I recently answered the call to complete a couple of small murals at Tallebudgera Valley State School on the Gold Coast. The Tally Tiger is the coolest cat around so I developed a cartoon version of the school mascot to assist in reinforcing the school mantra and positive behaviour.
I completed an artwork at the previous premises in 2011 for the team at StudioStar Photography and my services were called up again to brighten up the new Studio in Surfers Paradise.
A few weeks ago, I was contacted by the Friends of Aundel State School (FASS) on the Gold Coast, as they wanted to make their tuckshop space more appealing to the students. It was a challenging space to work with, but FASS gave me a clear and simple brief to work to. This meant the design process for the mural was easy and I was able to create something which bright, appealing and worked with the available wall space.
The annual Birthday Bash took shape again recently between the scorching sun and intermittant showers. Kosie and I had a top time with Rems, Deks and Squiz joining in the celebrations this year.
When I said Sauce was busy, I wan’t exaggerating! He managed to smash out this Stomper on the Gold Coast over two days. It was in the pipeline for a while, as Sauce know it would be a mission to finalize. During this time, we received word that another Writer, Polka passed away, so it was fitting this wall would be a tribute to the young man who died too soon.
There were heaps of different challenges to negotiate, from lining up paints to having enough space on site. The wall which is visible from the motorway, doesn’t have many neighboring buildings, so the ‘nature strip’ was more of an overgrown tangle of weeds with a large and steep drop. The lack of buildings also meant Sauce was unable to source power for his airless spraygun so the background was done with rollers. He was definitely stinky when he came home, so I can assure you plenty of sweat went into this wall.
This wasn’t the first time Sauce had painted here. Previously, an old friend Roms had organised permissions for the wall, but over time Roms had other things to manage and he graciously handed it over to Sauce to maintain.
We’ve released a new series of dates for our ridiculously popular stencil art workshops. Now is the time to book in for a workshop (or three!) in the studio in Murwillumbah since they book out fast. See you in the studio.
This year, I’ve been super busy working all over Queensland, so when a local business in Murwillumbah requested my skills for their blank wall, I jumped at the chance. The management at The Gym were great to work with, as they wanted a design which was specifically graffiti art. The brief was to make it look like a real alleyway and to make it look dirty and grimy. This piece reinvigorated my enthusiasm for a simple and clean piece. I’m looking forward to the summer break so I can smash a few pieces just for fun.
The Gym has made several upgrades in recent months with the addition of the outdoor training area and a new side entrance. We created a feature of the new doorway, adding to the existing artwork.
When Justin Bieber left his mark on the wall of QT Gold Coast it made headlines across the world. At the time, we posted a link to the story and made our opinions known on Facebook, which, is the standard thing to do. And then, we saw the video Mr Tom Tate made about his thoughts and opinions regarding the artwork in question. At The Sauce Studio, we’re not happy with Mr Tate’s approach to this issue, and, we believe, sometimes, you have to put your money where your mouth is.
Firstly, I want to point out that Justin Bieber’s art, (Both music and aerosol) is not to my taste. We are not advocating in his behalf, nor do we appreciate his abilities, but as Voltaire says “I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.” While Justin’s actions may be immature, he still has every right to express himself. I know I did plenty of dumb things when I was younger, so who am I to judge?
Secondly, the coverage of this story is what I think is a part of the bigger picture issue. Aerosol art, graffiti and the sub-culture of Hip Hop are all things which can be enjoyed and created in a safe and legal manner. In this instance, Justin sought permission to create his artworks, and therefore it is not vandalism. Mr Tate’s actions of sending a graffiti removal kit to the hotel are just down right rude and ignorant. These types of attention grabbing tactics vilify and demean the cultural structures of Hip Hop and Graffiti Art. If Mr Tate is unable to tell the difference, or act in a manner which is respectful to artistic expression, I question his ability to be a fair and thoughtful Mayor.
I am also disappointed by Mr Tate’s response to Justin’s artwork, as I don’t believe these types of actions are conducive for creating a vibrant and culturally sustainable future. This year, the Gold Coast Cultural Precinct was unveiled and Mr. Tate has also made a video about this. The precinct will include an art gallery, production studios and showrooms for arts and creative industries, and a New Arts Museum and Living Arts Centre. All of these things sound great, but if the Mayor is unable to respect artwork in this instance, I doubt very much he has the ability showcase the city’s culture and creativity to the world. In fact, I assert in his video address, not only does he denigrate Hip Hop Culture, he is tarnishing the Gold Coast’s appearance too.
In Sauce’s video, he touched on Mr Tate’s use of the word “Princess.” Gender stereotypes can be difficult to unpack in a two minute clip, but I want to expand on it here. By using the term “Princess” to refer to a male is rude to both men and women. Specifically, from Mr Tate’s position of power (with wealth and public leadership), it infers that a Princess is a negative position, and as girls are Princesses, they must be negative. It also emasculates the male and creates levels of good verses bad. I would like to invoke such a gender stereotype and suggest that a gentleman of Mr Tate’s position should know better than to use stereotypes as put-downs. I expect more from our leaders, and I believe we need to keep them to account.
So, in sum, Mr Tate has done nothing to cultivate creativity on the Gold Coast nor act as an ambassador for Gold Coast tourism. By acting in an immature and ignorant fashion he as added to Justin Bieber’s profile. Nice work, Mr Tate.
Peace, Ainslie Rose.
After the Stains of Modernity Exhibition which opened on Saturday, I was back on the road to Benowa State Primary School.
Today I made some waves at the Breaka Burleigh Pro and painted an artwork which will be auctioned with the proceeds going to charity. There were plenty of questions and cameras in the background while I was painting. I even managed to fit in an interview for the radio. It was nice to be a part of the action.
