised vandalism on my studio and many of my local murals. I was then vilified by the local news paper who had ignored media releases and invitations over a few years regarding exhibitions in my Proudfoots lane studio and other successes such as winning an international mural competition.

At one site I had approached council for support and pitched the idea of a mural competition to attract interstate/international artists and create an annual tourism event. Council declined to support the concept as it was a private wall so I painted an almost 50m long mural with the owners permission and assistance for a number of experienced artists as a contribution to the Murwillumbah Arts Trail. Council then undermined my permission and contract with the owner and funded an artist from outside the area to cover my work without any decommissioning process or respect. This is one example of maybe a dozen occasions where local government has excluded myself, bypassed policy, removed my work or preferred far less appropriate, inexperienced or unskilled contractor.

I appreciate your willingness to work together and it may be beneficial to meet to discuss opportunities and issues in more detail however I am unsure how to approach new work given past experiences.

Regards,

Chinchilla

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.

Regents Park

Another one from Term 1 at Regents Park State School featuring Wajin the Platypus mascot.

Leichhardt

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.

Oxenford

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.

Tambo

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.

2024 Wrap Up

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.

Aramac

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.

Since 94

My journey as an artist began in primary school where I was only interested in picture based books and comics due to a lack of academic ability and learning difficulties. While the rest of the class were learning a second language I struggled to spell my own name and attended speech therapy. I parroted MAD magazine cartoons and completed my first mural circa 1989 painting my initials on a weatherboard shed on the property where I grew up in the Tweed Valley. I soon discovered spray paint and applied some band names and a girlfriends initials in the local drains. I began to build up a palette of aerosol colours and applied my first graffiti piece entailing of my motorbike racing number. I occasionally think of these types of early experiments when people try to tell me I’m talented, which I feel is a dismissal of the skills and knowledge gained from years of practice…very few are born with talent.

Countless hours starring at heavy metal album covers and surf logos etched my brain and fed my fascination with lettering as a teen. During high school I was exposed to graffiti art and my mind was blown. Custom lettering that was so skewed it was often indecipherable, bursting with colour, style, balance and form. Uncommissioned art was arts for arts sake, only for those who knew. There appeared no brief and few rules, a middle finger to authority. I would regularly find graffiti in obscure locations and sometimes it appeared on moving canvasses for a brief glimpse amongst a vast jungle of concrete. I spent weekends travelling on trains and busses from the Gold Coast to Brisbane inspired by pioneers such as THC, ACR, TRP, BWP, AKM, KOC, WAR and many other crews. I moved to Brisbane in 1994 after failing art in year 10. I now realise this cemented my passion for a career in visual arts and thus indicating a narrow minded curriculum did not suit a range of learning needs.

I was known by a couple of regular childhood nicknames but it was time to create my own identity and make my own mark. I experimented with a few tags/nicknames and Sauce was a good fit. Family pets always had food names, sauce is a ubiquitous item, familiar in any language and entails a positive meaning to add flavour or zest. Also at the time early Australian hip hop was heavily Americanised and sauce wasn’t ketchup.

At the age of 15 while working as a part time cleaner, I studied a Certificate of Illustration and continued the following year with an Advanced Certificate in Drawing and Painting at TAFE which gave me a chance to hone my skills and build up a folio. If I wasn’t painting I was sketching new designs and planning the next piece. With a couple of mates BNE crew held its own battling much larger and far more experienced crews around Brisbanes South East. Weekend shopping consisted of five or so spray cans on the counter and a couple under the belt. I recall the stores policy was to ask why we were buying aerosols. Id reply “to paint my bikes…I have a lot of different coloured bikes” I’d be back to the following weekend to do the same like clockwork. Back in those days it wasn’t a real piece unless you stole the paint and stole the film for the camera. We had to be careful getting photos developed always using fake names and knew the train timetable and transit network off by heart. I had a blast and quite simply there is no activity that compares to the action packed adrenalin of jumping fences, avoiding authorities and creating something with artistic integrity…there is no denying graffiti is a fun crime! I made friends through graffiti art, improved skills painting large scale works, expanded knowledge of paints and processes. By the end of the 90’s I had also been a participant in numerous legal arts projects and had began to get an insight to how they worked and what they lacked.

I was increasingly asked to do commissions in The Redlands area and was offered a leadership role in a community arts project in 2000 through which many opportunities arose. The Aerograffix group was a platform to solidify aerosol art as a legitimate medium and reach a wider audience. I struggled with a sore back & feet…all I wanted was a job where I could wear comfortable sneakers which led to quitting my trade as a motor mechanic the day I completed my apprenticeship. I have never picked up a spanner since. I registered an ABN and began trading as a self employed artist in 2001. There was a core Aerograffix group to begin and through the course of things evolving I broke ranks around 2005. This came after completing a Diploma in Youth Work finding business and study a challenging juggle. Essentially I just wanted to paint as much as possible and keep the management and organising of others to a minimum. In time I realised I actually got more done solo than in a team scenario however I am always open to collaborations and remain mates with several artists from the Aerograffix days. I endorse the notion that life ruined my graffiti!

During my mid career I maintained an ambition and a thirst to expand my knowledge and broaden my experience. This proactive approach led to being a finalist and winner in numerous fine art and mural competitions all over Australia, 6 solo exhibitions, facilitated hundreds of arts workshops, commissions with 110+ schools and several thousand murals from Tasmania to Mornington Island and abroad. Building my business off the back of community arts projects has seen me regularly travel to Outback Queensland to work with remote communities. These small towns have become my home away from home since my first trip to Emerald in 2004.

In 2013 I changed trading names to The Sauce Studio and operated my own gallery/studio space for a couple of years in Murwillumbah at a time when building a shrine for dead artist was far more important than any kind of opportunity for living ones. Unfortunately exclusionary practices and double standards remain the norm…I used to be local now I just live in the Tweed Valley. After putting years of my career into legal art projects in Brisbane and the Gold Coast Its frustrating and disingenuous to see most local governments specifically excluding graffiti art from their public art programs. Instead endorsing street artists (who’ve never done it on the street) to paint pastiche, paint by numbers art. I believe good art should challenge perceptions and engage the viewer, let them interperate their own meaning. Authorities are still flogging a “zero tolerance” and “wipe out graffiti” approach 30 years on. I have observed numerous successful projects shut down, legal walls and hard earned commissioned murals removed over the years with no respect, let alone a decommissioning process. In my experience this mentality is entirely based on political agendas rather than proven projects and research. The lack of culturally appropriate activities for young people and a lock em up mentality self perpetuates a war on graffiti and further disadvantages the underpriviliged.

In 2016 I fitted out a workshop and studio on my property, having a dedicated space is essential particularly for rainy days. My pace has slowed a touch in recent years as I am more aware of my body since a diagnosis of Spina Bifida in 2016 which explains chronic pain and likely much of learning difficulties as a child previously mentioned. I have at times struggled with injury and chronic pain however always enjoy the painting process and will keep taking on commissions and doing art albeit a more methodical approach 30 years on.

It’s a different world now, robots are already coming for our jobs and the commercial landscape is saturated with products like Sauce beer, Sauce consulting to Sauce swimwear and every iteration imaginable and there’s now some sort of sauce studio in every country. Rest assured you are supporting the original, Sauce One handcrafted artwork since 94.

Nerangba

It’s been a pleasure to work with a couple of new schools this year one being Jinibara State School. Jinibara is situated in Nerangba in the Moreton Bay Region of Queensland. I had the opportunity to brighten up a couple of sites in the prep area. Thanks to the staff and students for the fab feedback and making me feel welcome.