Greener Pastures
/Firstly I want express my respect and gratitude to the Quandamooka people who’s land I have been privileged to live upon for the past sixteen years. I also wish to extend my appreciation to the individuals and organisations such as Rita Ackermann, Courtney Gilliott, Philip Farley, IN-SYNC, Boystown, Mount Cotton State School, Bayside PCYC and many others who have supported me. As a young person I was able to establish networks and make many friends which helped grow my business. From many years of practice and study my skills developed as an artist which gave the confidence to establish Aerograffix in 2000. I am also proud to have contributed to local arts through my committee member roles with RADF, Bedlam and Spontaneity, Community Creative Alliance, my time as youth worker, gallery volunteer, a Living Library Book and advocating for many young artists.
Aerograffix has become synonymous with the youth arts sector by delivering successful projects throughout Queensland and interstate with a grass roots approach. Aerograffix gives example of a Redlands community development success story and I will forever be grateful for opportunities provided which instigated a deeper understanding of the bigger picture. With a heart full of dedication and over many years of persistence I was able to initiate positive changes in my life and hopefully to others.
Since Redland Council has become a City Council I have witnessed a reluctance to embrace progressive ideas. A top down approach to youth issues and the box ticking mentality towards public art projects has unfortunately severed links to valuable cultural resources. Systemic neglect is evident as council is still in the planning and talking phase about the initial process of creating a purpose built space for the youth of the area. There is currently a reluctance to embrace genuine and progressive ideas despite policy which claims to foster this type of approach and numerous council documents which are brimming with rhetoric about embracing both youth and the local arts community. Facilities and projects for artists remain a pipe-dream whilst spending on graffiti removal has significantly increased. During the past decade I have been lied to by state government, had promises broken by local government and my name has been vilified by local media, despite much support from members of the community. These issues have contributed to my decision to move from the stagnant cesspit of the suburbs in Redland City to greener pastures within the hills of the Tweed Valley.
The Aerograffix office and studio is now nestled in the hills of Tomewin, Northern New South Wales. Located a few minutes from the thriving yet laid back town of Murwillumbah featuring a legal graffiti wall several hundreds of metres long… Happy days! Aerograffix will continue to work with councils, schools, youth agencies, sporting clubs and businesses to deliver quality projects and artwork across Australia.
Thank you once again for the inspiring support and I look forward to catching up soon,
Christian Griffiths (Sauce)
Aerograffix
PO Box 1262
Murwillumbah
NSW 2484
+61 409 068 980
